- Salary statistics
- Forensic, chemistry salary
Forensic, chemistry salary
Latest available salary statistics are for 2025. Compare average pay, salary range and related job listings.
39 100 - 62 900 SEK / month
Women earn 95% of what men do.
Naturvetenskapligt arbete
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Salary progression Forensic, chemistry
What does a forensic scientist in chemistry do? – Tasks and work environment
A forensic scientist in chemistry analyzes and interprets chemical traces from crime scenes and other investigations. Common tasks include identifying unknown substances, examining suspected compounds, and interpreting results from advanced laboratory analyses. The work is primarily conducted in specialized laboratories, often in close collaboration with police authorities, prosecutors, and other law enforcement agencies. The work environment demands high precision, methodical procedures, and strict adherence to safety protocols regarding chemical handling.
Salary development over time
The salary for a forensic scientist in chemistry has steadily increased over the past three years. In 2022, the average salary was 48,000 SEK per month, followed by an increase to 53 200 SEK in 2023. In 2024, the average salary has reached 55 000 SEK, representing a total increase of approximately 11% during this period. This salary growth reflects an increased demand for advanced chemical forensic expertise, combined with a greater focus on safety and quality in criminal investigations. The level of education has also risen within the profession, further driving up salary levels. Despite the relatively small workforce, competition for qualified forensic scientists in chemistry remains stable, contributing to the positive salary trend.
Forensic scientist in chemistry salary – complete overview
- Average salary: 55 000 SEK/month
- Lowest salary: 39,600 SEK/month (men), 40,300 SEK/month (women)
- Highest salary: 60,400 SEK/month (men), 58,900 SEK/month (women)
- Hourly wage: 320 SEK
- Gender differences: Women earn 95% of what men do (men: 56 300 SEK, women: 53 600 SEK)
- Regional differences: Data not available
Education and qualifications
The path to becoming a forensic scientist in chemistry typically involves a university degree in chemistry, analytical chemistry, or forensic science. In addition to formal education, specialized courses in forensic chemical methods and practical laboratory experience or relevant internships are often required. For some positions, doctoral studies are advantageous and sometimes mandatory, especially in more advanced laboratories or for specialist roles.
- University degree: Bachelor's (3 years), often supplemented with a master's (2 years) in chemistry or forensic science
- Research education: Doctorate is meritorious for certain positions
- Specialized courses: Forensic chemical methods, trace analysis, quality assurance
- Internship: Laboratory internship or trainee position within forensic work
- Prerequisites: Recommended to have a science-focused upper secondary education
Forensic scientists in chemistry not only participate in criminal investigations but also contribute to developing new analytical methods and ensuring quality in laboratory operations. Many are engaged in international collaborations and participate in training initiatives to disseminate knowledge about forensic techniques.
Common benefits and compensations
The profession of forensic scientist in chemistry often offers benefits such as wellness allowances, opportunities for professional development and further education, as well as generous holiday policies. Work is usually performed during regular office hours, but some on-call duty may occur. Pension schemes and insurance coverage are also often included in employment conditions.
Competition and challenges
Competition for positions as a forensic scientist in chemistry is moderate, but the number of available jobs is limited, and employers set high demands on both education and practical experience. Challenges in the profession often involve managing advanced technology, staying updated on new analytical methods, and handling ethical and legal questions related to criminal investigations. Precision and the ability to work under pressure are crucial, as the results can have significant implications for justice. Since the profession is specialized, switching to related fields without additional training can be difficult.
Tips for those who want to become a forensic scientist in chemistry
To succeed as a forensic scientist in chemistry, it’s beneficial to have an analytical mindset and a strong interest in natural sciences, especially chemistry. Early internships in laboratory settings are recommended to gain experience and build networks. Meticulousness and patience are important qualities, as the work requires precision and a methodical approach. Being communicative and able to collaborate with different professional groups facilitates complex investigations. Continuing education in new techniques and methods is an advantage, as the field develops rapidly. Flexibility and adaptability to new tasks are also important, especially with changes in legislation or work procedures. Finally, integrity and objectivity are highly valued, as the work has a significant impact on justice.
Key facts about forensic scientists in chemistry
- Educational level: University or research degree in chemistry
- Work environment: Laboratory-based, often within government or agency operations
- Work arrangement: Full-time, daytime with some on-call duty
- Demand: 143 available jobs in the profession (May 2024)
- Special skills: Forensic chemical analysis and quality control
Career paths and future prospects
After three to five years as a forensic scientist in chemistry, opportunities exist to advance to specialist roles, such as laboratory manager, method developer, or quality assurance coordinator. Some choose to pursue research or teaching, while others take roles within international organizations or government agencies. According to the Swedish Public Employment Service, no specific forecast has been made for the profession due to limited data, but chemists as a group have stable demand with 143 reported vacancies in spring 2024. Future prospects are influenced by developments in the justice system and forensic technology, as well as advances in analysis methods and laboratory equipment.
Frequently asked questions about forensic scientists in chemistry
- What does a forensic scientist in chemistry earn?
- The average salary is 55 000 SEK per month, with variation depending on experience and education. - What education is required to become a forensic scientist in chemistry?
- A university degree in chemistry or forensic science is required, often complemented by specialized courses and internships. - Are there salary differences between men and women?
- Yes, women earn 95% of what men do in the profession. - What do career paths look like?
- After some years of experience, one can advance to specialist roles, management positions, or work with method development and training. - How is the job market for forensic scientists in chemistry?
- There are 143 available jobs in the profession, but competition for specialized positions remains high. - What personal qualities are important?
- Meticulousness, analytical ability, integrity, and teamwork skills are central qualities for the profession. - What is the highest and lowest salary in the profession?
- The highest salary is 60,400 SEK (men), 58,900 SEK (women); the lowest salary is 39,600 SEK (men), 40,300 SEK (women).
Salary distributed by age and sector
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 99% | 44100 kr | 44300 kr |
| 35-44 | 99% | 52900 kr | 53200 kr |
| 45-54 | 95% | 58900 kr | 59100 kr |
| 55-64 | 97% | 62600 kr | 63000 kr |
| Snitt | 95% | 54700 kr | 55000 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 35200 kr | 35200 kr | |
| 25-34 | 98% | 40700 kr | 40900 kr |
| 35-44 | 102% | 45800 kr | 45900 kr |
| 45-54 | 99% | 49900 kr | 50000 kr |
| 55-64 | 96% | 53200 kr | 53200 kr |
| 65-68 | 84% | 56500 kr | 56500 kr |
| Snitt | 99% | 47600 kr | 47700 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 99% | 40500 kr | 40700 kr |
| 35-44 | 103% | 44600 kr | 44800 kr |
| 45-54 | 97% | 49200 kr | 49200 kr |
| 55-64 | 87% | 52800 kr | 52800 kr |
| 65-68 | 56500 kr | 56500 kr | |
| Snitt | 98% | 46200 kr | 46300 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 95% | 41200 kr | 41300 kr |
| 35-44 | 97% | 47800 kr | 47900 kr |
| 45-54 | 100% | 50900 kr | 51100 kr |
| 55-64 | 107% | 53800 kr | 53800 kr |
| 65-68 | 87% | 56500 kr | 56500 kr |
| Snitt | 97% | 49500 kr | 49600 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 99% | 45000 kr | 45200 kr |
| 35-44 | 99% | 54900 kr | 55300 kr |
| 45-54 | 96% | 61800 kr | 62100 kr |
| 55-64 | 99% | 65400 kr | 65700 kr |
| Snitt | 95% | 56800 kr | 57100 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 99% | 45000 kr | 45200 kr |
| 35-44 | 99% | 54900 kr | 55300 kr |
| 45-54 | 96% | 61800 kr | 62100 kr |
| 55-64 | 99% | 65400 kr | 65700 kr |
| Snitt | 95% | 56800 kr | 57100 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 99% | 44400 kr | 44600 kr |
| 35-44 | 99% | 53000 kr | 53300 kr |
| 45-54 | 95% | 60500 kr | 60700 kr |
| 55-64 | 97% | 63500 kr | 63800 kr |
| Snitt | 95% | 56000 kr | 56300 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 98% | 41200 kr | 41300 kr |
| 35-44 | 102% | 45200 kr | 45400 kr |
| 45-54 | 99% | 50300 kr | 50400 kr |
| 55-64 | 96% | 54300 kr | 54300 kr |
| 65-68 | 84% | 61000 kr | 61000 kr |
| Snitt | 99% | 47900 kr | 48000 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 99% | 40800 kr | 40900 kr |
| 35-44 | 103% | 44100 kr | 44300 kr |
| 45-54 | 97% | 49800 kr | 49900 kr |
| 55-64 | 87% | 56700 kr | 56700 kr |
| 65-68 | 63200 kr | 63200 kr | |
| Snitt | 98% | 46600 kr | 46700 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 95% | 42600 kr | 42800 kr |
| 35-44 | 97% | 48700 kr | 48800 kr |
| 45-54 | 100% | 51200 kr | 51200 kr |
| 55-64 | 107% | 52200 kr | 52200 kr |
| 65-68 | 87% | 60300 kr | 60300 kr |
| Snitt | 97% | 50500 kr | 50500 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 99% | 45400 kr | 45500 kr |
| 35-44 | 99% | 55300 kr | 55600 kr |
| 45-54 | 96% | 63000 kr | 63300 kr |
| 55-64 | 99% | 65500 kr | 65900 kr |
| Snitt | 95% | 58200 kr | 58500 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 99% | 45400 kr | 45500 kr |
| 35-44 | 99% | 55300 kr | 55600 kr |
| 45-54 | 96% | 63000 kr | 63300 kr |
| 55-64 | 99% | 65500 kr | 65900 kr |
| Snitt | 95% | 58200 kr | 58500 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 99% | 43800 kr | 44000 kr |
| 35-44 | 99% | 52700 kr | 53100 kr |
| 45-54 | 95% | 57400 kr | 57500 kr |
| 55-64 | 97% | 61500 kr | 61800 kr |
| Snitt | 95% | 53400 kr | 53600 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 98% | 40300 kr | 40500 kr |
| 35-44 | 102% | 46300 kr | 46400 kr |
| 45-54 | 99% | 49700 kr | 49800 kr |
| 55-64 | 96% | 52000 kr | 52200 kr |
| 65-68 | 84% | 51200 kr | 51200 kr |
| Snitt | 99% | 47300 kr | 47400 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 99% | 40300 kr | 40400 kr |
| 35-44 | 103% | 45400 kr | 45500 kr |
| 45-54 | 97% | 48600 kr | 48600 kr |
| 55-64 | 87% | 49200 kr | 49400 kr |
| Snitt | 98% | 45800 kr | 45900 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 95% | 40500 kr | 40600 kr |
| 35-44 | 97% | 47300 kr | 47400 kr |
| 45-54 | 100% | 50800 kr | 51000 kr |
| 55-64 | 107% | 55500 kr | 55600 kr |
| 65-68 | 87% | 52300 kr | 52300 kr |
| Snitt | 97% | 49000 kr | 49100 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 99% | 44700 kr | 44900 kr |
| 35-44 | 99% | 54500 kr | 55000 kr |
| 45-54 | 96% | 60600 kr | 60800 kr |
| 55-64 | 99% | 65100 kr | 65400 kr |
| Snitt | 95% | 55400 kr | 55700 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-34 | 99% | 44700 kr | 44900 kr |
| 35-44 | 99% | 54500 kr | 55000 kr |
| 45-54 | 96% | 60600 kr | 60800 kr |
| 55-64 | 99% | 65100 kr | 65400 kr |
| Snitt | 95% | 55400 kr | 55700 kr |
About the data
All information displayed on this page is based on data from the Swedish Central Bureau of Statistics (SCB), the Swedish Tax Agency and the Swedish employment agency. Learn more about our data and data sources here.
All figures are gross salaries, meaning salaries before tax. The average salary, or mean salary, is calculated by adding up the total salary for all individuals within the profession and dividing it by the number of individuals. For specific job categories, we have also considered various criteria such as experience and education.
Profession Forensic, chemistry has the SSYK code 2113, which we use to match against the SCB database to obtain the latest salary statistics.
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