Occupational Health and Safety Specialists: Career Profile
Review, evaluate, and analyze work environments and design programs and procedures to control, eliminate, and prevent disease or injury caused by chemical, physical, and biological agents or ergonomic factors. May conduct inspections and enforce adherence to laws and regulations governing the health and safety of individuals. May be employed in the public or private sector.
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What Do Occupational Health and Safety Specialists Perform?
The core tasks performed by occupational health and safety specialists cover:
- 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.
What Occupational Health and Safety Specialists Need to Know
Effective occupational health and safety specialists draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The abilities most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Types of Occupational Health and Safety Specialists Jobs
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Analysis Safety Inspector
- Cause Analyst
- Certified Indoor Environmentalist
- Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH)
- Chemical Hygiene Officer
- Construction Safety Manager
- Consumer Safety Inspector
- Dining Service Inspector
Employment and Demand
There are about 70,623 occupational health and safety specialists working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +2.7% over the projection horizon.
Occupational Health and Safety Specialists Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $105,544 |
| Hourly median | $50.74 |
| 10th percentile | $58,719 |
| 25th percentile | $82,131 |
| 75th percentile | $128,956 |
| 90th percentile | $152,368 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $115,710 |
| California | $99,530 |
| Washington | $98,300 |
| Rhode Island | $98,240 |
| Illinois | $96,570 |
| Colorado | $96,310 |
| Massachusetts | $96,250 |
| Minnesota | $93,640 |
| Wyoming | $93,010 |
| New Hampshire | $92,220 |
| Alaska | $91,670 |
| New Jersey | $91,360 |
| Connecticut | $90,790 |
| Hawaii | $89,620 |
| New York | $87,580 |
| Georgia | $87,280 |
| Utah | $87,000 |
| West Virginia | $86,940 |
| Delaware | $85,820 |
| Vermont | $85,620 |
| Nevada | $85,530 |
| Maine | $85,350 |
| North Dakota | $84,020 |
| Ohio | $82,700 |
| Oregon | $82,660 |
| South Carolina | $82,220 |
| North Carolina | $82,160 |
| Oklahoma | $82,030 |
| Maryland | $81,980 |
| Pennsylvania | $81,840 |
| Virginia | $81,690 |
| Missouri | $80,500 |
| Louisiana | $80,440 |
| Arizona | $80,180 |
| New Mexico | $79,820 |
| Mississippi | $79,790 |
| Wisconsin | $79,560 |
| Iowa | $79,560 |
| South Dakota | $79,460 |
| Nebraska | $79,170 |
| Idaho | $78,890 |
| Indiana | $78,760 |
| Kansas | $78,480 |
| Michigan | $78,280 |
| Florida | $77,250 |
| Tennessee | $76,770 |
| Kentucky | $76,400 |
| Texas | $76,280 |
| Alabama | $75,440 |
| Montana | $74,500 |
| Arkansas | $71,570 |
| Guam | $62,980 |
| Puerto Rico | $44,050 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Earnings for occupational health and safety specialists differ across the country. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $96,891 | 17.2% | 1.04 |
| New England | $93,718 | 4.5% | 0.99 |
| Rocky Mountains | $90,003 | 4.7% | 1.28 |
| Middle Atlantic | $86,200 | 12.5% | 0.86 |
| Plains States | $83,919 | 6.4% | 0.96 |
| Great Lakes | $82,656 | 12.7% | 1.02 |
| Southeast | $79,942 | 23.3% | 0.99 |
| Southwest | $77,369 | 17.7% | 1.42 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $132,230 | 960 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $125,600 | 1,850 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | WA | $113,120 | 270 |
| Bellingham, WA | WA | $103,120 | |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | CT | $102,150 | 170 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | CA | $101,920 | 80 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | CA | $101,060 | 810 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | CA | $100,730 | 100 |
Industry Breakdown
Most occupational health and safety specialists are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 22,630 | $83,710 |
| Construction | 19,940 | $84,890 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 14,280 | $84,080 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 10,640 | $74,350 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 5,970 | $80,540 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 5,550 | $98,710 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 5,510 | $86,430 |
| Educational Services | 5,190 | $76,200 |
Below are examples of industries where occupational health and safety specialists work:
Tech Stack
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Web platform development software: Microsoft Active Server Pages ASP (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Project management software: Microsoft Project (hot technology)
- Document management software: Microsoft SharePoint (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: SAP software (hot technology)
Work Environment
The work environment for occupational health and safety specialists reflects the following characteristics:
- Telephone Conversations
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Health and Safety of Other Workers
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
Getting Started in This Career
Typical occupational health and safety specialists positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Security Managers (Primary-Long)
- Environmental Compliance Inspectors (Primary-Short)
- Government Property Inspectors and Investigators (Supplemental)
- Security Management Specialists (Primary-Long)
- Environmental Engineers (Primary-Long)
- Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors (Primary-Short)
- Fire-Prevention and Protection Engineers (Supplemental)
- Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians (Primary-Long)
Degree Programs
Aspiring occupational health and safety specialists often complete programs in:
Health Professions and Related Programs
3 programs across 1 majors
Engineering Technologies and Engineering-Related Fields
2 programs across 1 majors
Biological and Biomedical Sciences
1 programs across 1 majors
Sources
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 19-5011.00 (Occupational Health and Safety Specialists).
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