SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Collect data on work environments for analysis by occupational health and safety specialists. Implement and conduct evaluation of programs designed to limit chemical, physical, biological, and ergonomic risks to workers.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 19-5012.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $46,280 | $3,857 | $890 | $22.25 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $52,470 | $4,372 | $1,009 | $25.22 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $61,560 | $5,130 | $1,184 | $29.59 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $78,850 | $6,571 | $1,516 | $37.91 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $100,160 | $8,347 | $1,926 | $48.15 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Occupational Health and Safety Technicians is $61,560, which is 21% higher. Among the 48 occupations of the field Life, Physical, and Social Science, it ranks number 41 by median pay. With 30,590 jobs, it makes up about 2.0 of every 10,000 jobs in the country. The average ($68,120) is well above the median, a sign that a smaller group of high earners pulls the average up.
Occupational Health and Safety Technicians pay by state
The highest median pay was in Washington ($104,910), Rhode Island ($84,640) and West Virginia ($81,470). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($35,890), Guam ($39,710) and Montana ($41,420). The most jobs were in Texas (4,420), California (2,650) and Illinois (1,790). The occupation is most concentrated in Guam, where its share of all jobs is 10.5 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 570 | $104,910 | $93,120 | $50.44 |
| Rhode Island | 60 | $84,640 | $88,900 | $40.69 |
| West Virginia | 320 | $81,470 | $79,150 | $39.17 |
| Alaska | 140 | $80,760 | $83,340 | $38.83 |
| New Mexico | 790 | $79,490 | $87,870 | $38.21 |
| Minnesota | 270 | $74,400 | $72,830 | $35.77 |
| Colorado | 400 | $73,110 | $75,080 | $35.15 |
| New York | 1,410 | $69,640 | $70,000 | $33.48 |
| Massachusetts | 290 | $68,730 | $73,150 | $33.04 |
| Connecticut | 130 | $68,310 | $79,780 | $32.84 |
| Wyoming | 80 | $68,250 | $65,740 | $32.81 |
| Michigan | 450 | $67,310 | $75,720 | $32.36 |
| New Jersey | 270 | $66,930 | $72,070 | $32.18 |
| Illinois | 1,790 | $65,960 | $74,570 | $31.71 |
| Arizona | 440 | $65,480 | $67,860 | $31.48 |
| Ohio | 1,310 | $65,000 | $69,210 | $31.25 |
| Oregon | 230 | $65,000 | $71,240 | $31.25 |
| Maryland | 280 | $64,670 | $71,130 | $31.09 |
| Missouri | 270 | $64,490 | $72,160 | $31.01 |
| Wisconsin | 640 | $64,440 | $69,420 | $30.98 |
| Maine | 140 | $64,240 | $69,060 | $30.88 |
| Georgia | 1,210 | $63,290 | $70,580 | $30.43 |
| New Hampshire | 50 | $62,630 | $66,060 | $30.11 |
| Virginia | 840 | $62,380 | $67,650 | $29.99 |
| Delaware | 150 | $62,310 | $69,660 | $29.96 |
| Vermont | 80 | $61,960 | $65,480 | $29.79 |
| Nevada | 440 | $61,770 | $71,640 | $29.70 |
| North Carolina | 720 | $61,760 | $66,040 | $29.69 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,020 | $61,640 | $64,210 | $29.64 |
| California | 2,650 | $61,360 | $71,450 | $29.50 |
| Mississippi | 360 | $61,230 | $65,350 | $29.44 |
| Kentucky | 650 | $61,120 | $68,730 | $29.38 |
| Idaho | 240 | $60,670 | $70,420 | $29.17 |
| Indiana | 1,660 | $60,150 | $62,240 | $28.92 |
| Kansas | 480 | $59,740 | $62,450 | $28.72 |
| Nebraska | 200 | $59,180 | $67,760 | $28.45 |
| Florida | 1,000 | $59,140 | $62,410 | $28.43 |
| South Carolina | 420 | $58,490 | $63,720 | $28.12 |
| Iowa | 290 | $58,300 | $61,680 | $28.03 |
| Texas | 4,420 | $57,980 | $62,270 | $27.87 |
| Louisiana | 780 | $57,930 | $63,570 | $27.85 |
| Utah | 280 | $57,340 | $61,980 | $27.57 |
| Oklahoma | 370 | $56,470 | $56,400 | $27.15 |
| North Dakota | 150 | $56,000 | $60,530 | $26.93 |
| Tennessee | 310 | $55,090 | $58,560 | $26.49 |
| Alabama | 880 | $55,010 | $62,430 | $26.45 |
| Arkansas | 510 | $50,840 | $55,430 | $24.44 |
| Montana | 60 | $41,420 | $53,200 | $19.91 |
| Guam | 140 | $39,710 | $44,970 | $19.09 |
| Puerto Rico | not published | $35,890 | $37,230 | $17.25 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Hydrologic Technicians$64,790 a year
- Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other$62,280 a year
- Social Science Research Assistants$61,990 a year
- Chemical Technicians$60,390 a year
- Biological Technicians$57,510 a year
- Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health$55,090 a year
Common questions
How much do Occupational Health and Safety Technicians earn in the United States?
The median pay was $61,560 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $46,280 and the highest-paid 10% more than $100,160.
How many people work as Occupational Health and Safety Technicians?
About 30,590 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.