How to Become a Criminalist – Education & Career Guide

Criminalists use scientific and investigative methods to deduce how a particular crime took place. Today’s criminalists utilize modern tools like 3D imaging and DNA sequencing to help law enforcement, building upon methods used hundreds of years ago. According to the Fingerprint Sourcebook by the U.S. Department of Justice, around 221 B.C., the Chinese used fingerprints and handprints to identify documents using clay imprints which was the first known instance of fingerprinting.

Most of the investigative methods in use today were refined in the 1800s and 1900s. The first microscope was developed in the 1800s, as was the first use of photography to identify criminals and documentation of evidence. Later in the 1900s, law enforcement used a bullet comparison to catch a murderer, and the first use of toxicology occurred in a jury trial, among many other achievements.

Today, criminalists have a variety of roles. Some visit crime scenes to gather evidence, while others work in labs or offices to analyze these discoveries and share their findings with law enforcement and the judicial system. It can be a satisfying career since criminalistics involves working with different people and situations and using various tools and acquired knowledge to gather evidence to solve crimes.

Criminalist careers are in high demand. Granted, the popularity of shows like CSI, Law & Order, and Bones brought forensic science into the mainstream. Still, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS 2024) has also noted an uptick in demand. From 2023 to 2033, forensic science technicians, who share a similar occupational title to criminalists, are projected to grow by 14 percent, a rate faster than the average for all occupations at 4 percent.

Read on to learn more about becoming a criminalist, including career outlook, education, responsibilities, salary, and certification.

Meet the Expert: Günther Scharnhorst, MS, ABC-MB

Günther Scharnhorst is the president of the California Association of Criminalists (CAC).

Scharnhorst is also a senior criminalist for the California Department of Justice at the Jan Bashinski DNA Laboratory and serves as vice-president on the Affiliate Board of the Association of Criminalists for the California Department of Justice.

ForensicsColleges.com: What is something you wish the public understood about criminalists?

Scharnhorst: I would like the public to understand that the work of a criminalist is only one facet of the work that is necessary to help a jury reach a fair verdict. Due to the proliferation of TV dramas centered around forensic science, the public often gets the impression that there is always a single piece of evidence waiting to be discovered that will break the case open. The reality is that the same evidence can carry different weight if the circumstances of a case are changed.

For example, if a missing child’s blood is found in the vehicle of someone who has no connection to the child, that can be very significant, but if that child’s blood is found in the vehicle of a parent, it might carry less weight depending on the other details of the case. What if the parent has a convincing argument that the child had previously been injured in sports practice? Such evidence suddenly seems less significant.

In a world where these nuances often get overlooked by people making social media commentary based on an incomplete set of facts, innocent people can be unfairly accused and have their reputations ruined. The often slow, plodding nature of our justice system is a feature, not a bug, as frustrating as the general public sometimes finds it.

ForensicsColleges.com: What advice would you give to high school students who might be interested in becoming criminalists?

Scharnhorst: One thing that I find troublesome is that students are often led to believe that a bachelor’s degree in forensic science is a perfect way to become a criminalist. While I do not want to suggest that this is necessarily a bad idea, unfortunately, as with many things in life, the truth is somewhat more complicated.

One of the problems my laboratory has found with some job candidates who have gone down this academic path is that some undergraduate college forensics programs do not adequately prepare their students to meet the educational requirements that have been set out by the FBI in its Quality Assurance Standards for Forensic DNA Databasing Laboratories and its Quality Assurance Standards for Forensic DNA Testing Laboratories. These two documents dictate many aspects of how a DNA laboratory operates. Some undergraduate programs seem to be set up in such a way that the student might take four to five forensic undergraduate courses where there is little or no laboratory experience, and the student expects to be competitive in getting a job at a government DNA laboratory.

In my opinion, a student would be better off majoring in a hard science such as biology, genetics, chemistry, physics, etc. Only after obtaining the broad experience of a bachelor’s degree would I generally suggest a more focused area of study. Many of my colleagues and I took this exact path. I have a bachelor’s degree in biology, which I followed up with a master’s degree in forensic science. I originally wanted to go to medical school, which is why I majored in biology, but that did not work out. Getting my master’s degree in forensic science was my backup option, and I think it worked out very well.

This may also be a safer path for another reason: despite a student’s best efforts, the reality is that, for various reasons, many will never obtain employment in a forensic laboratory. It tends to be very competitive. You may have six or seven people interviewing for a single position. A bachelor’s degree in genetics will make you more employable with a biotech company or similar employer if things do not work out as you had hoped.

Now, if you still want to get a bachelor’s degree in forensic science, that program should be able to prove that its graduates have consistently obtained employment after graduation. If they cannot do this, that is a red flag. If they can do this, then that would be great. Go for it. I do not want to suggest that a bachelor’s degree in forensic science is automatically a mistake, but you need to know what you are getting into before you make that decision.

If you get an interview, do not try to fake your way through it. Be prepared to talk in detail about the discipline you are seeking a job in. For example, if it’s DNA, know how to explain PCR. If it’s ballistics, know the difference between a cartridge and a cartridge case. If there is some question you do not know the answer to, be honest.

The people performing these job interviews are laboratory veterans, and giving an answer full of hot air can hurt you more than admitting you do not know the answer. Since you could potentially wind up on the stand in court, frankness and honesty are critical. If they think you have promise, they will be prepared to train you up. You do not need to be perfect, but you do need to show competence and not exaggerate your knowledge.

Assuming you get to the point where you are offered a position, another piece of advice I would like to convey is the importance of avoiding things that can trip you up on a background check. I was once told that the most common reasons why candidates fail a background check are:

• Having an incomplete employment history
• Having too much debt

The reason why avoiding excessive debt is important is that, as a criminalist, you may have access to criminal histories and other related databases. The last thing the government wants is for an employee to be tempted to use the information in these databases for personal financial gain.

While I cannot speak for particular agencies, the background checks performed by the California Department of Justice are very thorough. They will send an agent to meet with your references, even if it means sending that agent on a trans-Atlantic or trans-Pacific flight. I have known more than one person whose background check went this way.

As you can imagine, this type of check can take a while to complete. Mine took nearly six months, and my investigator never had to leave California. Many aspects of working in government move slowly, and this is no different.

ForensicsColleges.com: What does the future of the field look like to you?

Scharnhorst: I think that at least as far as the DNA field is concerned, genetic sequencing will slowly become more common. The most prevalent technology used in forensic DNA laboratories, STR amplification, does not actually involve sequencing of the genome. There are complicated technical and fiscal reasons why use of sequencing is growing very slowly, but I believe it is the future.

Criminalist Career Outlook

As stated above, the career outlook is positive for criminalists in the coming decade. Because the job responsibilities for each position vary, aspiring criminalists can expect job openings in the coming years based on their criminalist area of specialization.

Between 2023 and 2033, the BLS projects this occupation will add an estimated 2,500 new forensic science technician positions, adding to the 18,600 currently employed (BLS 2024). Those with solid backgrounds in natural sciences with work experience in laboratories are qualified for most forensic science technician positions.

While an understanding of modern law enforcement methods is essential in becoming a successful criminalist, competence in scientific fields, an aptitude for scientific inquiry, and following reliable research methods are also crucial. Aspiring criminalists should consider whether their interests lie in analyzing specific crimes, exploring crime’s role in society, or the psychological components of committing crimes.

Career options for prospective criminalists can vary by state, with different standards, needs, and academic or professional requirements. For example, the State of California requires that candidates for the lowest-level criminalist position possess at least a bachelor’s degree in a physical or biological science (e.g., biology or chemistry). College courses must include at least eight semester hours of chemistry and three semester hours of quantitative analysis.

California has created four career levels for this profession, starting with an entry-level criminalist who performs routine lab work and assists higher-level criminalists.

The second level follows this: a senior criminalist position, which candidates can be eligible for after two years working as criminalists, four years in a physical or biological lab working as chemists or biochemists, and at least two years as criminologists (or four years in a lab setting performing forensic research). Senior criminalists perform more complex analyses and may act as supervisors or managers to lower-level criminalists or provide training and methodology development to the field.

The third level is criminalist supervisor, which includes at least one year as a senior criminalist or at least five years working in a lab relating to biology, chemistry, or forensics. Criminalist supervisors are responsible for at least four lower-level criminalists or lab technicians within a laboratory or field office.

Finally, the fourth and final level is a criminalist manager, which requires spending at least one year as a criminalist supervisor or at least five years in a lab relating to biology, chemistry, or forensics. Criminalist managers plan, organize, and direct criminalist programs and supervise more than one criminalist supervisor.

Criminalist Education – How to Become a Criminalist

Forensic science technicians—one job related to criminalistics—typically need an accredited bachelor’s degree in forensic science or another scientific focus; graduates with foundational degrees in natural science are generally more flexible in their career options and more desirable by employers for their laboratory experience.

In addition to a bachelor’s degree, graduate or doctoral degrees in science or law enforcement may be helpful for higher-level or specialized forensic positions.

Some municipalities may require more credentials or specific academic experience. For example, San Diego County requires criminalist candidates to have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college in chemistry, biology, or a relevant field, including eight semesters of general chemistry and three semesters of quantitative analysis. Additionally, candidates seeking forensic biology or DNA positions must have taken an additional two semesters of molecular biology, biochemistry, or genetics.

Criminalist Responsibilities – What Do They Do?

No day as a criminalist is the same, which can be appealing to those who excel at working in different locations and types of tasks. On any given day, criminalists can take photographs at crime scenes; analyze other materials (e.g., paint, blood, firearms, toxins); collect and process prints from scenes and remains; safely transport and secure evidence; search through databases for fingerprints, DNA, serology, and other indicators/possible suspects; and even create casts for impression evidence.

Outside of the work at crime scenes or in the laboratory, criminalists could also spend time training new criminalists or testifying in court as expert witnesses.

Some municipalities have different job titles according to job responsibilities. San Diego County distinguishes criminalists from forensic evidence technicians. The latter primarily report crime science for documentation and evidence collection, while criminalists are based in labs and mainly analyze the evidence.

In the New York Police Department, criminalists take on more responsibility and independence with experience. For instance, Level 1-A criminalists receive intensive training on the most routine tasks under close supervision, while Level 1-B begins training with collecting evidence and lab analysis under direct supervision.

These levels progress to cover more research, familiarity with different materials and scientific tools, and less supervision. By Level 2, criminalists can provide training and guidance to less experienced employees and play a leadership role in the lab. Levels 3 and 4 include a supervisory role in a lab, where they ensure all equipment is calibrated, and all reports are written correctly.

Customer service and people skills are also crucial in criminalistics. Effective verbal and written communication are assets since part of the position involves interacting with scientific colleagues, law enforcement, people in the legal world, attorneys, and even the public.

Criminalist Salary – How Much Do They Make?

Compensation can vary depending on location, expertise, demand, and experience. According to the BLS, the most comparable positions to a criminalist are forensic science technicians, who complete general evidence gathering and analysis duties. The average pay for a forensic science technician in the U.S. is $71,540 (BLS May 2023).

United States: 17,520 employed forensic science technicians

• 10th percentile: $41,410
• 25th percentile: $50,480
• 50th percentile (median): $64,940
• 75th percentile: $84,720
• 90th percentile: $107,490

California leads the country in terms of wages for this position, with an annual mean salary of $98,400. Here are the top-paying states for forensic science technicians (BLS May 2023):

• California: $98,400 annual average
• Illinois: $95,750
• Connecticut: $82,620
• New York: $82,610
• Massachusetts: $82,520

Criminalist Certifications

Although not required for all positions, having criminalist certification is an excellent way to show commitment to the field and prove a baseline of professional competencies. Depending on the state or municipality where one works, certification may be a minimum requirement to work legally or meet qualifications for employment in a particular position.

The American Board of Criminalistics (ABC) offers six certifications for forensic scientists, one of which is the Comprehensive Criminalist Examination. To be eligible to take this exam, applicants must have a minimum of two years of experience in criminalistics and be authorized to perform casework in specialty areas.

The 200 exam questions cover many forensic-related disciplines and 20 pilot questions. Some questions are more general, while others are more specific to forensic disciplines. Test-takers have three hours to answer as many questions as possible, and the ABC offers a study guide to help prepare for the exam.

Criminalist Professional Development Associations

Membership in professional organizations can help criminalists expand their professional networks to gain connections and access job opportunities. Many collegiate, state, and national associations can provide job information, additional certification opportunities, scholarships, and networking events and conferences:

• The American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) focuses on excellence in multiple disciplines within scientific and legal fields.
• The American Board of Criminalistics (ABC) provides exams for certification in various forensic fields plus other training opportunities.
• The California Association of Criminalists (CAC) is the oldest organization of its kind and includes members worldwide working in local, state, federal, and international forensic positions.