Crime Scene Investigator / Forensic Technician in Pennsylvania

$53,008 – $111,956

state pay plan range, a year

classes in the state plan

$61,580

median pay in PA, all employers

360

workers in PA (SOC 19-4092)

Sources: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Office of Administration, Pennsylvania Commonwealth Classification and Pay Plan (job classes and pay schedules); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates. Data captured September 30, 2026.

Pennsylvania state pay plan Sourced

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

Class and grade	Published rate
Forensic Scientist Trainee Class 72061 · class description Grade ST06 · 37½ HOUR STANDARD PAY SCHEDULE (PAY SCALE TYPE ST)	$53,008 – $80,646 a year 20 steps Level 01: $53,008 a year Level 02: $54,162 a year Level 03: $55,316 a year Level 04: $56,607 a year Level 05: $57,937 a year Level 06: $59,149 a year Level 07: $60,538 a year Level 08: $61,927 a year Level 09: $63,257 a year Level 10: $64,607 a year Level 11: $66,074 a year Level 12: $67,658 a year Level 13: $69,086 a year Level 14: $70,592 a year Level 15: $72,255 a year Level 16: $73,859 a year Level 17: $75,462 a year Level 18: $77,164 a year Level 19: $78,925 a year Level 20: $80,646 a year
Grade ST06 · 40 HOUR STANDARD PAY SCHEDULE (PAY SCALE TYPE ST)	$56,541 – $86,022 a year 20 steps Level 01: $56,541 a year Level 02: $57,772 a year Level 03: $59,003 a year Level 04: $60,380 a year Level 05: $61,799 a year Level 06: $63,093 a year Level 07: $64,574 a year Level 08: $66,055 a year Level 09: $67,474 a year Level 10: $68,914 a year Level 11: $70,479 a year Level 12: $72,169 a year Level 13: $73,692 a year Level 14: $75,298 a year Level 15: $77,072 a year Level 16: $78,782 a year Level 17: $80,493 a year Level 18: $82,308 a year Level 19: $84,186 a year Level 20: $86,022 a year
Forensic Scientist 1 Class 72062 · class description Grade ST07 · 37½ HOUR STANDARD PAY SCHEDULE (PAY SCALE TYPE ST)	$60,538 – $92,010 a year 20 steps Level 01: $60,538 a year Level 02: $61,927 a year Level 03: $63,257 a year Level 04: $64,607 a year Level 05: $66,074 a year Level 06: $67,658 a year Level 07: $69,086 a year Level 08: $70,592 a year Level 09: $72,255 a year Level 10: $73,859 a year Level 11: $75,462 a year Level 12: $77,164 a year Level 13: $78,925 a year Level 14: $80,646 a year Level 15: $82,465 a year Level 16: $84,264 a year Level 17: $86,162 a year Level 18: $88,020 a year Level 19: $89,996 a year Level 20: $92,010 a year
Grade ST07 · 40 HOUR STANDARD PAY SCHEDULE (PAY SCALE TYPE ST)	$64,574 – $98,144 a year 20 steps Level 01: $64,574 a year Level 02: $66,055 a year Level 03: $67,474 a year Level 04: $68,914 a year Level 05: $70,479 a year Level 06: $72,169 a year Level 07: $73,692 a year Level 08: $75,298 a year Level 09: $77,072 a year Level 10: $78,782 a year Level 11: $80,493 a year Level 12: $82,308 a year Level 13: $84,186 a year Level 14: $86,022 a year Level 15: $87,963 a year Level 16: $89,882 a year Level 17: $91,906 a year Level 18: $93,888 a year Level 19: $95,995 a year Level 20: $98,144 a year
Forensic Scientist 2 Class 72063 · class description Grade ST08 · 37½ HOUR STANDARD PAY SCHEDULE (PAY SCALE TYPE ST)	$69,086 – $104,959 a year 20 steps Level 01: $69,086 a year Level 02: $70,592 a year Level 03: $72,255 a year Level 04: $73,859 a year Level 05: $75,462 a year Level 06: $77,164 a year Level 07: $78,925 a year Level 08: $80,646 a year Level 09: $82,465 a year Level 10: $84,264 a year Level 11: $86,162 a year Level 12: $88,020 a year Level 13: $89,996 a year Level 14: $92,010 a year Level 15: $94,064 a year Level 16: $96,118 a year Level 17: $98,172 a year Level 18: $100,480 a year Level 19: $102,788 a year Level 20: $104,959 a year
Grade ST08 · 40 HOUR STANDARD PAY SCHEDULE (PAY SCALE TYPE ST)	$73,692 – $111,956 a year 20 steps Level 01: $73,692 a year Level 02: $75,298 a year Level 03: $77,072 a year Level 04: $78,782 a year Level 05: $80,493 a year Level 06: $82,308 a year Level 07: $84,186 a year Level 08: $86,022 a year Level 09: $87,963 a year Level 10: $89,882 a year Level 11: $91,906 a year Level 12: $93,888 a year Level 13: $95,995 a year Level 14: $98,144 a year Level 15: $100,335 a year Level 16: $102,526 a year Level 17: $104,716 a year Level 18: $107,178 a year Level 19: $109,640 a year Level 20: $111,956 a year

Rates are as the plan publishes them; "a year" figures are conversions. Classes are matched to this job by title (GovJobsWiki editorial rule).

Source: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Office of Administration, Pennsylvania Commonwealth Classification and Pay Plan (job classes and pay schedules). Data captured September 30, 2026.

Pay in Pennsylvania, all employers Sourced

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

Measure	PA
Workers	360
10th percentile	$47,740
Median	$61,580
90th percentile	$94,520
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 Pennsylvania

912 police departments in Pennsylvania.

42 sheriff's offices in Pennsylvania.

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

Free practice tests for Pennsylvania

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.