What Are the Best Jobs for Forensic Science Students?
Students at forensic science colleges are trained in a wide variety of areas and skills meant to lead to rewarding careers in the field. However, despite the public conception of forensic scientists as purely crime scene investigators, there are many different ways to apply the skills you learn as a forensic science student in the job market. Of all these, the College of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Florida State University has compiled a list of some of the best jobs for forensic science students. They’re among the most high-profile and lucrative jobs in the industry, often requiring years of school, but their advantages are worth the investment.
A medical examiner usually has a medical degree and is charged with determining the cause, time, and manner of death. This involves performing tests on dead bodies to uncover the nature of any injuries or wounds and how they might have influenced the person’s death. In addition to criminal justice degrees with forensic focuses, many medical examiners study chemistry or biology for their undergraduate degree before moving on to medical school.
Working as a crime laboratory analyst means spending most of your time in the lab, not in the field, though occasional forays to the scene of the crime to take photographs or collect evidence aren’t uncommon. Crime lab analysts also need to be able to cover a broad variety of tasks, from DNA analysis to the examination of trace evidence, which are used to connect evidence with suspects.
A crime scene examiner is probably the forensic science job that most students are familiar with through popular media. The job pays well and is found in local, state, and federal governments. The primary task is to visit a crime scene, collect and process evidence, incorporate data from autopsies, and reconstruct the nature and execution of the crime.
A forensic engineer doesn’t deal with the types of crime usually associated with forensic science, focusing instead on traffic accidents, fire and arson investigations, and wrongful injury cases that still need the training of someone with a background in forensic examinations. It’s an area that overlaps with civil engineering and criminal justice.
These four jobs, though among the higher paying occupations for forensic science students, are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the forensics job market. But they’re great careers to keep in mind when deciding where you want to go with your forensic science degree.