Master’s in Forensic Science Jobs: Country-wise Salaries & Payback Period
Forensic science is the branch of science that deals with collecting and analysing physical evidence and samples left at crime scenes. It provides significant help to police and other law enforcement agencies in apprehending the accused.
With the integration of modern technologies and methodologies like AI, data science, and cyber security, forensic science plays a crucial role in solving complex cases in every domain of law and justice.
This blog provides a comprehensive look at Master’s in Forensic Science jobs, salaries, top recruiters, and payback periods in different countries.
Popular Jobs after Master’s in Forensic Science
The popular jobs after a master’s in forensic science degree program abroad are tabulated below.
| Job Post | Average Salary (Per Year) |
|---|---|
| Forensic Scientist | INR 50 Lakh-81 Lakh |
| Forensic Toxicologist | INR 74 Lakh-1 Crore |
| Crime Scene Investigator | INR 30 Lakh-60 Lakh |
| Laboratory Manager | INR 29 Lakh-55 Lakh |
| Analytical Chemist | INR 40 Lakh-60 Lakh |
| Lab Technician | INR 46 Lakh-60 Lakh |
Master’s in Forensic Science Abroad: Popular Domain
The role of forensic science cannot be overlooked because it provides the empirical evidence of criminal cases based upon which justice is delivered to victims. Recently, law enforcement agencies have solved many complex criminal cases that were pending and unresolved for years.
This was due to the efforts of forensic experts to gather and analyse evidence to provide a better understanding of the nature and methodologies of crime. Here, we have provided some of the popular specialisations of a Master’s in Forensic Science that have become the founding pillars of this course.
Forensic Biology: It involves examining and analysing biological fluid collected at crime scenes to draw the DNA profiles of the accused and victim. This allows experts to connect the dots by identifying potential suspects.
Forensic Pathology: Forensic pathology is one of the important disciplines of forensic science that studies the pathological conditions of dead bodies, e.g., analysing the cause and timing of death and knowing the nature of injury or death.
Crime Scene Investigation: Crime scene investigation involves the examination of crime scenes so that evidences and proofs relevant to crime can be collected.
Digital Forensic: It deals with the collection, examination, and analysis of digital evidence to investigate cybercrime, ordinary criminal cases, and financial fraud.
Forensic Toxicology: Forensic toxicology is the study of applying toxicology principles to forensic sciences to find and investigate the presence of harmful drugs and toxic substances in biological samples.
Forensic Science Job Opportunities Abroad
Below, we have provided detailed information about the various job roles offered to forensic science graduates in different countries. These job roles and salaries might vary depending on the country, employers, location, experience, etc.
United States of America (USA)
We have tabulated below some of the popular forensic science job roles in the USA, along with their average salary per year. The average salary of a forensic science graduate in the USA is USD 62,000, or INR 51 lakh per year.
Eurofins, the Washington State Patrol, local hospitals, medical laboratories, state law enforcement agencies, and private detective agencies are the top forensic science recruiters.
| Job Post | Average Salary (Per Year) |
|---|---|
| Forensic Scientist | USD 57,000-98,000 (INR 47 Lakh-81 Lakh) |
| Forensic Toxicologist | USD 89,000-200,000 (INR 74 Lakh-1 Crore) |
| Research Scientist | USD 86,000-100,000 (INR 71 Lakh-83 Lakh) |
| QA Manager | USD 73,000-100,000 (INR 61 Lakh-83 Lakh) |
| Forensic DNA Analyst | USD 56,000-100,000 (INR 46 Lakh-83 Lakh) |
United Kingdom (UK)
Below, we have tabulated the forensic science jobs in the UK. The average salary of a forensic science graduate in the UK is GBP 30,000, or INR 33 lakh per year.
Eurofins Forensic Services, Cellmark Forensic Services, Key Forensics, or government bodies such as the Centre for Applied Science and Technology (CAST) and the Defence Science Technology Laboratory (DSTL).
| Job Post | Average Salary (Per Year) |
|---|---|
| Forensic Scientist | GBP 19,000-48,000 (INR 21 Lakh-53 Lakh) |
| Crime & Data Analyst | GBP 28,000-44,000 (INR 31 Lakh-49 Lakh) |
| Analytical Chemist | GBP 25,000-36,000 (INR 27 Lakh-40 Lakh) |
| DNA Analyst | GBP 23,000-41,000 (INR 25 Lakh-45 Lakh) |
| Laboratory Manager | GBP 35,000-50,000 (INR 39 Lakh-55 Lakh) |
Canada
In Canada, forensic science graduates can pursue the following job roles. The average salary of a forensic science graduate is around CAD 57,000 or INR 35 lakh per year. Top Canadian recruiters are Delta Security and Safety Services, KPMG, Day Communications, Toronto-Dominion Bank, Craig Wilson and Company Inc., etc.
| Job Post | Average Salary (Per Year) |
|---|---|
| Criminologist | CAD 51,000-80,000 (INR 31 Lakh-49 Lakh) |
| Ballistics Analyst | CAD 46,000-71,000 (INR 28 Lakh-44 Lakh) |
| Forensic Pathologist | CAD 100,000-300,000 (INR 62 Lakh-1 Crore) |
| Crime Scene Investigator | CAD 59,000-99,000 (INR 36 Lakh-61 Lakh) |
| Medico Legal Investigator | CAD 49,000-68,000 (INR 30 Lakh-42 Lakh) |
France
In France, forensic science graduates can pursue the following job roles. The average salary of forensic science graduates in France is around EUR 45,000, or INR 42 lakh per year.
Some of the top recruiters in France are the ICRC, the Gendarmerie Forensic Institute, Infosec, and private detective agencies.
| Job Post | Average Salary (Per Year) |
|---|---|
| Forensic Scientist | EUR 24,000-48,000 (INR 22 Lakh-44 Lakh) |
| Forensic Toxicologist | EUR 30,000-60,000 (INR 28 Lakh-56 Lakh) |
| Forensic DNA Analyst | EUR 29,000-45,000 (INR 27 Lakh-42 Lakh) |
| Forensic Pathologist | EUR 40,000-65,000 (INR 37 Lakh-60 Lakh) |
| Laboratory Manager | EUR 32,000-62,000 (INR 29 Lakh-62 Lakh) |
Germany
The following are popular forensic science jobs for master’s in forensic science graduates in Germany. The average salary of a forensic science graduate in Germany is around EUR 50,000 or INR 46 lakh per year. Some of the top recruiters in Germany are regional police bureaus, detective agencies, local healthcare authorities, and laboratories.
| Job Post | Average Salary (Per Year) |
|---|---|
| Forensic Scientist | EUR 14,000-26,000 (INR 13 Lakh-24 Lakh) |
| Laboratory Manager | EUR 67,000-98,000 (INR 62 Lakh-91 Lakh) |
| Analytical Chemist | EUR 43,000-62,000 (INR 40 Lakh-57 Lakh) |
| Lab Technician | EUR 50,000-65,000 (INR 46 Lakh-60 Lakh) |
| Toxicologist | EUR 79,000-89,000 (INR 73 Lakh-83 Lakh) |
Australia
The following are popular forensic science jobs for master’s in forensic science graduates in Australia.
Australian Federal Police, state policing agencies, ASIO, CSIRO, customs, immigration, and private forensic agencies recruit forensic science graduates.
| Job Post | Average Salary (Per Year) |
|---|---|
| Forensic Accountant | AUD 52,000-164,000 (INR 29 Lakh-94 Lakh) |
| Forensic Biologist | AUD 72,000-92,000 (INR 41 Lakh-52 Lakh) |
| Forensic Toxicologist | AUD 100,000-101,000 (INR 57 Lakh-58 Lakh) |
| Analytical Chemist | AUD 62,000-80,000 (INR 35 Lakh-45 Lakh) |
| Forensic Technical Assistant | AUD 74,000-95,000 (INR 42 Lakh-54 Lakh) |
Rest of Europe
Forensic science jobs in other European countries, such as Italy, Spain, Switzerland, the Netherlands, etc., are tabulated below. The average salary of a forensic science graduate is around EUR 35,000 or INR 32 lakh per year. Regional police departments, laboratory facilities, other economic-law enforcement agencies, and cyber security agencies recruit forensic science experts in European countries.
| Job Post | Average Salary (Per Year) |
|---|---|
| Digital Forensic Specialist | EUR 22,000-25,000 (INR 24 Lakh-44 Lakh) |
| Forensic Scientist | EUR 25,000-30,000 (INR 23 Lakh-28 Lakh) |
| Lab Technician | EUR 26,000-36,000 (INR 24 Lakh-33 Lakh) |
| Analytical Chemist | EUR 24,000-30,000 (INR 22 Lakh-30 Lakh) |
| Laboratory Manager | EUR 40,000-54,000 (INR 37 Lakh-53 Lakh) |
Jobs after M.Sc in Forensic Science: Experience-wise Salary Distribution
While working in professional organisations, the salary or compensation also increases as forensic science graduates acquire skills with experience. Below, we have provided a general overview of experience-wise salary distribution in the global forensic science establishments.
| Years of Experience | Average Salary (Per Year) |
|---|---|
| 1-3 | INR 50 Lakh-55 Lakh |
| 3-5 | INR 55 Lakh-60 Lakh |
| 5-10 | INR 60 Lakh-75 Lakh |
| 10+ | INR 75 Lakh+ |
Jobs after Master’s in Forensic Science: Payback Period
The payback period for students refers to the amount of time in which they are estimated to recover their total investment of tuition fees and living expenses. We have calculated the estimated payback period for several countries using the following formula:
Payback Period = Total Investment/Annual Net Salary
The following calculation is only for illustrative purposes. You can use our method to calculate your estimated payback period based on your experience and country of choice.
| USA | UK | Germany | Canada | Australia | Rest of Europe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Living Expenses (B) | USD 20 k-50 k | GBP 15 k-40 k | EUR 3 k-30 k | CAD 15 k-45 k | 25 k-40 k | EUR 5 k-30 k |
| AnnualTuition Fees (A) | USD 15-29 k | GBP 10 k-18 k | EUR 10 k-15 k | CAD 15 k-30 k | AUD 20 k-35 k | EUR 10 k-15 k |
| Course Duration (C) | 2 Years | 1 Year | 2 Year | 2 Year | 2 Year | 2 Year |
| Total Investment [(A+B)xC] | USD 70 k-158 k | GBP 50 k-58 k | EUR 40 k-90 k | AUD 90 k-150 k | AUD 90 k-150 k | EUR 30 k-90 k |
| Annual Salary | USD 50 k-100 k | GBP 20 k-50 k | EUR 20 k-90 k | AUD 50 k-150 k | AUD 50 k-150 k | EUR 20 k-60 k |
| Net Salary (Annual Salary-Living Expenses) | USD 35 k-71 k | GBP 10 k-32 k | EUR 10 k-75 k | AUD 30 k-115 k | AUD 30 k-115 k | EUR 10 k-45 k |
| Payback Period/ROI | 2 Years | 1-5 Years | 1.5-4 Years | 1-3 Years | 1-3 Years | 2-3 Years |
Conclusion
A master’s degree in forensic science equips students with scientific knowledge of research and analysis tools and techniques to solve criminal cases requiring evidence-based justice. As the nature of crime has evolved in the past few years, the requirement of having expert professionals has also been felt in law enforcement agencies to tackle them. This has led to the inclusion of various forensic science courses in abroad universities, and thus, the creation of employment opportunities such as forensic DNA analysis, forensic pathology, cyber forensics, digital forensics, crime scene investigation, etc.
FAQs
Which country is best for a master's in forensic science?
The USA, UK, Canada, Australia, and France are the best countries to pursue a master’s in forensic science abroad.
What are the top job roles after a master's in forensic science?
The top jobs after a master’s in forensic science are forensic scientist, forensic pathologist, forensic psychologist, forensic DNA analyst, and analytical chemist.
What are the highest-paying forensic science jobs?
The highest-paying forensic science jobs in countries abroad are forensic technical assistants, forensic accountants, crime scene investigators, forensic scientists, forensic toxicologists, and forensic DNA analysts.
What are the skills required to become a forensic scientist?
Some important skills required to become a forensic scientist are keen observation, problem-solving, critical thinking, raising questions and arguing, and attention to detail.
Is a Master's in forensic science worth it?
Pursuing a professional degree program in law and justice, such as a master’s in forensic science, imparts the scientific knowledge and skills for solving criminal cases, financial frauds, digital fraud, etc., which are required in the evolving socio-economic scenario of today’s world. Law enforcement agencies and federal police departments need forensic experts to help them maintain law and order in their region.
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