Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$55,000
- 25th Percentile — Junior$69,560
- 50th Percentile — Median$90,150
- 75th Percentile — Senior$111,690
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$134,950
The top 10% of Occupational Health Safety Specialists earn $134,950 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $55,000, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $115,070 | +22.6% |
| Washington | $106,620 | +13.6% |
| Massachusetts | $106,540 | +13.5% |
| California | $106,470 | +13.4% |
| Rhode Island | $105,940 | +12.9% |
| Colorado | $105,830 | +12.8% |
| New Hampshire | $104,610 | +11.5% |
| Alaska | $102,330 | +9.0% |
| Connecticut | $101,630 | +8.3% |
| Illinois | $99,170 | +5.7% |
| New York | $98,740 | +5.2% |
| Minnesota | $97,640 | +4.0% |
| North Dakota | $97,050 | +3.4% |
| Ohio | $96,350 | +2.7% |
| Maryland | $95,580 | +1.8% |
| Wyoming | $95,520 | +1.8% |
| Virginia | $95,070 | +1.3% |
| Nevada | $94,920 | +1.1% |
| Oregon | $94,130 | +0.3% |
| Idaho | $93,840 | +0.0% |
| Hawaii | $93,740 | -0.1% |
| South Carolina | $93,740 | -0.1% |
| Pennsylvania | $93,480 | -0.4% |
| Louisiana | $93,390 | -0.5% |
| Vermont | $93,260 | -0.6% |
| Maine | $92,890 | -1.0% |
| New Jersey | $92,160 | -1.8% |
| Arizona | $91,810 | -2.2% |
| North Carolina | $91,730 | -2.3% |
| Kansas | $91,640 | -2.4% |
| Utah | $90,870 | -3.2% |
| Florida | $90,680 | -3.4% |
| Georgia | $90,390 | -3.7% |
| Iowa | $90,390 | -3.7% |
| Wisconsin | $90,210 | -3.9% |
| Delaware | $89,400 | -4.8% |
| New Mexico | $88,980 | -5.2% |
| Missouri | $88,140 | -6.1% |
| Indiana | $87,930 | -6.3% |
| South Dakota | $87,900 | -6.3% |
| Kentucky | $87,530 | -6.7% |
| Michigan | $87,530 | -6.7% |
| Mississippi | $86,760 | -7.6% |
| Alabama | $86,060 | -8.3% |
| West Virginia | $85,180 | -9.2% |
| Nebraska | $85,160 | -9.3% |
| Montana | $85,070 | -9.4% |
| Texas | $84,410 | -10.1% |
| Oklahoma | $82,560 | -12.0% |
| Tennessee | $82,020 | -12.6% |
| Arkansas | $77,580 | -17.3% |
What Factors Affect Occupational Health Safety Specialists Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Occupational Health Safety Specialists is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: District of Columbia pays an average of $115,070, while Arkansas pays $77,580 — a gap of $37,490 per year.
The middle half of Occupational Health Safety Specialists earn between $69,560 and $111,690 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $55,000, while the top 10% earn more than $134,950.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Occupational Health Safety Specialists?
The average salary for Occupational Health Safety Specialists in the United States is $93,860 per year, with a median of $90,150.
What is the starting salary for Occupational Health Safety Specialists?
Entry-level Occupational Health Safety Specialists typically earn between $55,000 and $69,560 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Occupational Health Safety Specialists the most?
District of Columbia pays Occupational Health Safety Specialists the most at $115,070 per year on average, followed by Washington ($106,620) and Massachusetts ($106,540).
How much do Occupational Health Safety Specialists make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $93,860, Occupational Health Safety Specialists earn approximately $45.12 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Occupational Health Safety Specialists a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 140,610 Occupational Health Safety Specialists jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $93,860 and a median of $90,150 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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