19 Series · SOC 19-5011

Occupational Health and Safety Specialists Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$90,150
Median / year
+7.4%
2024→2025
$134,950
Top 10% earn
+12.5%
Growth '24–'34
140,610
Estimated US jobs

Occupational Health and Safety Specialists earn a median of $90,150 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $90,150, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $55,000 (10th percentile) to $134,950 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 140,610 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is District of Columbia ($111,530).

19 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Occupational Health and Safety Specialists earn a median of $90,150, putting them among the better-paid US occupations and higher than 78% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Life, Physical, and Social Science, it ranks #23 of 48 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 12.5% by 2034.

$90,150
Median annual wage
Top 22%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#23 of 48
in Life, Physical, and Social Science
2.5×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: District of Columbia at $111,530. Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.

Observed pay change

What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025

May 2019 → May 2025
  • The published national median for Occupational Health and Safety Specialists moved from $74,100 in May 2019 to $90,150 in May 2025 (+21.7%).
  • Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
  • Occupational Health and Safety Specialists sits -2.8 pp near that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.

Occupational Health and Safety Specialists (SOC 19-5011) has a national median of $90,150 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $55,000 to $134,950, and the published mean is $93,860. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 140,610 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 53 state or territory areas and 500 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $83,910 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $90,150 in May 2025, a rise of $6,240 (+7.4%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a +12.5% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as much faster than average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 14,900 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns Bachelor's degree as typical education needed for entry. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. District of Columbia pays the highest state median at $111,530, which is +24% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $128,980. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.

BLS OEWS May 2025 140,610 jobs Median $90,150/yr

Median Salary

$90,150

per year

Median Hourly

$43.34/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$93,860

average

Employment

140,610

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Occupational Health and Safety Specialists pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$90,150 Top 22% higher than 78% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000 and above: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $180,000+ every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
Band Count Share
$0–$20,000 0 US occupations 0%
$20,000–$40,000 98 US occupations 12%
$40,000–$60,000 298 US occupations 36%
$60,000–$80,000 209 US occupations 25%
$80,000–$100,000 (this entry) 82 US occupations 10%
$100,000–$120,000 58 US occupations 7%
$120,000–$140,000 32 US occupations 4%
$140,000–$160,000 14 US occupations 2%
$160,000–$180,000 9 US occupations 1%
$180,000 and above 25 US occupations 3%

$90,150 · 78th percentile of 825 US occupations

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 19-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Occupational Health and Safety Specialists; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 24 19-series occupations with growth data, Occupational Health and Safety Specialists sits on the faster-growing side at +12.5% growth and $90,150 median pay. Scatter plot of 24 data points. $0$50000$100000$150000$200000 -5%0%5%10%15% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage Medical Scientists, … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 8.7% · Median annual wage: $103410Occupational Health … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 12.5% · Median annual wage: $90150Environmental Scient… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.4% · Median annual wage: $82220Chemists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.9% · Median annual wage: $91240Clinical and Counsel… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 11.2% · Median annual wage: $100580Life, Physical, and … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.5% · Median annual wage: $62280Biological Technicians - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.5% · Median annual wage: $57510School Psychologists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 0.7% · Median annual wage: $95990Chemical Technicians - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.7% · Median annual wage: $60390Biological Scientist… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.2% · Median annual wage: $98920Urban and Regional P… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.4% · Median annual wage: $89320Social Scientists an… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -1.7% · Median annual wage: $101110Environmental Scienc… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4% · Median annual wage: $55090Biochemists and Biop… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.8% · Median annual wage: $127410Social Science Resea… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.4% · Median annual wage: $61990Occupational Health … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 8.5% · Median annual wage: $61560Forest and Conservat… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -3.2% · Median annual wage: $54560Conservation Scienti… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.4% · Median annual wage: $73010Geoscientists, Excep… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.2% · Median annual wage: $101920Physical Scientists,… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 0.6% · Median annual wage: $122570Physicists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4% · Median annual wage: $172250Forensic Science Tec… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 12.8% · Median annual wage: $72060Microbiologists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.1% · Median annual wage: $87990Psychologists, All O… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.3% · Median annual wage: $110840
Among 24 19-series occupations with growth data, Occupational Health and Safety Specialists sits on the faster-growing side at +12.5% growth and $90,150 median pay.
Read the chart as text
  • Medical Scientists, …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 8.7%, Median annual wage $103410
  • Occupational Health …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 12.5%, Median annual wage $90150
  • Environmental Scient…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.4%, Median annual wage $82220
  • Chemists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.9%, Median annual wage $91240
  • Clinical and Counsel…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 11.2%, Median annual wage $100580
  • Life, Physical, and …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.5%, Median annual wage $62280
  • Biological Technicians: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.5%, Median annual wage $57510
  • School Psychologists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.7%, Median annual wage $95990
  • Chemical Technicians: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.7%, Median annual wage $60390
  • Biological Scientist…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.2%, Median annual wage $98920
  • Urban and Regional P…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.4%, Median annual wage $89320
  • Social Scientists an…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.7%, Median annual wage $101110
  • Environmental Scienc…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4%, Median annual wage $55090
  • Biochemists and Biop…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.8%, Median annual wage $127410
  • Social Science Resea…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.4%, Median annual wage $61990
  • Occupational Health …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 8.5%, Median annual wage $61560
  • Forest and Conservat…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -3.2%, Median annual wage $54560
  • Conservation Scienti…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.4%, Median annual wage $73010
  • Geoscientists, Excep…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.2%, Median annual wage $101920
  • Physical Scientists,…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.6%, Median annual wage $122570
  • Physicists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4%, Median annual wage $172250
  • Forensic Science Tec…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 12.8%, Median annual wage $72060
  • Microbiologists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.1%, Median annual wage $87990
  • Psychologists, All O…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.3%, Median annual wage $110840

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

+12.5%

Much faster than average

Annual Openings

14,900

per year (projected)

Employment Change

+16,500

131,900 (2024) → 148,400 (2034)

Typical Education

Bachelor's degree

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
Group

Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations context

Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade

Fatality Rate

1.5/100K

Injury Rate

0.7/100

Danger Index

3.6/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Occupational Health and Safety Specialists roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Reading Comprehension 4.0
Active Listening 4.0
Writing 4.0
Speaking 4.0
Critical Thinking 3.8
Social Perceptiveness 3.8
Complex Problem Solving 3.8
Judgment and Decision Making 3.8
Systems Analysis 3.8
Systems Evaluation 3.8

Knowledge Areas

English Language 4.0
Chemistry 3.9
Education and Training 3.8
Mathematics 3.8
Customer and Personal Service 3.7
Engineering and Technology 3.6
Biology 3.6
Law and Government 3.5
Public Safety and Security 3.5
Administration and Management 3.4

Key Tasks

  • Recommend measures to help protect workers from potentially hazardous work methods, processes, or materials.
  • Develop or maintain hygiene programs, such as noise surveys, continuous atmosphere monitoring, ventilation surveys, or asbestos management plans.
  • Order suspension of activities that pose threats to workers' health or safety.
  • Investigate accidents to identify causes or to determine how such accidents might be prevented in the future.
  • Inspect or evaluate workplace environments, equipment, or practices to ensure compliance with safety standards and government regulations.
  • Collect samples of dust, gases, vapors, or other potentially toxic materials for analysis.
  • Collaborate with engineers or physicians to institute control or remedial measures for hazardous or potentially hazardous conditions or equipment.
  • Investigate the adequacy of ventilation, exhaust equipment, lighting, or other conditions that could affect employee health, comfort, or performance.
  • Conduct safety training or education programs and demonstrate the use of safety equipment.
  • Investigate health-related complaints and inspect facilities to ensure that they comply with public health legislation and regulations.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

10th$55,000
25th$69,560
Median$90,150
75th$111,690
90th$134,950

Hourly Rate Distribution

10th$26.44
25th$33.44
Median$43.34
75th$53.70
90th$64.88

Occupational Health and Safety Specialists pay history, 2019–2025

Published national median across 7 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.

$70,000$75,000$80,000$85,000$90,000$95,000 2019202020212022202320242025 National median - 2019: $74,100National median - 2020: $76,340National median - 2021: $77,560National median - 2022: $78,570National median - 2023: $81,140National median - 2024: $83,910National median - 2025: $90,150$90,150
National median annual wage for Occupational Health and Safety Specialists, May 2019 to May 2025 OEWS releases
Read the chart as text
Period National median
2019 $74,100
2020 $76,340
2021 $77,560
2022 $78,570
2023 $81,140
2024 $83,910
2025 $90,150

2019 median

$74,100

2025 median

$90,150

2019–2025 change

+$16,050 (+21.7%)

Avg/year

+3.3%

Published national median annual wage and estimated employment for Occupational Health and Safety Specialists by OEWS release year
Release Median Change Estimated jobs
May 2019 $74,100 First banked release 92,780
May 2020 $76,340 +3.0% 95,960
May 2021 $77,560 +1.6% 106,340
May 2022 $78,570 +1.3% 109,430
May 2023 $81,140 +3.3% 122,300
May 2024 $83,910 +3.4% 128,430
May 2025 $90,150 +7.4% 140,610

Across the 7 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $74,100 in May 2019 to $90,150 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +3.3% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 92,780 in May 2019 to 140,610 in May 2025.

Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in.

Salary by State

View all 53 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 District of Columbia $111,530 +24% above national
2 Massachusetts $103,970 +15% above national
3 Washington $102,920 +14% above national
4 California $102,840 +14% above national
5 Rhode Island $101,740 +13% above national
6 Colorado $101,400 +12% above national
7 New Hampshire $101,260 +12% above national
8 Alaska $99,270 +10% above national
9 Illinois $98,270 +9% above national
10 Maine $97,640 +8% above national
11 Minnesota $96,990 +8% above national
12 Connecticut $96,110 +7% above national
13 New York $95,720 +6% above national
14 Oregon $95,240 +6% above national
15 Hawaii $94,840 +5% above national
16 Nevada $94,360 +5% above national
17 Wyoming $94,030 +4% above national
18 North Dakota $93,250 +3% above national
19 Maryland $91,820 +2% above national
20 Ohio $91,460 +1% above national
21 Virginia $90,800 +1% above national
22 New Jersey $90,610 +1% above national
23 Utah $90,200 same as national
24 Louisiana $89,560 1% below national
25 Arizona $89,480 1% below national
26 Florida $88,820 1% below national
27 South Dakota $88,610 2% below national
28 South Carolina $88,080 2% below national
29 Iowa $87,830 3% below national
30 Vermont $87,210 3% below national
31 Pennsylvania $87,050 3% below national
32 Idaho $86,920 4% below national
33 North Carolina $86,650 4% below national
34 West Virginia $86,560 4% below national
35 Kansas $86,300 4% below national
36 Georgia $85,450 5% below national
37 Wisconsin $84,750 6% below national
38 New Mexico $84,510 6% below national
39 Mississippi $84,490 6% below national
40 Michigan $84,080 7% below national
41 Nebraska $83,990 7% below national
42 Kentucky $83,730 7% below national
43 Indiana $83,470 7% below national
44 Missouri $83,090 8% below national
45 Alabama $82,260 9% below national
46 Montana $81,330 10% below national
47 Tennessee $81,190 10% below national
48 Delaware $81,120 10% below national
49 Oklahoma $79,890 11% below national
50 Texas $79,660 12% below national
51 Arkansas $73,130 19% below national
52 Guam $68,030 25% below national
53 Puerto Rico $45,630 49% below national

Salary by Metro Area

View all 368 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $128,980 +43% above national
2 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $126,860 +41% above national
3 Kennewick-Richland, WA $125,970 +40% above national
4 Niles, MI $113,680 +26% above national
5 Lawrence, KS $109,740 +22% above national
6 Napa, CA $109,560 +22% above national
7 Vallejo, CA $109,550 +22% above national
8 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $109,500 +21% above national
9 Pueblo, CO $109,390 +21% above national
10 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $109,170 +21% above national
11 Manchester-Nashua, NH $109,130 +21% above national
12 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $107,910 +20% above national
13 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $107,220 +19% above national
14 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA $106,430 +18% above national
15 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $105,960 +18% above national
16 Rochester, MN $105,090 +17% above national
17 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $104,770 +16% above national
18 Lafayette, LA $104,470 +16% above national
19 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $104,000 +15% above national
20 Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA $103,810 +15% above national
21 New Haven, CT $103,780 +15% above national
22 Greeley, CO $103,740 +15% above national
23 Boulder, CO $103,720 +15% above national
24 Anchorage, AK $103,330 +15% above national
25 Bellingham, WA $103,260 +15% above national
26 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $102,610 +14% above national
27 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $102,270 +13% above national
28 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $102,120 +13% above national
29 Bay City, MI $102,060 +13% above national
30 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $101,630 +13% above national
31 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA $101,560 +13% above national
32 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $101,230 +12% above national
33 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN $101,060 +12% above national
34 Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA $101,060 +12% above national
35 Portland-South Portland, ME $100,730 +12% above national
36 Fairbanks-College, AK $100,230 +11% above national
37 Trenton-Princeton, NJ $100,000 +11% above national
38 Salinas, CA $99,770 +11% above national
39 Bismarck, ND $99,520 +10% above national
40 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $99,170 +10% above national
41 Reno, NV $99,160 +10% above national
42 Worcester, MA $99,150 +10% above national
43 Columbus, OH $98,920 +10% above national
44 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $98,490 +9% above national
45 Sumter, SC $98,490 +9% above national
46 Eugene-Springfield, OR $98,450 +9% above national
47 Wheeling, WV-OH $98,440 +9% above national
48 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $98,320 +9% above national
49 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL $97,470 +8% above national
50 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $97,410 +8% above national
51 Charleston, WV $96,990 +8% above national
52 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $96,990 +8% above national
53 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL $96,820 +7% above national
54 Longview-Kelso, WA $96,780 +7% above national
55 Redding, CA $96,360 +7% above national
56 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $96,320 +7% above national
57 Minot, ND $96,100 +7% above national
58 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO $95,990 +6% above national
59 Lexington Park, MD $95,870 +6% above national
60 Ogden, UT $95,740 +6% above national
61 Salem, OR $95,680 +6% above national
62 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA $95,640 +6% above national
63 Fayetteville, NC $95,620 +6% above national
64 Urban Honolulu, HI $95,600 +6% above national
65 Logan, UT-ID $95,560 +6% above national
66 Stockton-Lodi, CA $95,490 +6% above national
67 Albany, OR $95,470 +6% above national
68 Syracuse, NY $95,180 +6% above national
69 Spartanburg, SC $95,130 +6% above national
70 Burlington-South Burlington, VT $95,100 +5% above national
71 Sandusky, OH $94,960 +5% above national
72 Farmington, NM $94,920 +5% above national
73 Modesto, CA $94,910 +5% above national
74 Casper, WY $94,890 +5% above national
75 Huntsville, AL $94,570 +5% above national
76 Bend, OR $94,540 +5% above national
77 Baton Rouge, LA $94,520 +5% above national
78 Peoria, IL $94,520 +5% above national
79 Warner Robins, GA $94,520 +5% above national
80 Watertown-Fort Drum, NY $94,520 +5% above national
81 Merced, CA $94,470 +5% above national
82 Rockford, IL $94,450 +5% above national
83 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $94,370 +5% above national
84 Cedar Rapids, IA $94,010 +4% above national
85 St. Louis, MO-IL $94,010 +4% above national
86 Colorado Springs, CO $93,970 +4% above national
87 Reading, PA $93,880 +4% above national
88 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $93,660 +4% above national
89 Jacksonville, NC $93,640 +4% above national
90 Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA $93,430 +4% above national
91 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $93,340 +4% above national
92 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL $93,280 +3% above national
93 Shreveport-Bossier City, LA $93,260 +3% above national
94 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $93,200 +3% above national
95 Sioux City, IA-NE-SD $93,200 +3% above national
96 Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ $93,130 +3% above national
97 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV $93,100 +3% above national
98 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $93,060 +3% above national
99 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC $93,000 +3% above national
100 Yakima, WA $92,960 +3% above national
101 Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $92,930 +3% above national
102 Kansas City, MO-KS $92,900 +3% above national
103 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ $92,670 +3% above national
104 New Orleans-Metairie, LA $92,610 +3% above national
105 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $92,310 +2% above national
106 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $92,050 +2% above national
107 Mansfield, OH $92,020 +2% above national
108 Parkersburg-Vienna, WV $91,950 +2% above national
109 Paducah, KY-IL $91,740 +2% above national
110 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $91,620 +2% above national
111 Midland, TX $91,570 +2% above national
112 Appleton, WI $91,560 +2% above national
113 Beckley, WV $91,560 +2% above national
114 Duluth, MN-WI $91,560 +2% above national
115 Manhattan, KS $91,560 +2% above national
116 Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL $91,560 +2% above national
117 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL $91,560 +2% above national
118 Toledo, OH $91,560 +2% above national
119 Lewiston-Auburn, ME $91,380 +1% above national
120 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $91,160 +1% above national
121 St. Cloud, MN $91,150 +1% above national
122 Hanford-Corcoran, CA $91,120 +1% above national
123 Evansville, IN $91,050 +1% above national
124 Amherst Town-Northampton, MA $91,010 +1% above national
125 Idaho Falls, ID $90,600 same as national
126 Raleigh-Cary, NC $90,490 same as national
127 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $90,470 same as national
128 Macon-Bibb County, GA $90,440 same as national
129 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $90,310 same as national
130 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $90,310 same as national
131 Waterbury-Shelton, CT $90,240 same as national
132 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $90,180 same as national
133 Yuba City, CA $90,150 same as national
134 York-Hanover, PA $90,100 same as national
135 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $89,920 same as national
136 Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT $89,870 same as national
137 Walla Walla, WA $89,860 same as national
138 Iowa City, IA $89,570 1% below national
139 Omaha, NE-IA $89,500 1% below national
140 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $89,480 1% below national
141 Grand Junction, CO $89,350 1% below national
142 Elmira, NY $89,180 1% below national
143 Janesville-Beloit, WI $89,070 1% below national
144 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH $88,990 1% below national
145 Flint, MI $88,990 1% below national
146 Fargo, ND-MN $88,690 2% below national
147 Columbus, GA-AL $88,610 2% below national
148 Elizabethtown, KY $88,610 2% below national
149 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS $88,610 2% below national
150 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC $88,610 2% below national
151 Vineland, NJ $88,480 2% below national
152 Springfield, MA $88,290 2% below national
153 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $88,270 2% below national
154 Bangor, ME $88,190 2% below national
155 Victoria, TX $88,110 2% below national
156 Fresno, CA $88,090 2% below national
157 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $88,090 2% below national
158 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $88,080 2% below national
159 Cleveland, OH $88,070 2% below national
160 Lebanon, PA $88,000 2% below national
161 Florence, SC $87,970 2% below national
162 Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH $87,970 2% below national
163 Birmingham, AL $87,920 2% below national
164 Columbus, IN $87,920 2% below national
165 Kenosha, WI $87,890 3% below national
166 Binghamton, NY $87,740 3% below national
167 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC $87,530 3% below national
168 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $87,450 3% below national
169 Albuquerque, NM $87,390 3% below national
170 Pittsburgh, PA $87,310 3% below national
171 Mankato, MN $87,270 3% below national
172 Albany, GA $86,920 4% below national
173 Boise City, ID $86,920 4% below national
174 Sheboygan, WI $86,830 4% below national
175 Barnstable Town, MA $86,660 4% below national
176 Madison, WI $86,650 4% below national
177 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $86,480 4% below national
178 Lynchburg, VA $86,480 4% below national
179 Altoona, PA $86,260 4% below national
180 Las Cruces, NM $86,260 4% below national
181 Rapid City, SD $86,160 4% below national
182 Cheyenne, WY $86,040 5% below national
183 Hattiesburg, MS $85,900 5% below national
184 St. Joseph, MO-KS $85,620 5% below national
185 Ann Arbor, MI $85,610 5% below national
186 Mobile, AL $85,600 5% below national
187 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA $85,550 5% below national
188 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $85,490 5% below national
189 Wilmington, NC $85,230 5% below national
190 Charlottesville, VA $85,170 6% below national
191 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA $85,100 6% below national
192 Wausau, WI $85,010 6% below national
193 Lewiston, ID-WA $84,990 6% below national
194 Pittsfield, MA $84,990 6% below national
195 Flagstaff, AZ $84,950 6% below national
196 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $84,820 6% below national
197 Savannah, GA $84,760 6% below national
198 Bowling Green, KY $84,730 6% below national
199 Canton-Massillon, OH $84,720 6% below national
200 Wichita, KS $84,640 6% below national
201 Rochester, NY $84,570 6% below national
202 Visalia, CA $84,510 6% below national
203 Green Bay, WI $84,500 6% below national
204 Greensboro-High Point, NC $84,430 6% below national
205 Corvallis, OR $84,420 6% below national
206 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA $84,410 6% below national
207 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX $84,360 6% below national
208 Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI $84,350 6% below national
209 Chico, CA $84,010 7% below national
210 Port St. Lucie, FL $83,990 7% below national
211 Sioux Falls, SD-MN $83,870 7% below national
212 Grand Forks, ND-MN $83,860 7% below national
213 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $83,760 7% below national
214 Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA $83,740 7% below national
215 Athens-Clarke County, GA $83,650 7% below national
216 Terre Haute, IN $83,510 7% below national
217 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $83,440 7% below national
218 Fort Wayne, IN $83,440 7% below national
219 Richmond, VA $83,420 7% below national
220 Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL $83,410 7% below national
221 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $83,410 7% below national
222 Akron, OH $83,300 8% below national
223 Oklahoma City, OK $83,210 8% below national
224 Tucson, AZ $83,200 8% below national
225 Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA $83,130 8% below national
226 Ithaca, NY $83,020 8% below national
227 Bloomington, IN $83,000 8% below national
228 Ames, IA $82,970 8% below national
229 Naples-Marco Island, FL $82,970 8% below national
230 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $82,910 8% below national
231 Owensboro, KY $82,880 8% below national
232 Lansing-East Lansing, MI $82,760 8% below national
233 Champaign-Urbana, IL $82,750 8% below national
234 Helena, MT $82,740 8% below national
235 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $82,720 8% below national
236 Lake Charles, LA $82,710 8% below national
237 Great Falls, MT $82,670 8% below national
238 Jackson, MS $82,640 8% below national
239 Bozeman, MT $82,570 8% below national
240 Lima, OH $82,420 9% below national
241 Saginaw, MI $82,400 9% below national
242 Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT $82,370 9% below national
243 Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI $82,270 9% below national
244 Eau Claire, WI $82,260 9% below national
245 Montgomery, AL $82,260 9% below national
246 Chambersburg, PA $82,220 9% below national
247 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA $82,220 9% below national
248 Medford, OR $82,180 9% below national
249 Springfield, OH $82,100 9% below national
250 Lancaster, PA $81,990 9% below national
251 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $81,990 9% below national
252 Asheville, NC $81,740 9% below national
253 Springfield, IL $81,590 9% below national
254 Billings, MT $81,520 10% below national
255 El Centro, CA $81,520 10% below national
256 Morgantown, WV $81,390 10% below national
257 Fond du Lac, WI $81,370 10% below national
258 Killeen-Temple, TX $81,330 10% below national
259 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA $81,120 10% below national
260 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $81,000 10% below national
261 Erie, PA $80,980 10% below national
262 Tulsa, OK $80,900 10% below national
263 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $80,880 10% below national
264 Kahului-Wailuku, HI $80,840 10% below national
265 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $80,730 10% below national
266 Topeka, KS $80,670 11% below national
267 Jacksonville, FL $80,560 11% below national
268 Winston-Salem, NC $80,280 11% below national
269 Roanoke, VA $80,260 11% below national
270 Columbia, MO $80,250 11% below national
271 Twin Falls, ID $80,250 11% below national
272 Lawton, OK $80,140 11% below national
273 Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ $80,010 11% below national
274 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL $79,990 11% below national
275 Lexington-Fayette, KY $79,950 11% below national
276 Coeur d'Alene, ID $79,940 11% below national
277 Decatur, IL $79,880 11% below national
278 Springfield, MO $79,560 12% below national
279 Tuscaloosa, AL $79,550 12% below national
280 State College, PA $79,540 12% below national
281 Burlington, NC $79,430 12% below national
282 Traverse City, MI $79,400 12% below national
283 Utica-Rome, NY $79,330 12% below national
284 Columbia, SC $79,160 12% below national
285 Wildwood-The Villages, FL $79,110 12% below national
286 Johnson City, TN $79,000 12% below national
287 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR $78,980 12% below national
288 Rocky Mount, NC $78,850 13% below national
289 Monroe, LA $78,800 13% below national
290 Jackson, TN $78,460 13% below national
291 Decatur, AL $78,420 13% below national
292 Dubuque, IA $78,410 13% below national
293 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $78,370 13% below national
294 Greenville, NC $78,370 13% below national
295 Auburn-Opelika, AL $78,190 13% below national
296 Knoxville, TN $78,110 13% below national
297 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL $78,090 13% below national
298 Harrisonburg, VA $77,960 14% below national
299 Corpus Christi, TX $77,950 14% below national
300 Michigan City-La Porte, IN $77,840 14% below national
301 Johnstown, PA $77,810 14% below national
302 Anniston-Oxford, AL $77,740 14% below national
303 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $77,690 14% below national
304 Youngstown-Warren, OH $77,680 14% below national
305 Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN $77,620 14% below national
306 Midland, MI $77,580 14% below national
307 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH $77,450 14% below national
308 Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC $77,380 14% below national
309 Morristown, TN $77,370 14% below national
310 Dothan, AL $77,350 14% below national
311 Hammond, LA $77,220 14% below national
312 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI $77,150 14% below national
313 Valdosta, GA $77,130 14% below national
314 Sherman-Denison, TX $77,000 15% below national
315 Tyler, TX $76,790 15% below national
316 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI $76,770 15% below national
317 Goldsboro, NC $76,560 15% below national
318 Gainesville, FL $76,400 15% below national
319 Texarkana, TX-AR $76,400 15% below national
320 Wichita Falls, TX $76,400 15% below national
321 Abilene, TX $76,330 15% below national
322 Gadsden, AL $76,270 15% below national
323 Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ $75,950 16% below national
324 Lincoln, NE $75,820 16% below national
325 Amarillo, TX $75,350 16% below national
326 Williamsport, PA $75,320 16% below national
327 Tallahassee, FL $75,180 17% below national
328 Ocala, FL $74,910 17% below national
329 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $74,490 17% below national
330 Chattanooga, TN-GA $74,470 17% below national
331 Clarksville, TN-KY $74,430 17% below national
332 Dalton, GA $74,310 18% below national
333 Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC $74,190 18% below national
334 Yuma, AZ $74,160 18% below national
335 Winchester, VA-WV $73,920 18% below national
336 Joplin, MO-KS $73,580 18% below national
337 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI $73,200 19% below national
338 Longview, TX $73,050 19% below national
339 San Angelo, TX $73,040 19% below national
340 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL $73,010 19% below national
341 Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA $72,890 19% below national
342 Monroe, MI $72,470 20% below national
343 Kingston, NY $71,820 20% below national
344 Elkhart-Goshen, IN $71,560 21% below national
345 Cleveland, TN $70,400 22% below national
346 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL $70,400 22% below national
347 Waco, TX $70,220 22% below national
348 Lubbock, TX $70,190 22% below national
349 Missoula, MT $69,300 23% below national
350 Battle Creek, MI $69,120 23% below national
351 Gainesville, GA $67,480 25% below national
352 College Station-Bryan, TX $66,340 26% below national
353 Odessa, TX $66,110 27% below national
354 Jefferson City, MO $65,670 27% below national
355 El Paso, TX $65,640 27% below national
356 Rome, GA $64,790 28% below national
357 Laredo, TX $63,630 29% below national
358 Dover, DE $62,950 30% below national
359 Fort Smith, AR-OK $61,100 32% below national
360 Punta Gorda, FL $60,850 33% below national
361 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX $59,750 34% below national
362 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX $56,500 37% below national
363 Jonesboro, AR $55,870 38% below national
364 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR $46,040 49% below national
365 Arecibo, PR $45,060 50% below national
366 Ponce, PR $44,380 51% below national
367 Aguadilla, PR $44,360 51% below national
368 Mayaguez, PR $43,330 52% below national

Same SOC major group

Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 19 (Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.

Showing 5 of 47 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.

Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale

Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($90,150 here) and reported employment (140,610 jobs here).

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Occupational Health and Safety Specialists make?
The median annual salary for Occupational Health and Safety Specialists is $90,150 ($43.34/hour). The salary range spans from $55,000 at the 10th percentile to $134,950 at the 90th percentile.
Where does Occupational Health and Safety Specialists pay rank nationally?
At a published national median of $90,150, Occupational Health and Safety Specialists pay is higher than 78% of the 825 detailed occupations with a published BLS annual median in the May 2025 OEWS release. This compares occupation-level medians, not individual workers, job offers, or this occupation's own worker pay-percentile range.
What state pays Occupational Health and Safety Specialists the most?
District of Columbia pays the highest median salary for Occupational Health and Safety Specialists at $111,530/year, which is +24% above the national median.
What education do Occupational Health and Safety Specialists need?
BLS assigns Occupational Health and Safety Specialists to Bachelor's degree for typical education needed for entry.
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Occupational Health and Safety Specialists?
BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for Occupational Health and Safety Specialists in this release. WageDex shows the Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations SOC-group rate only as broad context and does not rank it as this occupation's measured rate.
Is Occupational Health and Safety Specialists a good career?
Employment for Occupational Health and Safety Specialists is projected to grow 12.5% from 2024 to 2034, which is much faster than average. About 14,900 openings are projected each year.
How does Occupational Health and Safety Specialists pay vary by state?
Occupational Health and Safety Specialists salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is District of Columbia at $111,530/year, while Puerto Rico pays the least at $45,630/year. BLS data covers 53 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Occupational Health and Safety Specialists?
The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $128,980/year. BLS reports a median for 368 metropolitan areas for this occupation. The ranking does not establish why values differ.

What to do with this data

How to use Occupational Health and Safety Specialists pay figures in a real decision

  • The 75th-percentile wage is about $111,690/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: District of Columbia leads at $111,530/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.