Occupational Health and Safety Specialist
Salary, job outlook, education and requirements
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.
Also called: Chemical Hygiene Officer · EHS Officer (Environmental Health and Safety Officer) · Health and Safety Analyst · Industrial Hygiene Consultant · Industrial Hygienist · Industrial Hygienist Consultant · OHS Consultant (Occupational Health and Safety Consultant) · Risk Control Consultant
O*NET-SOC 19-5011.00 (Occupational Health and Safety Specialists)
Occupational Health and Safety Specialist salary
Wages for occupational health and safety specialists across all employers, 2025 data. The 10th percentile is typical entry-level pay; the 90th percentile reflects the most experienced and highest-paid workers.
National median hourly wage: $43.34.
Occupational Health and Safety Specialist pay by state
Ten largest states by population, annual wages.
| State | 10th percentile | Median | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $59,760 | $102,840 | $161,300 |
| Texas | $46,380 | $79,660 | $126,500 |
| Florida | $49,050 | $88,820 | $133,120 |
| New York | $60,320 | $95,720 | $144,100 |
| Pennsylvania | $60,270 | $87,050 | $132,250 |
| Illinois | $61,160 | $98,270 | $137,000 |
| Ohio | $57,430 | $91,460 | $136,390 |
| Georgia | $51,670 | $85,450 | $132,420 |
| North Carolina | $59,550 | $86,650 | $129,710 |
| Michigan | $55,610 | $84,080 | $125,350 |
Occupational Health and Safety Specialist job outlook
- Employment is projected to go from 143,100 jobs in 2025 to 169,600 in 2035 (19% change).
- About 17,100 openings are projected each year, including jobs that open up as workers retire or change occupations.
- CareerOneStop outlook rating: Bright (Rapid Growth).
How to become an occupational health and safety specialist
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- No work experience
- On-the-job training
- No on-the-job training
Education level of current workers
- Less than high school diploma2.6%
- High school diploma or equivalent16.3%
- Some college, no degree17.5%
- Associate's degree12%
- Bachelor's degree33.1%
- Master's degree16%
- Doctoral or professional degree2.4%
Related training programs
- Environmental Health
- Environmental Toxicology
- Industrial Safety Technology/Technician
- Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene
- Occupational Safety and Health Technology/Technician
- Patient Safety and Healthcare Quality
What does an occupational health and safety specialist do?
Common tasks
- Recommend measures to help protect workers from potentially hazardous work methods, processes, or materials.
- Order suspension of activities that pose threats to workers' health or safety.
- Develop or maintain hygiene programs, such as noise surveys, continuous atmosphere monitoring, ventilation surveys, or asbestos management plans.
- 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.
- Collaborate with engineers or physicians to institute control or remedial measures for hazardous or potentially hazardous conditions or equipment.
- Collect samples of dust, gases, vapors, or other potentially toxic materials for analysis.
- 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.
Most important skills
- Speaking
- Talking to others.
- Active Listening
- Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
- Writing
- Writing things for co-workers or customers.
- Reading Comprehension
- Reading work-related information.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
- Systems Evaluation
- Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
- Systems Analysis
- Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.
Occupational Health and Safety Specialist certifications
8 of 49 certifications CareerOneStop maps to this occupation. Requirements vary by employer and state.
- Construction Education Foundation · Core
- Mid Atlantic OSHA Training Institute Education Center · Core
- Mid Atlantic OSHA Training Institute Education Center · Core
- Keene State College OSHA Education Center · Core
- Mid Atlantic OSHA Training Institute Education Center · Core
- Mid-America OSHA Education Center · Core
- Construction Education Foundation · Core
- Board of Certified Safety Professionals · Core
See all 49certifications in CareerOneStop's Certification Finder
Occupational Health and Safety Specialist jobs
Current federal openings from USAJOBS. For more emergency management & safety jobs, including private-sector listings, see the Emergency Management & Safety jobs hub.
Job data from USAJOBS.gov. Careers.org is not affiliated with or endorsed by OPM.
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- Occupational Health and Safety Technicians
- Environmental Compliance Inspectors
- Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health
- Construction and Building Inspectors
- Environmental Scientist
- Environmental Engineer
- Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians
- Security Management Specialists
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More emergency management & safety careers
This page includes information from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (DOLETA), and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).
Source: CareerOneStop occupation profile for Occupational Health and Safety Specialists. Wages are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program; projections are national long-term projections.