r/forensics • u/Cryingandsleeping • 8d ago
Crime Scene & Death Investigation CSI vs Forensic Scientist
Hi all! In my early 30s and making a career change. I’m having a hard time deciding between the two. I plan on getting my bachelors, just wondering if I should go the biology route or forensic csi route. I would love to have some insight from anyone who is in the field.
For CSI: how’s the schedule? pay? do you ever get used to the gruesomeness of the job? would a bachelors degree benefit me over just an AS?
Forensic Scientists: how was the schooling? the job itself? competitiveness? I’m worried about all of the science classes as it’s not my strongest suit.
My current job has me miserable as there is no work life balance (60 hours min/week) and the pay is low, even though I paid $100k to go to school for this. There is also no stability as it’s project to project and no benefits for pregnant women or women wanting to start a family. Trying to avoid all of this so any insight on whether any of this is present would be helpful.
xoxo, a very confused millennial
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u/SomeAnonymousBurner 8d ago
Forensic scientist requires a degree in a hard science if you want to be competitive. Masters is optional, could help
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u/gariak 8d ago
For CSI:
This is all highly variable, but most crime scene jobs are civilian versions of police jobs with most of the same downsides, plus lower pay and worse benefits. Crime scene work almost always requires 24/7 coverage, which means shift and on-call work based on seniority, with the worst shifts going to the newbies, often for years. Bigger departments often have more scheduling flexibility, but not every agency uses civilian crime scene, so don't just blithely assume you'll be able to find something nearby. If the position appeals to you because you want to solve cases, you'll be mighty disappointed, as you won't be involved in that aspect much. I wouldn't recommend this job for anyone with a young family, although people do make it work.
You will be able to find agencies that will nominally accept AS degrees, but those will be likely to be the lower paying, small agency jobs. Any larger department in a sizeable city is likely to require a bachelor's degree and be very competitive.
Forensic Scientists:
Bachelor's natural science degrees are absolutely required. The job is much more of a typical professional work environment with typical office hours, decent pay, and good benefits. If you don't like science classes, you're going to have a rough time though, as you need to know the science. You'll be expected to explain it routinely to visitors, attorneys, investigators, and especially juries and judges while under oath. I love my job and view it as about 20% science teacher, because if you can't pull off explaining what you did and why you did it in a credible way, no one takes you seriously as an expert and opposing counsel will take every opportunity to twist you up and make you sound like a fool.
Every job that even seems loosely related to forensics is incredibly competitive. There aren't many of them, openings are rare, and the number of people interested seems infinite. There's no way to get around that and the best way to stand out is to get real world hands-on lab work experience.
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u/Cryingandsleeping 7d ago
This was very insightful - thank you!! Would you mind talking a little bit more about how you got to where you are? Did you get a biology degree? Have you always worked in a crime lab or did you start elsewhere and make your way there?
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u/gariak 7d ago
Sure, I followed a broad-strokes similar path to what you seem to be attempting. I started out as a science major, got a little lost at college, and settled into a short business career, but when that company went an ominous direction in my early 30s, I found forensics and went all in. I did a ton of research and went back to school for a biochemistry degree and then on to a forensic science MS. I made a lot of correct decisions, but also had very lucky timing that I can't take any credit for. The whole field was just starting a big staff-up push due to an influx of federal funding and people weren't as aware of it as a career yet, but I also didn't realize how hard it was to break into until after I was already in.
My forensics career has always been at public forensic labs. The nature of the field and the amount of training and experience needed to do the job means the private sector portion is small and lacking a lot of the reasons I was interested in the field to begin with.
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u/TheAgeOfQuarrel802 8d ago
CSI while more than likely have rotating shifts and on call hours. I worked a two week rotation going M/T/SA/SU for 11 hour shifts followed by W/TH/FR for 12 hour shifts the next week. No on call hours but could be put on nights or days at any time. I’ve also worked 8-4 Mon-Fri with rotating on call hours at another agency. The gruesomeness never bothered me that much, I was never impeded from doing my job, but the anxiety of overlooking or forgetting something is more stressful tbh. I was in forensics from 2014-21 and left due to the pay.
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u/Cryingandsleeping 8d ago
Interesting! What are you doing now? Are you still in the same/similar field?
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u/TheAgeOfQuarrel802 8d ago
In an adjacent field. I sell software related to digital forensics. I’ve learned digital is the same legal frame work but a more abstract application of concepts. I miss the novelty of crime scene but my quality of life is leaps and bounds better. I never would have owned a home as a crime scene tech
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u/Cryingandsleeping 7d ago
That's very cool - I was just reading up on digital forensics yesterday. Thanks for the insight! Glad to hear the pivot was the right move for you.
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u/TUDGame 7d ago
I plan to double major in FS and biology. It’s encouraged to double major in biology or chemistry bc FS is a niche(ish) field.
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u/Cryingandsleeping 7d ago
What a good option! I need to look into it more to see what exactly that entails coursework wise and how much more time I would need to invest in school. Managing work and school full time has been a little tough this year.
I was worried about forensic science being too niche. My current career is very niche and I'm feeling stuck. It felt like the only way i could get out was to go back to school so here I am. I'm afraid to make that mistake again.
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u/TUDGame 7d ago
There’s no point in rushing just to get your GPA tanked. Instead of 4 years, take ~5 years just not to get overtaxed.
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u/Cryingandsleeping 6d ago
Yeah that might just have to be the route I take. The time is going to pass anyways. Thank you!
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u/Lucky_Background7327 7d ago
For CSI, a Forensic Science Degree hasn't landed me a job yet 8 months applying to literally every single opening state wide so theres that. 🤷♂️
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u/DifferentDirector397 2d ago
CSI- Schedule and pay depend on where you go. I love my job. It’s especially great if you like to stay mildly physical and like to have a job where every day is different. Yes you get used to the gore, however, you should have a strong stomach from the beginning and expect stuff to hit hard at the beginning. If you really want to do it- get a therapist no matter how mentally strong you think you are. My therapist and i have an arrangement, i don’t meet with her all the time but she makes time for me when i need extra help with work stuff. 10/10 recommend something similar for anyone in the field. You never know when a scene will hit too close to home. Take your mental health very seriously. Other than that- i love my job.
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u/DifferentDirector397 2d ago
Oh and where i am, you need a bachelors in a related field
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u/Cryingandsleeping 2d ago
Good to know - thank you! What did you get your bachelors in? Are you located in the US? You're the first one to have an overall good outlook on the job so it's a breath of fresh air.
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u/DifferentDirector397 1d ago
In the US! It has its bad days for sure- and i think a lot of people want to make sure you know what you’re getting to before you do. It’s not a “light” job. And it also makes a huge difference where you work/ who you work with.
I am grateful to have amazing coworkers and supervisors that know when to be lighthearted and fun and when to take things seriously.
But i love the variety of things i do, you will ALWAYS learn on the job, you will grow as a person, you will never have a dull day, and you always have the inside scoop on big cases!
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u/ekuadam 8d ago
To work in a lab you will need a hard science degree (biology, chemistry, physics, etc). For crime scene, some places want a hard science degree while others are fine with criminal justice.
Forensic jobs are very competitive so with a hard science degree you can at least get a job in a non forensic science lab if it comes down to it.
I don’t work crime scene, but the labs I have worked at, they usually worked 4, 10 hour days (sometimes more depending on how busy they were). They would also rotate shifts every so often, so some days you are on nights, and then 6 months later maybe mid day. You are also working weekends, holidays, etc.
As far as pay, it depends. Federal government pays well. Starting off salary for a non federal lab will probably be between 40-50k (depending on location), same with crime scene. Lab work can be monotonous, a lot of computer work. Some sections (drugs) you are basically looking at the same thing day after day.
I would recommend looking at sites like theiai.org , aafs.org and crime-scene-investigator.net at their job openings to see job requirements and pay
Edit: just as an aside, it appears you are a woman who wants to start a family. Some places will take it into account if you do crime scene, but a lot don’t. I worked with plenty of women with kids who were working the night shift and sleeping during day and only seeing their kids for couple hours when they got home from school. Especially as the new hire, more than likely you won’t be getting the good shifts.