Digital Forensics Analysts
Conduct investigations on computer-based crimes establishing documentary or physical evidence, such as digital media and logs associated with cyber intrusion incidents. Analyze digital evidence and investigate computer security incidents to derive information in support of system and network vulnerability mitigation. Preserve and present computer-related evidence in support of criminal, fraud, counterintelligence, or law enforcement investigations.
A wage reference for United States.
Published wage percentiles describe a distribution within the source occupation group. They provide context for a career decision; employer packages and job offers have their own terms.
This wage group may include multiple detailed occupations. The figures are for the source group, which may be broader than Digital Forensics Analysts. They are not an exact-title, employer, experience or seniority match.
May 2025 · USD · United States. Annual and hourly figures are shown only when the source publishes them; neither is calculated from the other.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics occupational wage data, distributed through the O*NET® OnLine service.
Annual wage thresholds
USD per year
Hourly wage thresholds
USD per hour
| Percentile | Annual wage (USD/year) | Hourly wage (USD/hour) |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $55,940 | $26.89 |
| 25th | $79,370 | $38.16 |
| 50th · Median | $116,580 | $56.05 |
| 75th | $157,500 | $75.72 |
| 90th | $188,470 | $90.61 |
“≥” means at least the published amount; “≤” means at most that amount. These are bounds, not exact values. “Not published” means the source did not provide that figure. Occupational wages follow the source definition and do not establish an employer’s base salary, equity or total compensation.
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What this career involves.
Occupation definitions describe common work. Responsibilities and requirements vary by employer and specific job.
Selected title examples
Expand more title examples (18)
Typical tasks
- Duplicate digital evidence to use for data recovery and analysis procedures.
- Preserve and maintain digital forensic evidence for analysis.
- Adhere to legal policies and procedures related to handling digital media.
- Write reports, sign affidavits, or give depositions for legal proceedings.
- Perform forensic investigations of operating or file systems.
- Create system images or capture network settings from information technology environments to preserve as evidence.
Expand more tasks (14)
- Maintain knowledge of laws, regulations, policies or other issuances pertaining to digital forensics or information privacy.
- Write technical summaries to report findings.
- Perform file signature analysis to verify files on storage media or discover potential hidden files.
- Recover data or decrypt seized data.
- Develop plans for investigating alleged computer crimes, violations, or suspicious activity.
- Analyze log files or other digital information to identify the perpetrators of network intrusions.
- Maintain cyber defense software or hardware to support responses to cyber incidents.
- Perform web service network traffic analysis or waveform analysis to detect anomalies, such as unusual events or trends.
- Develop policies or requirements for data collection, processing, or reporting.
- Write cyber defense recommendations, reports, or white papers using research or experience.
- Identify or develop reverse-engineering tools to improve system capabilities or detect vulnerabilities.
- Conduct predictive or reactive analyses on security measures to support cyber security initiatives.
- Write and execute scripts to automate tasks, such as parsing large data files.
- Recommend cyber defense software or hardware to support responses to cyber incidents.
Skills used in this work
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Active Listening
- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Writing
- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Expand more skills (29)
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Systems Analysis
- Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
- Social Perceptiveness
- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Systems Evaluation
- Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Coordination
- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Learning Strategies
- Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
- Persuasion
- Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
- Service Orientation
- Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Instructing
- Teaching others how to do something.
- Negotiation
- Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
- Quality Control Analysis
- Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
- Management of Personnel Resources
- Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
- Mathematics
- Using mathematics to solve problems.
- Operations Monitoring
- Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- Troubleshooting
- Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
- Management of Financial Resources
- Determining how money will be spent to get the work done, and accounting for these expenditures.
- Programming
- Writing computer programs for various purposes.
- Technology Design
- Generating or adapting equipment and technology to serve user needs.
- Management of Material Resources
- Obtaining and seeing to the appropriate use of equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do certain work.
- Repairing
- Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
- Equipment Maintenance
- Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
- Equipment Selection
- Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
- Science
- Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
- Operations Analysis
- Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
- Operation and Control
- Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
- Installation
- Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or programs to meet specifications.
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