Occupational Health and Safety Specialists: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)
Life, Physical, and Social Science · SOC 19-5011 · O*NET 19-5011.00
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.
Occupational Health and Safety Specialists fall under the Life, Physical, and Social Science category in the U.S. occupational classification. Occupational Health and Safety Specialists earn a median salary of $83,910 per year, ranking in the top 21% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects +12.5% job growth through 2034, projected to grow faster than the US average. Entry into this field typically requires a bachelor's degree, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.
What do occupational health and safety specialists earn?
The median annual wage for occupational health and safety specialists is $83,910. That puts occupational health and safety specialists at #171 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. This salary is above the U.S. median for individual workers and reflects a stable, credentialed occupation. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.
| 10th percentile (entry-level) | $50,610 |
| 25th percentile | $64,410 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $83,910 |
| 75th percentile | $105,390 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $130,460 |
| Median hourly wage | $40.34/hr |
Is occupational health and safety specialists a growing career?
The 10-year outlook for occupational health and safety specialists is +12.5%, projected to grow faster than the US average. Employment is projected to move from approximately 131K positions in 2024 to 148K in 2034, a net change of 17K. Faster-than-average growth means hiring is consistently outpacing the labor market overall. New entrants generally find their first roles faster than peers in stable fields.
What do occupational health and safety specialists do every day?
According to O*NET task surveys of working occupational health and safety specialists, these are the core responsibilities most professionals perform. This is what your teen would actually be doing in this role.
- 1.Conduct safety training or education programs and demonstrate the use of safety equipment.
- 2.Investigate accidents to identify causes or to determine how such accidents might be prevented in the future.
- 3.Inspect or evaluate workplace environments, equipment, or practices to ensure compliance with safety standards and government regulations.
- 4.Collect samples of dust, gases, vapors, or other potentially toxic materials for analysis.
- 5.Collaborate with engineers or physicians to institute control or remedial measures for hazardous or potentially hazardous conditions or equipment.
- 6.Maintain or update emergency response plans or procedures.
- 7.Develop or maintain hygiene programs, such as noise surveys, continuous atmosphere monitoring, ventilation surveys, or asbestos management plans.
- 8.Order suspension of activities that pose threats to workers' health or safety.
Top skills for occupational health and safety specialists
O*NET ranks these as the most important skills for this occupation, on a 1–5 importance scale derived from worker surveys.
What education does my child need to become occupational health and safety specialist?
The standard path into occupational health and safety specialists begins with a bachelor's degree in a related field, followed by entry-level experience or internships during college. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.
Based on O*NET surveys of incumbents — what people in this job actually have, not what employers list as required.
Related careers your child might also consider
How parents help teens explore careers like this
Solyo helps parents map a teen's interests to specific careers, then back to the colleges and majors that lead there. Salary, outlook, and education data come from BLS and O*NET — the same sources high school counselors use — but presented for the parent's planning lens, not the student's exploration view.
Common questions parents ask about occupational health and safety specialists
What is the median salary for occupational health and safety specialists?
The median annual salary for occupational health and safety specialists is $83,910 according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Is occupational health and safety specialists a growing career?
BLS projects +12.5% growth for occupational health and safety specialists from 2024 through 2034, which is fast growth projected to grow faster than the US average.
What education does my child need to become occupational health and safety specialist?
The typical entry path requires a bachelor's degree, plus any state licensure or certification specific to the role. Programs that align well with this career can be filtered inside Solyo's college search.
What careers are similar to occupational health and safety specialists?
Related occupations within the Life, Physical, and Social Science category share education paths and skill profiles, so they're a useful starting set when a teen is uncertain. The "Related careers" section below lists nearby options.
Salary data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics program. Skills, tasks, and education distribution from the O*NET database. Job outlook from the BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 release.