Forensic Science Technicians pay range in Riverside
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $65,510 a year or less, while the top 10% make $124,440 or more. The middle half of forensic science technicians in Riverside earn between $69,320 and $102,100.
- $66K10th
- $69K25th
- $82KMedian
- $102K75th
- $124K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $87,970 | $7,331 | $42.29 |
| Median | $82,320 | $6,860 | $39.58 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $69,320 | $5,777 | $33.33 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $102,100 | $8,508 | $49.09 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Forensic Science Technicians salary after taxes in Riverside
On the average salary of $87,970, a single filer in Riverside takes home about $66,628 a year, or $5,552 a month and $2,563 every two weeks. Taxes take 24% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Riverside a good place for forensic science technicians? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Riverside area are 6% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 106.4), so the average $87,970 buys what about $82,646 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Riverside ($48,400). A typical home costs $585,378, or 6.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Forensic Science Technicians salary in other California cities
Riverside ranks 8th of 10 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($132,690).
- San Jose$132,690
- San Francisco$127,560
- Los Angeles$107,010
- Sacramento$105,420
- Oxnard$104,680
- San Diego$104,440
- Fresno$90,100
- Riverside$87,970
- Stockton$80,580
- Bakersfield$77,390
Highest-paying cities for forensic science technicians
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($132,690).
- San Jose, CA$132,690
- San Francisco, CA$127,560
- Los Angeles, CA$107,010
- Chicago, IL$105,710
- Sacramento, CA$105,420
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Forensic Science Technicians salary in Riverside: questions
How much do forensic science technicians make an hour in Riverside?
$42.29 an hour on average, and $39.58 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level forensic science technicians salary in Riverside?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $65,510 a year and the 25th percentile is $69,320, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the forensic science technicians take-home pay in Riverside?
About $66,628 a year ($5,552 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $87,970. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do forensic science technicians earn more in Riverside than elsewhere?
The average here is 9% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($80,977).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 19-4092; area Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA (40140). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 0.9%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.31, this job is 1.3 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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