How to become a forensic specialist
Official title: Forensic specialist
Also called: Criminologist, Fingerprint officer, Handwriting expert, Electronic crime analyst, Document examiner, Forensic toxicologist, Forensic technician
Forensic specialists identify, collect, test and analyse physical and digital evidence in criminal investigations. They may testify in court as expert witnesses.
Main tasks
- Identify and document physical and digital evidence
- Use and maintain lab and field equipment
- Use cameras and video tools
- Analyse evidence to solve crimes
- Explain evidence in court
- Work on research with scientists
- Record and interpret research data
- Prepare reports and presentations
How to become one
You need a qualification to become a forensics specialist and experience may be useful. You need University Entrance to do the study or training for this job. Required: a bachelor's degree in science or similar area. Other requirements: a Postgraduate Diploma in Forensic Science; experience in similar work.
Ways in
- University: Science degrees, Offered by 6 universities in New Zealand
Pay · Past change
- Most common pay: $80,000 to $137,000 a year (median $108,000), a TEC estimate before tax.
- Lower: $61,000 a year · Upper: $151,000 a year
- TEC's pay figures are estimates only. TEC says they must not be used to set pay, in pay negotiations or in visa applications.
- Change in the number of people doing this job between the 2018 and 2023 Censuses: Decrease (TEC). This is past change, not a forecast.
Who does this work
- About 81 people did this job at the 2023 Census (TEC).
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Questions people ask
How do I become a forensic specialist?
You need a qualification to become a forensics specialist and experience may be useful. You need University Entrance to do the study or training for this job. Required: a bachelor's degree in science or similar area. Other requirements: a Postgraduate Diploma in Forensic Science; experience in similar work.
How much does a forensic specialist earn in New Zealand?
The Tertiary Education Commission estimates median pay at $108,000 a year, before tax. Most common pay is $80,000 to $137,000 a year.
Has the number of people working as a forensic specialist grown in New Zealand?
It has shrunk: TEC records a decrease in the number of people doing this job between the 2018 and 2023 Censuses. This is past change, not a forecast.
Sources
- Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatu Career Navigator): Tahatu career ideas: descriptions, tasks, pay estimates, people employed, employment change 2018 to 2023, entry requirements, registration, interest scores (Site scrape 2026-10 (816 career ideas, sitemap lastmod 2026-10-01)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
This content is sourced from the Tertiary Education Commission through the Tahatū Career Navigator website (www.tahatu.govt.nz) and used under the CC BY 4.0 licence. All or some of the information has been modified by Peernovo. TEC has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. TEC will not be held accountable for any errors within this content.
Qualification information from NZQA, used under CC BY 3.0 NZ.
This work is based on/includes Stats NZ's data which are licensed by Stats NZ for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. Census data via Figure.NZ.
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Sources: Tertiary Education Commission, Tahatū Career Navigator (career ideas, pay estimates, entry requirements and study options, CC BY 4.0, modified by Peernovo); Stats NZ, 2023 Census (via Figure.NZ) and the National Occupation List (CC BY 4.0); NZQA qualification information (CC BY 3.0 NZ); O*NET interest scores (CC BY 4.0); ILO global generative AI exposure index (CC BY 4.0). Links between career ideas and ANZSCO groups, degree fields and broad job groups are Peernovo's.
These results are not official statistics. They have been created for research purposes from the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI), which is carefully managed by Stats NZ.
Graduate outcomes: these results are not official statistics. They have been created for research purposes from the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI), which is carefully managed by Stats NZ.
Updated 4 October 2026