Crime Scene Investigator / Forensic Technician in Colorado

$60,972 – $168,996

state pay plan range, a year

classes in the state plan

$84,010

median pay in CO, all employers

510

workers in CO (SOC 19-4092)

Sources: Colorado Department of Personnel & Administration, Division of Human Resources (DHR), State of Colorado Pay Plan FY 2026-27 — Pay Plan with Steps, State Troopers and Medical Pay Plan; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates. Data captured September 30, 2026.

Colorado state pay plan Sourced

Published rates for each class, lowest first, effective July 1, 2026. These are the ranges Colorado sets for its own state employees; cities, counties and school districts have their own pay plans.

Class and grade	Published rate
Forensic Scientist I Class A2C1XX · class description Grade A11	$5,081.00 – $7,113.00 a month $60,972 – $85,356 a year 31 steps Minimum: $5,081.00 a month Year 1: $5,081.00 a month Year 2: $5,081.00 a month Year 3: $5,335.00 a month Year 4: $5,335.00 a month Year 5: $5,602.00 a month Year 6: $5,602.00 a month Year 7: $5,602.00 a month Year 8: $5,882.00 a month Year 9: $5,882.00 a month Year 10: $6,097.00 a month Year 11: $6,097.00 a month Year 12: $6,219.00 a month Year 13: $6,219.00 a month Year 14: $6,219.00 a month Year 15: $6,343.00 a month Year 16: $6,343.00 a month Year 17: $6,343.00 a month Year 18: $6,343.00 a month Year 19: $6,343.00 a month Year 20: $6,470.00 a month Year 21: $6,470.00 a month Year 22: $6,470.00 a month Year 23: $6,470.00 a month Year 24: $6,470.00 a month Year 25: $6,600.00 a month Year 26: $6,600.00 a month Year 27: $6,600.00 a month Year 28: $6,600.00 a month Year 29: $6,600.00 a month Year 30: $6,600.00 a month
Forensic Scientist II Class A2C2XX · class description Grade A15	$6,176.00 – $8,646.00 a month $74,112 – $103,752 a year 31 steps Minimum: $6,176.00 a month Year 1: $6,176.00 a month Year 2: $6,176.00 a month Year 3: $6,485.00 a month Year 4: $6,485.00 a month Year 5: $6,809.00 a month Year 6: $6,809.00 a month Year 7: $6,809.00 a month Year 8: $7,149.00 a month Year 9: $7,149.00 a month Year 10: $7,411.00 a month Year 11: $7,411.00 a month Year 12: $7,559.00 a month Year 13: $7,559.00 a month Year 14: $7,559.00 a month Year 15: $7,710.00 a month Year 16: $7,710.00 a month Year 17: $7,710.00 a month Year 18: $7,710.00 a month Year 19: $7,710.00 a month Year 20: $7,865.00 a month Year 21: $7,865.00 a month Year 22: $7,865.00 a month Year 23: $7,865.00 a month Year 24: $7,865.00 a month Year 25: $8,022.00 a month Year 26: $8,022.00 a month Year 27: $8,022.00 a month Year 28: $8,022.00 a month Year 29: $8,022.00 a month Year 30: $8,022.00 a month
Forensic Scientist III Class A2C3XX · class description Grade A20	$7,881.00 – $11,035.00 a month $94,572 – $132,420 a year 31 steps Minimum: $7,881.00 a month Year 1: $7,881.00 a month Year 2: $7,881.00 a month Year 3: $8,275.00 a month Year 4: $8,275.00 a month Year 5: $8,689.00 a month Year 6: $8,689.00 a month Year 7: $8,689.00 a month Year 8: $9,123.00 a month Year 9: $9,123.00 a month Year 10: $9,459.00 a month Year 11: $9,459.00 a month Year 12: $9,648.00 a month Year 13: $9,648.00 a month Year 14: $9,648.00 a month Year 15: $9,841.00 a month Year 16: $9,841.00 a month Year 17: $9,841.00 a month Year 18: $9,841.00 a month Year 19: $9,841.00 a month Year 20: $10,038.00 a month Year 21: $10,038.00 a month Year 22: $10,038.00 a month Year 23: $10,038.00 a month Year 24: $10,038.00 a month Year 25: $10,239.00 a month Year 26: $10,239.00 a month Year 27: $10,239.00 a month Year 28: $10,239.00 a month Year 29: $10,239.00 a month Year 30: $10,239.00 a month
Forensic Scientist IV Class A2C4XX · class description Grade A23	$9,125.00 – $12,774.00 a month $109,500 – $153,288 a year 31 steps Minimum: $9,125.00 a month Year 1: $9,125.00 a month Year 2: $9,125.00 a month Year 3: $9,581.00 a month Year 4: $9,581.00 a month Year 5: $10,060.00 a month Year 6: $10,060.00 a month Year 7: $10,060.00 a month Year 8: $10,563.00 a month Year 9: $10,563.00 a month Year 10: $10,950.00 a month Year 11: $10,950.00 a month Year 12: $11,169.00 a month Year 13: $11,169.00 a month Year 14: $11,169.00 a month Year 15: $11,392.00 a month Year 16: $11,392.00 a month Year 17: $11,392.00 a month Year 18: $11,392.00 a month Year 19: $11,392.00 a month Year 20: $11,620.00 a month Year 21: $11,620.00 a month Year 22: $11,620.00 a month Year 23: $11,620.00 a month Year 24: $11,620.00 a month Year 25: $11,853.00 a month Year 26: $11,853.00 a month Year 27: $11,853.00 a month Year 28: $11,853.00 a month Year 29: $11,853.00 a month Year 30: $11,853.00 a month
Forensic Scientist V Class A2C5XX · class description Grade A24	$9,581.00 – $13,414.00 a month $114,972 – $160,968 a year 31 steps Minimum: $9,581.00 a month Year 1: $9,581.00 a month Year 2: $9,581.00 a month Year 3: $10,060.00 a month Year 4: $10,060.00 a month Year 5: $10,563.00 a month Year 6: $10,563.00 a month Year 7: $10,563.00 a month Year 8: $11,091.00 a month Year 9: $11,091.00 a month Year 10: $11,498.00 a month Year 11: $11,498.00 a month Year 12: $11,728.00 a month Year 13: $11,728.00 a month Year 14: $11,728.00 a month Year 15: $11,963.00 a month Year 16: $11,963.00 a month Year 17: $11,963.00 a month Year 18: $11,963.00 a month Year 19: $11,963.00 a month Year 20: $12,202.00 a month Year 21: $12,202.00 a month Year 22: $12,202.00 a month Year 23: $12,202.00 a month Year 24: $12,202.00 a month Year 25: $12,446.00 a month Year 26: $12,446.00 a month Year 27: $12,446.00 a month Year 28: $12,446.00 a month Year 29: $12,446.00 a month Year 30: $12,446.00 a month
Forensic Scientist VI Class A2C6XX · class description Grade A25	$10,060.00 – $14,083.00 a month $120,720 – $168,996 a year 31 steps Minimum: $10,060.00 a month Year 1: $10,060.00 a month Year 2: $10,060.00 a month Year 3: $10,563.00 a month Year 4: $10,563.00 a month Year 5: $11,091.00 a month Year 6: $11,091.00 a month Year 7: $11,091.00 a month Year 8: $11,646.00 a month Year 9: $11,646.00 a month Year 10: $12,073.00 a month Year 11: $12,073.00 a month Year 12: $12,314.00 a month Year 13: $12,314.00 a month Year 14: $12,314.00 a month Year 15: $12,561.00 a month Year 16: $12,561.00 a month Year 17: $12,561.00 a month Year 18: $12,561.00 a month Year 19: $12,561.00 a month Year 20: $12,812.00 a month Year 21: $12,812.00 a month Year 22: $12,812.00 a month Year 23: $12,812.00 a month Year 24: $12,812.00 a month Year 25: $13,068.00 a month Year 26: $13,068.00 a month Year 27: $13,068.00 a month Year 28: $13,068.00 a month Year 29: $13,068.00 a month Year 30: $13,068.00 a month

Schedule: State of Colorado Pay Plan FY 2026-27. Rates are as the plan publishes them; "a year" figures are conversions. Classes are matched to this job by title (GovJobsWiki editorial rule).

Source: Colorado Department of Personnel & Administration, Division of Human Resources (DHR), State of Colorado Pay Plan FY 2026-27 — Pay Plan with Steps, State Troopers and Medical Pay Plan. Data captured September 30, 2026.

Pay in Colorado, all employers Sourced

Forensic Science Technicians (SOC 19-4092) in Colorado, all employers combined: BLS state estimates do not separate government from private.

Measure	CO
Workers	510
10th percentile	$63,080
Median	$84,010
90th percentile	$114,100
National median, government employers	$73,540

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership. Data captured September 30, 2026.

Employers in Colorado

158 police departments in Colorado.

62 sheriff's offices in Colorado.

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Crime Data Explorer — law-enforcement agencies by state (API). Data captured September 30, 2026.

Free practice tests for Colorado

IAI Certified Crime Scene Investigator (CCSI)
Practice for a named exam · free on Open Exam Prep
IAI Certified Senior Crime Scene Analyst (CSCSA)
Practice for a named exam · free on Open Exam Prep

Source: Open Exam Prep, Open Exam Prep free practice tests. Data captured October 1, 2026. Each link was opened and its exam title checked on the date shown.

More about this job

Requirements, hiring process, training, schedule and day-to-day work are on the national Crime Scene Investigator / Forensic Technician page.