Becoming a Forensic Autopsy Technician – Education, Career & Salary Guide

Working in a coroner’s office or medical examiner’s office could be a good job for people interested in science, the human body, and helping families find out what may have caused the death of a loved one. Becoming a forensic autopsy technician is one option for those fascinated by human anatomy and not squeamish about the idea of dissecting bodies. Additionally, this career typically does not require extensive postsecondary learning.

Forensic autopsy technicians can often work a regular 9-to-5 schedule, assisting a forensic pathologist in working on bodies that come in overnight or during the day. However, depending on the facility’s needs, they may sometimes be required to cover weekend and holiday shifts part-time.

Autopsy technician work includes preparing the autopsy suite, providing specimen containers for examination, moving bodies, and assisting the pathologist with various exam parts. This could involve eviscerating and weighing organs and collecting toxicology samples. Other responsibilities might include taking notes, photographing the body, suturing a body closed, and releasing a body to a mortician.

Generally, a minimum of certificate-level training or an associate degree in a field such as biology, funeral science, or a similar subject is required. However, knowledge about anatomy, physiology, and medical lab practices included in most bachelor’s degree curricula will help increase job opportunities.

Other skills that are important for forensic autopsy technicians include staying objective, working under difficult and sometimes unpleasant conditions, and communicating with various people, from families to law enforcement officials and funeral homes. Technicians must also be capable of moving bodies, sometimes up to 300 pounds or more, alone or with assistance.

Read on to learn more about a career as a forensic autopsy technician.

Meet the Expert: Daria Skorka

Daria Skorka is an experienced autopsy and histology technician currently working at the Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office in Denver, Colorado. She began her career in forensic pathology in December 2016 at the Office of the Medical Investigator in New Mexico, where she started as a student technician through the University of New Mexico.

Over the years, she advanced to a staff position and later became a senior autopsy technician. In 2019, she earned her bachelor of science in biology. In 2023, Skorka relocated to Colorado to take on her current role, bringing nearly a decade of hands-on experience in forensic autopsy work to the Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office.

ForensicsColleges.com: What is something you wish the public understood about forensic autopsy technicians?

Skorka: One thing I wish the public knew about being a forensic autopsy technician is that it can be a career. Many people believe that it’s just a stepping stone to becoming a forensic pathologist. While it can help with your resume and put you in the door to become a forensic pathologist, it is also a fulfilling career for those who enjoy forensic death investigations but don’t have the resources or want to pursue a career in medical school. When I was in school, I had no idea I could become a technician performing autopsies. I thought I had to become a doctor to do what I love.

I also feel that a career as a technician has a much better work-life balance than that of a doctor. The technician position needs to evolve into a career because the training and experience we have are crucial for quality assurance and maintaining the chain of custody, ensuring that cases remain error-free and that findings are not compromised if they are presented in litigation.

Additionally, I want the public to understand that being a forensic autopsy technician is entirely different from being a mortician. While both of us work with decedents, autopsy technicians disassemble everything to provide evidence of the cause and manner of death, whereas morticians reconstruct and handle funeral arrangements with the family.

ForensicsColleges.com: What advice would you give to aspiring forensic autopsy technician students?

Skorka: The advice I would give to aspiring technicians is to get an internship with an office ASAP. Most offices look for people with experience with decedents to know they can handle the environment (smells, sights, physical demands). While most places only require a high school diploma, your resume will be stronger with some college classes in a related field (biology, criminology, forensic science, anthropology, etc). With those college classes, they should also take a human anatomy class, which will make learning how to eviscerate a lot easier.

Lastly, being a technician is a mentally and physically demanding job. I advise having good stress management skills in place, like yoga, crafts, hobbies you enjoy, etc. Also, train your body to be ready to stand for long periods of time and to push and pull heavy weights. Evisceration requires a lot of strength in the hands, arms, shoulders, and upper back.

Career Outlook and Salary Data for Forensic Autopsy Technicians

The US Bureau of Statistics, which tracks trends for major occupations, does not provide job growth estimates specifically for forensic autopsy technicians. However, the BLS (2025) includes autopsy assistants within the “medical assistant” category and estimates job opportunities in this field will grow 14 percent from 2023 to 2033. This job growth is much faster than the average for all jobs, which is 4 percent for that same time frame.

Those who want to enter the field are encouraged to start their job search by looking through governmental sites. These sites employ people at various levels, from county medical examiner jobs to positions at federal facilities, such as an Air Force base. Additionally, a department of pathology and laboratory medicine at a university could also provide interested students with opportunities for employment as forensic autopsy technicians.

Finally, joining a professional group, such as the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS), can be another way to look for job opportunities through professional networking and by utilizing that group’s online job listings.

The pay for forensic autopsy technicians varies by location and by state. The BLS does not track salaries for those with a forensic autopsy technician education, but other sources do provide context for salary and pay.

For example, according to Payscale.com (June 2025), the average salary for an autopsy technician was $59,140, with a typical range of $33,000 to $79,000. Additionally, Indeed.com (June 2025), a worldwide job website, indicates that forensic autopsy technicians in the United States earn approximately $46,281 annually..

Salaries for forensic autopsy technicians vary based on the location of the position and the experience required of an applicant.

How to Become a Forensic Autopsy Technician

Job requirements vary depending on the employing organization and the skills sought by an employee. Generally, forensic autopsy technician education will enable you to learn the basics about working in a medical examiner’s office and acquire general scientific knowledge.

While not all people will take the same path toward becoming a forensic autopsy technician, the following are the most common steps:

• Step 1: Earn a high school diploma (four years) – A high school diploma (or GED) is required for virtually all forensic autopsy jobs. Those interested in pursuing this career should be sure to excel in biology, chemistry, and anatomy classes.
• Step 2: Pursue a bachelor’s degree (four years) – Most forensic autopsy technicians must have a bachelor’s degree to find employment. Students should consider majoring in a relevant field, such as biology, forensic science, or mortuary science.
• Step 3: Gain entry-level work experience (timeline varies) – With a bachelor’s degree completed, it is possible to start looking for work in the forensic autopsy field. New graduates can look for jobs in hospitals or medical examiners’ offices.
• Step 4: Consider professional certification (timeline varies) – Forensic autopsy technicians with at least 640 hours of experience may be eligible to apply for certification from the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators (ABMDI). Although not required, this certification can demonstrate an individual’s knowledge and commitment and lead to further career advancement.
• Step 5: Pursue a master’s degree (optional; two to four years) – For those serious about their career and who want to continue to grow their responsibilities and salaries, a master’s degree is an option. A master of science degree from a pathologist’s assistant program is one example of a relevant degree discipline.

Since most people in this career have at least a bachelor’s degree, a high school graduate can expect to spend around four more years in school before they can start finding work in the field. Those who earn an advanced degree, which is not required, can expect six more years in school (or eight years in the case of a part-time master’s program).

Check out the online forensics degree guide to discover various degree programs to begin this career path.

Forensic Autopsy Technician Tasks and Responsibilities

Forensic autopsy technicians work alongside and under the supervision of medical examiners and forensic pathologists to determine the cause of death of the bodies they examine. Forensic autopsy technicians will be required to work on victims of violent deaths and also help to examine the bodies of those whose cause of death is undetermined. Some examples of undetermined causes of death include unknown health issues or cases of sudden death.

Some of the regular tasks that a forensic autopsy technician may be expected to complete include:

• Preparing bodies for autopsy
• Setting up the autopsy suite in preparation for autopsies
• Assisting in the opening and eviscerating of bodies
• Collecting biological samples from bodies and preparing them for laboratory analysis
• Maintaining the chain of custody for any samples involved in a criminal investigation
• Photographing bodies
• Documenting the autopsy process
• Maintaining a clean environment for the autopsy process

Forensic Autopsy Technician Licensure and Certification

No particular license or certification is needed to work as a forensic autopsy technician. However, there are specific things that are necessary to gain employment. Generally, job applicants must be fingerprinted and pass a criminal background check. Most forensic autopsy technicians must have a valid driver’s license and typically be able to move significant amounts of weight, sometimes up to 500 pounds, utilizing tools such as carts and dollies. These requirements are things to consider when pursuing a career as a forensic autopsy technician.

As mentioned above, some forensic autopsy technicians may be eligible for certification from the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators (ABMDI). Certification from this group requires that the applicant “be employed in a Medical Examiner or Coroner office or equivalent federal authority with the job responsibility to ‘conduct death scene investigations’ or supervise such investigations at the time of application and examination.”

Those with 640 hours of experience are eligible for Registry Certification, while those with 4,000 hours of experience over the last six years are eligible to become Board Certified. This certification does not confer any legal benefits but can help gain more job opportunities over time.