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Careersβ€ΊRolesβ€ΊSafety and Occupational Health Specialist
Mid-Level

Safety and Occupational Health Specialist

Safety and Occupational Health Specialists identify, assess, and control workplace hazards β€” investigating incidents, building programs, training employees, ensuring OSHA compliance, monitoring exposures. The work tends to mix technical assessment, regulation, and steady cultural influence on how an organization treats safety.

Career Level
Junior
Mid
Senior
Director
VP
Executive
Work Personality
I
C
R
S
E
A
Investigativeanalytical, curious
Conventionalorganizing, detail-oriented
Based on Holland Code framework
Industries that often hire Safety and Occupational Health Specialists
Manufacturing Β· 18%Government Β· 17%Construction Β· 16%Professional Services Β· 11%Transportation & Logistics Β· 8%Administrative Services Β· 5%
Job markets for Safety and Occupational Health Specialists
Where Safety and Occupational Health Specialist jobs concentrate Β· ~353 metro areas
Based on employment in related occupations
Mapped SOC categories:
Science
BLS Occupational Employment Statistics
Jump to:What it's likeCareer pathsBy the numbers
What it's like

What it's like to be a Safety and Occupational Health Specialist

Most days mix walks, training, investigation, and program work β€” auditing job sites, conducting industrial hygiene sampling, investigating incidents and near-misses, delivering training, updating SDS and JSAs, and working with operations leaders on corrective actions. You're often working in manufacturing, construction, healthcare, oil and gas, or government, and the industry hazard profile shapes the technical depth required.

What tends to be harder than people expect is the cultural and political dimension of the work. Saying no to production pressure takes credibility, and buy-in from line leaders is what makes safety programs work or fail. OSHA inspections, recordable injury trends, and workers' comp create regulatory and financial pressure. CSP, CIH, and ASP credentials mark advancement.

People who tend to thrive here are observant, comfortable with both science and operations, willing to push back without making enemies, and quietly committed to people going home in one piece. If you want pure research or pure compliance, this lives in implementation. If you like work where doing it well means people don't get hurt, the role offers durable demand and meaningful daily impact.

What people in this role value
SupportAbove avg
Working ConditionsAbove avg
AchievementAbove avg
IndependenceAbove avg
RecognitionModerate
RelationshipsModerate
O*NET Work Values survey
✦ Editorial β€” written by Truest from industry research and career patterns
Career Paths

Where this role sits in the broader career landscape β€” and where it can take you.

Earning potential across this track
$239K$179K$119K$60K$0KLower paying387 metro areas, sorted by salary level
All experience levels1
This level's estimated range
INDUSTRIES PAYING ABOVE AVERAGE
Professional Services$92K+15%
Technology & Information$91K+13%
Energy & Utilities$82K+2%
Financial Services$81K+2%
Wholesale & Distribution$79K-1%
Compared to Science average across all industries
1 BLS OEWS May 2024 covers all Safety and Occupational Health Specialists (SOC 19-5011.00), not just this title Β· BEA RPP 2023
* Top salaries exceed this figure. BLS caps reported wages at ~$240K to protect individual privacy in high-earning roles.
Related rolesExplore Science β†’
Safety and Occupational Health SpecialistSafety ConsultantEnvironmental Health and Safety Specialist (EHS Specialist)Safety EngineerHealth and Safety SpecialistSafety RepresentativeHealth and Safety EngineerExtra Vehicular Activity Safety Engineer (EVA Engineer)Hazardous Waste Management SpecialistHealth InspectorSanitation InspectorMortician InvestigatorIndustrial Waste InspectorSafety InspectorRisk AnalystRisk Control ConsultantSafety OfficerIndustrial HygienistCertified Indoor EnvironmentalistIndustrial Hygiene ConsultantSite Safety and Health OfficerEnvironmental Health TechnologistWater InspectorCause AnalystHealth Sanitarian+1 more
Exploring the Safety and Occupational Health Specialist career path? Truest helps you figure out if it's the right fit β€” and plan your path forward.
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✦ Editorial β€” career progression and interview guidance based on industry patterns
The Broader Landscape

Roles like this one sit within a broader occupational category. The numbers below reflect that full landscape β€” helpful for context, but your specific experience will depend on level, specialty, and where you work.

$51K–$130K
Salary Range
10th – 90th percentile
128K
U.S. Employment
+12.5%
10yr Growth
15K
Annual Openings

How Safety and Occupational Health Specialist pay & employment are changing

$77K$74K$71K$68K$65K201920202021202220232024$65K$77K
BLS OEWS May 2024 Β· BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034

Skills & Requirements

WritingActive ListeningReading ComprehensionSpeakingSocial PerceptivenessSystems EvaluationSystems AnalysisJudgment and Decision MakingCritical ThinkingComplex Problem Solving
O*NET OnLine Β· Bureau of Labor Statistics
Mapped SOC Codes
19-5011.00

Explore related roles

Roles with similar work and overlapping career paths

midSafety Consultant$97KmidEnvironmental Health and Safety Specialist (EHS Specialist)$95KmidSafety Engineer$99KmidHealth and Safety Specialist$80KmidSafety Representative$105KmidHealth and Safety Engineer$110K
View all Science roles β†’

Common questions about what it's like to be a Safety and Occupational Health Specialist

What does a Safety and Occupational Health Specialist do?

Safety and Occupational Health Specialists identify, assess, and control workplace hazards β€” investigating incidents, building programs, training employees, ensuring OSHA compliance, monitoring exposures. The work tends to mix technical assessment, regulation, and steady cultural influence on how an organization treats safety.

How much does a Safety and Occupational Health Specialist make?

Median pay for a Safety and Occupational Health Specialist is about $84K nationally, with the field ranging roughly from $51K to $130K depending on experience, employer, and metro (BLS).

What skills does a Safety and Occupational Health Specialist need?

Core skills for this role include Writing, Active Listening, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, and Social Perceptiveness.

What education do you need to be a Safety and Occupational Health Specialist?

Most people in this role hold a bachelor's degree.

Is a Safety and Occupational Health Specialist in demand?

Employment in this field is projected to grow about 12.5% through 2034, with roughly 128,430 people working in it today (BLS).

What jobs are similar to a Safety and Occupational Health Specialist?

Closely related roles include Safety Consultant, Environmental Health and Safety Specialist (EHS Specialist), and Safety Engineer.

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Federal data: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (May 2024) Β· BLS Employment Projections Β· O*NET OnLine
Truest editorial: Fit check, role profile, things that vary, advancement analysis, lateral moves, interview questions.