Forensic Science Technicians Salary
Forensic Science Technicians in Tallahassee, FL make a median of $55,620 a year, or about $26.74 an hour. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $81K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.92), which stretches that salary to about $59,221 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,352/month, about 35% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $56K get you in Tallahassee?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Tallahassee’s Regional Price Parity (93.92). 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
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What this looks like in Tallahassee
Pay for forensic science technicians in Tallahassee runs about 23% below the U.S. median of $72K. Rent runs $1,352/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.92 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for forensic science technicians in metros near Tallahassee, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $78K | $68K |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater | $65K | $65K |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $61K | $60K |
| Jacksonville | $59K | $59K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tallahassee, FL
Entry-level forensic science technicians (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $56K. Top earners bring in $81K or more, a $42K 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 quarterly. We'll email you when Tallahassee numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a forensic science technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tallahassee?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $56K, rent takes 34.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,352/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for forensic science technicians in Tallahassee?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new forensic science technicians typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,349/month. At HUD’s $1,352/month FMR, rent would take 58% 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 Tallahassee?
Local pay runs 23% below the national median — $56K here vs. $72K nationally. Cost of living is 6% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Tallahassee compare to the national average for forensic science technicians?
Tallahassee pays $56K median vs. the U.S. average of $72K — that’s -23%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.92), the purchasing-power equivalent is $59K — below the national median.
How much do forensic science technicians make in Tallahassee, FL?
The median is $55,620 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,150, and experienced forensic science technicians can clear $81,270. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $56K enough to live in Tallahassee?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,894/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,352/month, which eats 34.7% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a forensic science technicians salary go in Tallahassee?
Tallahassee has a Regional Price Parity of 93.92 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median forensic science technicians salary is worth about $59,221 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.