Forensic Nursing Salary Information

Forensic nurses work with law enforcement and police, aiding in criminal investigations and in the care and examination of assault victims. With expertise in medicine, the law, and criminal investigation, they liaise with medical professionals and lawyers, the police, prosecutors, therapists, social workers, and victims of violence.

Education and Training for Forensic Nurses

The majority of forensic nursing degree programs offer master's degree training to registered nurses (RNs) who have already completed training at nursing college. Most RNs choose to work for at least a year in a hospital or medical clinic before pursuing additional schooling in one of several possible areas of specialization, such as forensic investigation, forensic psychiatric nursing, death investigation, sexual assault examination, or correctional nursing.

After completing a master's or doctoral program, forensic nurses earn certification by the Forensic Nursing Examination Board of the International Association of Forensic Nurses. This group offers certifications such as the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner-Adult (SANE-A) and Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner-Pediatric (SANE-P).

Forensic Nursing Salary Estimates

Forensic nursing salaries vary depending on education, experience, and specialization. Although the Bureau of Labor Statistics does not distinguish between nursing salaries, forensic nurses can expect to earn on the upper end of the mean RN income, which they report as $66,530, or $31.99 per hour, in 2009. The highest paid 10% of RNs earned $93,700, or $45.05 hourly, and the highest nursing salaries were found in California, Massachusetts, and Hawaii.