Occupational Health and Safety Specialists Career, Salary and Skills
Occupational Health and Safety Specialists have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $90,150 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 140,610. Wage data is published for 421 locations.
Occupation description
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.
O*NET code
19-5011.00
Job zone
4
Typical education
Bachelor's Degree
Experience
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$90,150
Hourly median
$43.34
Employment
140,610
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Speaking | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Writing | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Active Listening | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Reading Comprehension | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.75 | 3.62 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.75 | 4.00 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.75 | 3.75 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.75 | 3.75 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.75 | 3.62 |
| Systems Evaluation | 3.75 | 3.75 |
Typical tasks
- 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.
- Recommend measures to help protect workers from potentially hazardous work methods, processes, or materials.
Technology
- Curtis Management Resources Training Management System
- Database software
- EcoLogic ADAM Indoor Air Quality and Analytical Data Management
- ESS Compliance Suite
- ImageWave MSDSFinder
- Mannus Compliance: EHS
- Medgate Enterprise EHS
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Active Server Pages ASP
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Project
Occupational Health and Safety Specialists salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Occupational Health and Safety Specialists Salary in TXMedian $79,660 · Employment 17,920
- Occupational Health and Safety Specialists Salary in CAMedian $102,840 · Employment 16,230
- Occupational Health and Safety Specialists Salary in NYMedian $95,720 · Employment 6,840
- Occupational Health and Safety Specialists Salary in OHMedian $91,460 · Employment 6,820
- Occupational Health and Safety Specialists Salary in FLMedian $88,820 · Employment 6,760
- Occupational Health and Safety Specialists Salary in New York, NYMedian $96,320 · Employment 6,020
- Occupational Health and Safety Specialists Salary in Houston, TXMedian $82,910 · Employment 5,650
- Occupational Health and Safety Specialists Salary in Los Angeles, CAMedian $102,610 · Employment 5,550
- Occupational Health and Safety Specialists Salary in PAMedian $87,050 · Employment 4,890
- Occupational Health and Safety Specialists Salary in NCMedian $86,650 · Employment 4,670
- Occupational Health and Safety Specialists Salary in VAMedian $90,800 · Employment 3,910
- Occupational Health and Safety Specialists Salary in INMedian $83,470 · Employment 3,870
Related careers
- First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersNational median $93,530
- Fire Inspectors and InvestigatorsNational median $75,920
- Hazardous Materials Removal WorkersNational median $49,450
- Fire-Prevention and Protection EngineersNational median $115,160
- Nuclear Monitoring TechniciansNational median $110,240
- Transportation Vehicle, Equipment and Systems Inspectors, Except AviationNational median $92,100
- Government Property Inspectors and InvestigatorsNational median $80,730
- Aviation InspectorsNational median $92,100
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.