What Is the Average Salary For a Crime Scene Investigator?

What is the average salary for a crime scene investigator? While crime scene investigators, or CSI's, may be big stars on television, the average salary of a crime scene investigator in real life is not quite so glamorous. However, the average CSI salary is about $10,000 more than the average median household income in the US, so the profession can be considered a fairly well paying one.

According to Inside Prison, the average salary for a crime scene investigator is around $58,750. Degree Directory reports a slightly lower figure, with an average salary of $49,860, but their number is a reflection of 2008 Bureau of Labor Statistics information.

Of course, like in any other job, there are certain factors that can result in a crime scene investigator making an above average salary. One of the biggest factors in the salary amount for a crime scene investigator is the location and the average crime rate for the city you live in. If the city or area you live in has a higher crime rate, the pay rate for the position will typically increase because the amount of work you’ll be doing increases and because there will be greater demand for the position to be filled. The cost of living in the geographic area where you live is also going to play a role in how much a crime scene investigator makes in your area.

The field of forensic science and crime scene investigation requires a person that is particularly intelligent, and having a strong educational background and a degree in the field can also help to boost the average salary for a crime scene investigator.