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Occupational Health and Safety Specialists salary in the U.S.

Occupational Health and Safety Specialists in the U.S. earn a median of $90,150 a year ($43.34 an hour), based on BLS data for 140,610 workers.

Median salary
$90,150
Hourly
$43.34
Average
$93,860
Top 10% earn
$134,950
Workers
140,610

Pay ranges from $55,000 for the lowest-paid 10% to $134,950 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $93,860, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.

Pay range for occupational health and safety specialists in the U.S.

$0$150,000
Pay levelYearlyHourly
10th percentile (entry level)$55,000$26.44
25th percentile$69,560$33.44
Median$90,150$43.34
75th percentile$111,690$53.70
90th percentile (top earners)$134,950$64.88
Average (mean)$93,860$45.12

Half of occupational health and safety specialists earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.

Median paycheck, before taxes

Pay periodAmount
Monthly$7,512.50
Semi-monthly (24 a year)$3,756.25
Biweekly (26 a year)$3,467.31
Weekly$1,733.65
Hourly$43.34

Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.

Buying a home? On a $90,150 salary, see how much house you can afford at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.

Occupational Health and Safety Specialists salary by state

StateMedian salaryWorkers
District of Columbia$111,530280
Massachusetts$103,9703,390
Washington$102,9203,570
California$102,84016,230
Rhode Island$101,740200
Colorado$101,4003,080
New Hampshire$101,260610
Alaska$99,270370
Illinois$98,2702,900
Maine$97,640600
Minnesota$96,9902,460
Connecticut$96,1101,090
New York$95,7206,840
Oregon$95,2401,820
Hawaii$94,840640
Nevada$94,3601,150
Wyoming$94,030580
North Dakota$93,250540
Maryland$91,8202,160
Ohio$91,4606,820
Virginia$90,8003,910
New Jersey$90,6103,830
Utah$90,2001,230
Louisiana$89,5602,380
Arizona$89,4803,220
Florida$88,8206,760
South Dakota$88,610250
South Carolina$88,0802,170
Iowa$87,8301,310
Vermont$87,210170
Pennsylvania$87,0504,890
Idaho$86,920730
North Carolina$86,6504,670
West Virginia$86,5601,020
Kansas$86,3001,350
Georgia$85,4503,220
Wisconsin$84,7502,250
New Mexico$84,510840
Mississippi$84,4901,140
Michigan$84,0803,350
Nebraska$83,990630
Kentucky$83,7302,480
Indiana$83,4703,870
Missouri$83,0902,660
Alabama$82,2602,510
Montana$81,330720
Tennessee$81,1902,690
Delaware$81,120600
Oklahoma$79,8901,690
Texas$79,66017,920
Arkansas$73,130850
Guam$68,030100
Puerto Rico$45,6301,430

Best-paying metro areas for occupational health and safety specialists

Metro areaMedian salaryWorkers
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$128,980830
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$126,8602,550
Kennewick-Richland, WA$125,970290
Niles, MI$113,68070
Lawrence, KS$109,74040
Napa, CA$109,56040
Vallejo, CA$109,550170
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$109,5001,820
Pueblo, CO$109,39060
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$109,1701,920
Manchester-Nashua, NH$109,130170
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT$107,910200
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA$107,220270
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA$106,43070
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$105,9602,720

Metro areas with the most occupational health and safety specialists

Metro areaWorkersMedian salary
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ6,020$96,320
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX5,650$82,910
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA5,550$102,610
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX3,660$81,000
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH2,720$105,960
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA2,550$126,860
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ2,340$89,480
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN2,250$101,630
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD2,210$88,090
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV1,920$109,170
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO1,870$102,120
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA1,820$109,500
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA1,710$91,620
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI1,560$99,170
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL1,520$93,060

Related jobs in the U.S.

JobMedian salaryHourly
Occupational Health and Safety Technicians$61,560$29.59
Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$103,410$49.72
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$82,220$39.53
Chemist$91,240$43.87
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists$100,580$48.36
Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other$62,280$29.94
Biological Technician$57,510$27.65
School Psychologist$95,990$46.15
Chemical Technician$60,390$29.03
Biological Scientists, All Other$98,920$47.56
Urban and Regional Planners$89,320$42.94
Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other$101,110$48.61
Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health$55,090$26.49
Biochemists and Biophysicists$127,410$61.26

More: Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 19-5011. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a occupational health and safety specialists make in the U.S.?

The median salary for occupational health and safety specialists in the U.S. is $90,150 a year, or $43.34 an hour. Pay ranges from $55,000 for the lowest-paid 10% to $134,950 for the top 10%.

How much do the highest-paid occupational health and safety specialists make in the U.S.?

The top 10% of occupational health and safety specialists in the U.S. earn at least $134,950 a year. The top 25% earn $111,690 or more.

What is the starting pay for occupational health and safety specialists in the U.S.?

Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $55,000 a year, and a quarter of occupational health and safety specialists earn $69,560 or less.

How many occupational health and safety specialists work in the U.S.?

About 140,610 occupational health and safety specialists are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.