Forensic Science Technicians Salary
Forensic Science Technicians in Colorado Springs, CO make a median of $84,010 a year, or about $40.39 an hour. The range runs from $68K at the entry level to $104K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.71), that's roughly $83,418 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,474/month, or 27.2% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $84K actually covers in Colorado Springs, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Colorado Springs’s Regional Price Parity (100.71). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About forensic science technicians
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs sits well above the national pay line for forensic science technicians, local pay runs about 17% higher than the U.S. median of $72K. Rent runs $1,474/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 100.71) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for forensic science technicians in metros near Colorado Springs, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $87K | $82K |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $65K | $63K |
| Tucson | $61K | $63K |
| Salt Lake City-Murray | $72K | $71K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Colorado Springs, CO
Entry-level forensic science technicians (10th percentile) start around $68K. Mid-career wages sit at $84K. Top earners bring in $104K or more, a $36K spread from bottom to top.
Forensic Science Technicians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Forensic Science Technicians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | $125K | +73% | 370 |
| California | $102K | +42% | 2,800 |
| Connecticut | $86K | +19% | 120 |
| Colorado | $84K | +17% | 510 |
| Montana | $82K | +14% | 60 |
| Maryland | $82K | +14% | 460 |
| New York | $82K | +13% | 1,140 |
| Washington | $81K | +13% | 390 |
| Nevada | $81K | +13% | 360 |
| Oregon | $81K | +12% | 110 |
| Massachusetts | $79K | +10% | 290 |
| Minnesota | $77K | +7% | 140 |
| Vermont | $74K | +3% | 30 |
| Wisconsin | $72K | +0% | 310 |
| Idaho | $71K | -1% | 160 |
| North Dakota | $71K | -1% | 40 |
| Maine | $71K | -2% | 40 |
| Tennessee | $71K | -2% | 300 |
| Virginia | $69K | -4% | 770 |
| Iowa | $67K | -7% | 130 |
| Utah | $67K | -7% | 220 |
| Indiana | $67K | -8% | 320 |
| Oklahoma | $66K | -8% | 110 |
| Nebraska | $66K | -9% | 150 |
| New Mexico | $66K | -9% | 200 |
| Florida | $64K | -11% | 1,920 |
| Georgia | $64K | -12% | 550 |
| West Virginia | $63K | -12% | 110 |
| Arizona | $63K | -12% | 900 |
| New Jersey | $63K | -12% | 60 |
| Missouri | $63K | -13% | 350 |
| Pennsylvania | $62K | -15% | 360 |
| Kentucky | $61K | -15% | 60 |
| Texas | $60K | -17% | 1,900 |
| Alabama | $60K | -17% | 160 |
| North Carolina | $59K | -18% | 520 |
| Mississippi | $53K | -27% | 140 |
| Wyoming | $52K | -28% | 90 |
| South Carolina | $52K | -28% | 160 |
| South Dakota | $52K | -28% | 30 |
| Arkansas | $45K | -38% | 100 |
Showing 1–10 of 41 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track forensic science technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Colorado Springs numbers change.
Related careers in Science
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a forensic science technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Colorado Springs?
Yes — at the median salary of $84K, rent takes 27.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,474/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for forensic science technicians in Colorado Springs?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new forensic science technicians typically earn — is $68K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,429/month. At HUD’s $1,474/month FMR, rent would take 33% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is forensic science technician a high-paying job in Colorado Springs?
Local pay is 17% above the national median — $84K here vs. $72K nationally.
How does Colorado Springs compare to the national average for forensic science technicians?
Colorado Springs pays $84K median vs. the U.S. average of $72K — that’s +17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.71), the purchasing-power equivalent is $83K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do forensic science technicians make in Colorado Springs, CO?
The median is $84,010 a year, that works out to about $40 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $67,880, and experienced forensic science technicians can clear $103,890. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $84K enough to live in Colorado Springs?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,316/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,474/month, which eats 27.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a forensic science technicians salary go in Colorado Springs?
Colorado Springs has a Regional Price Parity of 100.71 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median forensic science technicians salary is worth about $83,418 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do forensic science technicians get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.