Courses Needed to Be a Crime Scene Investigator
Crime scene investigators are usually expected to hold a bachelor's degree, while some candidates rely on certificate programs or on-the-job training and others obtain advanced degrees.
What Qualifications Are Necessary to Become a Crime Scene Investigator?
One route to become a crime scene investigator (CSI) is to become a police officer first, and then obtain some experience before applying for a CSI position. There are also some jobs available for civilian CSIs - a few of the roughly 18,000 police agencies in the United States hire full-time crime scene investigators. Most require a bachelor's degree or higher, while some smaller, rural agencies will accept candidates with a two-year degree or no college education.
<table border="1"><tr><td><b> Degree Level</b></td><td>Bachelor's degree, though some employers don't require one</td></tr>
<tr><td><b> Preferred Degree Fields</b></td><td>Chemistry, biology, forensic science, criminal justice</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Required Skills</b></td><td> Photography, sketching, fingerprint identification, writing, verbal communication, attention to detail</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Median Annual Salary (2020) and Projected Job Growth (2019-2029)</b></td><td>$60,590; 14% increase (for forensic science technicians)*</td></tr>
</table><p><i>Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i>
</p><h3 id="section---WhatSkillsAreRequired">What Skills Are Required?</h3><p>A crime scene investigator identifies, collects, documents, handles and preserves physical evidence from the scene of a crime and provides support to the lead investigator. Some of the skills and duties required include:
</p><ul><li>Photography
</li><li>Crime scene measuring
</li><li>Sketching
</li><li>Fingerprint identification
</li><li>Laboratory analysis
</li><li>Comprehensive written reports
</li><li>Verbal communication skills, including court testimonies
</li><li>Attention to detail
</li><li>Facility with numbers
</li></ul><p>Crime scene investigators often work long shifts and unusual hours, and they are sometimes required to handle hazardous materials or be in dangerous environments.
</p><h3 id="section---WhatCoursesAndDegreesArePreferred">What Courses and Degrees Are Preferred?</h3><p>One ideal form of educational preparation for a career as a CSI would be to obtain a degree in chemistry or biology with a minor in criminal justice. Numerous colleges and universities also offer degree programs specifically tailored toward aspiring forensic scientists, including bachelor's degree, master's degree and certificate programs. These provide a focus in forensic science, criminalistics or other applicable areas of study, and can take anywhere from eight months to four years to complete.
</p><p>Undergraduate certificate programs can be useful for bachelor's degree holders looking to change their career paths, working CSIs who need additional education or candidates looking to apply to agencies that require fewer qualifications. Meanwhile, graduate certificate programs offer forensic science professionals the opportunity to expand their knowledge and credentials and usually require a bachelor's degree to apply.
</p><p>Following employment, additional training is often provided by the relevant law enforcement agency.
</p><h3 id="section---WhatJobOpportunitiesAreAvailable">What Job Opportunities Are Available?</h3><p>Crime scene investigators most often work for law enforcement agencies. Some of the other titles ascribed to crime scene investigators include:
</p><ul><li>Evidence technician (ET)
</li><li>Crime scene technician (CST)
</li><li>Forensic investigator (FI)
</li><li>Scenes of crime officer (SOCO)
</li><li>Crime scene analyst (CSA)
</li><li>Criminalistics officer (CO)
</li></ul><p>Forensic science technicians, including crime scene investigators, earned a median annual salary of $60,590 in 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. While jobs for forensic science technicians are expected to grow 14% from 2019 to 2029 - much faster than the average across industries - the agency reported that this will only translate into about 2,400 new jobs, meaning that competition for CSI positions will remain fierce.</p>