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Forensic Scientist salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a forensic scientist is $95,700 per annum, before tax, up $20,000 since 2018.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- Most forensic scientists work for a state or federal laboratory, so pay follows the public service classification scale rather than individual negotiation.
- Penalty rates for on-call and weekend work, and the level you are appointed at, both shift the total, and more senior reporting roles with regular court duties sit higher on the scale.
- Private consultancies and university-based laboratories vary more than the public sector does.
The median salary rose by $20,000 between 2018 and 2024; the dashed line shows a projection to 2028 based on the real ABS Wage Price Index growth rate, not a role-specific forecast.
Roles that pay more than forensic scientist
The largest typical pay rise is $18,400 a year, moving into Chemist.
- Chemist+$18,400/yr
- Pharmacologist+$13,500/yr
- Toxicologist+$7,300/yr
How to negotiate a higher forensic scientist salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time forensic scientist salary is $95,700; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Laboratory analysis and Data analysis tend to command a premium over general forensic scientist experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Chemist pays a typical $18,400 a year more and draws on similar skills, even mentioning you're weighing it up is a legitimate data point in a pay conversation.
- Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
- Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."
Forensic Scientist salary questions
How much do forensic scientists earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a forensic scientist is $95,700 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is forensic scientist pay rising or falling?
The median forensic scientist salary is up $20,000 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than forensic scientist?
Chemist pays a typical $18,400 a year more and draws on similar skills to forensic scientist.
Related salaries
- Chemist salary
- Toxicologist salary
- Pharmacologist salary
- Microbiologist salary
- Biologist salary
- Laboratory Technician salary
Pay advice
- How to ask for a pay rise, and back it up with real numbersWhat national wage growth looks like right now, how to work out a figure for your own role, wording you can adapt for the conversation, and what to do if the answer is no.
- The average salary in Australia (2026)Full-time adults in Australia averaged $2,083.70 a week in May 2026. Several measures get called the average salary, and this explains which one fits your situation.
- Overtime pay, time in lieu and what your award saysOvertime rates come from your award or agreement, not one national rule. How rates work, what happens on a salary, and how time off in lieu works.