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Forensic scientist salary in New York

Updated November 1, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$81,670median pay per year in New York, or $39.27 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $63,970lowest 10% earn less
  2. $64,99025th percentile
  3. $81,670median
  4. $100,31075th percentile
  5. $105,920top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $72,060[3]

The median pay for forensic scientists in New York was $81,670 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $9,610 above the US median[6].

Jobs in NY
1,140[4]
Rank by median pay
7 of 41[5]
Compared with US median
+13.3%[6]

How much do forensic scientists make in New York?

The median is the middle of the pay range. Half of the forensic scientists in New York earned more than $81,670 a year, which is $39.27 an hour, and half earned less[1]. The average was $84,050[7]. The US median was $72,060, so New York came out 13.3% higher[3][6]. New York had the 7th highest median among the 41 states with a published figure[5]. Against all jobs in the state, forensic scientists earned $22,000 more than the all-occupation median of $59,670[8][9].

At the low end, the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $63,970[2]. At the high end, the top-paid 10% earned more than $105,920[2]. The middle half earned between $64,990 and $100,310[2].

By metro area, Albany-Schenectady-Troy had the highest median among the 4 metro areas with a published figure, at $87,020[10]. The New York-Newark-Jersey City area had the largest job count listed, about 800, with a median of $81,670[11]. OEWS counts wage and salary workers only. It leaves out the self-employed and owners of unincorporated firms. It also leaves out nonproduction bonuses and the cost of benefits like health insurance[12].

New York vs US pay

Pay for forensic scientists in New York next to the national figures[1][3].

NYUS
Median per year$81,670[1]$72,060[3]
Median per hour$39.27[1]$34.65[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$63,970[2]$48,250[13]
Top 10% earn more than$105,920[2]$117,250[13]
Jobs1,140[4]19,120[3]

Pay by metro area in New York

Metro areas in New York with the most jobs for forensic scientists, and the median pay in each[11]. A metro area that crosses state lines is counted as a whole.

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ[11]$81,670800
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY$87,020170
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY$82,04040
Rochester, NY$66,34040

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for forensic scientists in the states that border New York, highest first[14].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Connecticut[14]$85,910120
Massachusetts$79,320290
Vermont$74,11030
New Jersey$63,22060
Pennsylvania$61,580360

Median pay for forensic scientists in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for forensic scientists are projected to grow 13.3% from 2025 to 2035[15]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: bachelor's degree[16].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a forensic scientist make in New York?
The median wage for forensic scientists in New York was $81,670 a year in May 2025, and the average was $84,050[1][7].
How much does a forensic scientist make an hour in New York?
The median hourly wage was $39.27[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $30.75 an hour and the top-paid 10% earned more than $50.92[2][17].
Which city in New York pays forensic scientists the most?
Albany-Schenectady-Troy had the highest median among the 4 New York metro areas with a published figure, at $87,020[10].
Is New York a good state for forensic scientists?
New York had the 7th highest median for this job among the 41 states with a published median[5]. Its median was 13.3% above the US median[6].
What do you need to become a forensic scientist in New York?
This is a US figure, not a New York one. Across the US, the typical education needed for entry is a bachelor's degree, with no related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training[16].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Forensic Science Technicians in New York was $81,670 per year and $39.27 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Forensic Science Technicians in New York: 10th percentile $63,970, 25th percentile $64,990, 75th percentile $100,310, 90th percentile $105,920. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Forensic Science Technicians in the US as a whole was $72,060 per year and $34.65 per hour, with about 19,120 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 1,140 people worked as Forensic Science Technicians in New York (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: New York had the 7th highest median annual wage for Forensic Science Technicians out of the 41 states with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Forensic Science Technicians in New York ($81,670) was $9,610 (13.3%) higher than the US median ($72,060). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Forensic Science Technicians in New York was $84,050 per year and $40.41 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in New York was $59,670. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Forensic Science Technicians in New York was $22,000 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($59,670). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 4 metro areas in or partly in New York with a published median for Forensic Science Technicians, Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY had the highest median annual wage, $87,020. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Forensic Science Technicians in the US: 10th percentile $48,250, 25th percentile $57,830, 75th percentile $94,520, 90th percentile $117,250. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Forensic Science Technicians in states that border New York (highest first): Connecticut $85,910; Massachusetts $79,320; Vermont $74,110; New Jersey $63,220; Pennsylvania $61,580. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Forensic Science Technicians is projected to grow 13.3% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 2,800 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Forensic Science Technicians: education needed for entry: Bachelor's degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Forensic Science Technicians in New York: 10th percentile $30.75, 25th percentile $31.25, 75th percentile $48.23, 90th percentile $50.92. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only New York. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.