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Forensic scientist salary in Texas

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

$59,870median pay per year in Texas, or $28.79 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $42,430lowest 10% earn less
  2. $49,46025th percentile
  3. $59,870median
  4. $70,13075th percentile
  5. $82,640top 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 Texas was $59,870 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $12,190 below the US median[6].

Jobs in TX
1,900[4]
Rank by median pay
34 of 41[5]
Compared with US median
−16.9%[6]

How much do forensic scientists make in Texas?

The median is the middle of the pay range. Half of the forensic scientists in Texas earned more than $59,870 a year, which is $28.79 an hour, and half earned less[1]. The average was $61,530[7]. The US median was $72,060, so Texas came out 16.9% lower[3][6]. Texas had the 34th highest median among the 41 states with a published figure[5]. Against all jobs in Texas, forensic scientists earned $11,250 more than the all-occupation median of $48,620[8][9].

At the low end, the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $42,430[2]. At the high end, the top-paid 10% earned more than $82,640[2]. The middle half earned between $49,460 and $70,130[2].

By metro area, Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos had the highest median among the 8 metro areas with a published figure, at $70,130[10]. Houston was at $66,440[11]. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington had the largest job count listed, about 590, with a median of $57,180[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].

Texas vs US pay

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

TXUS
Median per year$59,870[1]$72,060[3]
Median per hour$28.79[1]$34.65[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$42,430[2]$48,250[13]
Top 10% earn more than$82,640[2]$117,250[13]
Jobs1,900[4]19,120[3]

Pay by metro area in Texas

Metro areas in Texas with the most jobs for forensic scientists, and the median pay in each[11].

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX[11]$57,180590
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX$70,130360
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX$66,440300
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX$59,950160
El Paso, TX$58,89050
Lubbock, TX$54,97040
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX$55,15040
Corpus Christi, TX$51,71030

Pay in nearby states

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

StateMedian per yearJobs
Oklahoma[14]$65,940110
New Mexico$65,570200
Arkansas$44,670100

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 Texas?
The median wage for forensic scientists in Texas was $59,870 a year in May 2025, and the average was $61,530[1][7].
How much does a forensic scientist make an hour in Texas?
The median hourly wage was $28.79[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $20.40 an hour and the top-paid 10% earned more than $39.73[2][17].
Which city in Texas pays forensic scientists the most?
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos had the highest median among the 8 Texas metro areas with a published figure, at $70,130[10].
Is Texas a good state for forensic scientists?
Texas had the 34th highest median for this job among the 41 states with a published median[5]. Its median was 16.9% below the US median[6].
What do you need to become a forensic scientist in Texas?
This is a US figure, not a Texas 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 Texas was $59,870 per year and $28.79 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 Texas: 10th percentile $42,430, 25th percentile $49,460, 75th percentile $70,130, 90th percentile $82,640. 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 1,900 people worked as Forensic Science Technicians in Texas (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: Texas had the 34th 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 Texas ($59,870) was $12,190 (16.9%) lower than the US median ($72,060). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Forensic Science Technicians in Texas was $61,530 per year and $29.58 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in Texas was $48,620. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Forensic Science Technicians in Texas was $11,250 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($48,620). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 8 metro areas in or partly in Texas with a published median for Forensic Science Technicians, Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX had the highest median annual wage, $70,130. 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 Texas (highest first): Oklahoma $65,940; New Mexico $65,570; Arkansas $44,670. 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 Texas: 10th percentile $20.40, 25th percentile $23.78, 75th percentile $33.71, 90th percentile $39.73. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only Texas. 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.