# Occupational Health and Safety Specialists

> 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.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/occupational-health-and-safety-specialists
- SOC code: 19-5011.00
- Career family: Science
- Median annual pay: $90,150 (10th percentile $55,000, 90th percentile $134,950)
- Projected growth: Much faster than average, +18.5%
- Openings a year: 17,100
- Typical entry education: Bachelor's degree
- Bright outlook: yes
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code ICR)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 58 |
| Investigative (I) | 66 |
| Artistic (A) | 5 |
| Social (S) | 41 |
| Enterprising (E) | 37 |
| Conventional (C) | 62 |

## What you'd do

- Getting Information (importance 89/100)
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards (importance 87/100)
- Documenting/Recording Information (importance 86/100)
- Analyzing Data or Information (importance 85/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 85/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 83/100)
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events (importance 83/100)
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings (importance 83/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 81/100)
- Training and Teaching Others (importance 81/100)

## Skills

Active Listening, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Writing, Complex Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, Judgment and Decision Making, Social Perceptiveness, Systems Analysis, Systems Evaluation

## Knowledge

English Language, Chemistry, Education and Training, Mathematics, Customer and Personal Service, Engineering and Technology, Biology, Law and Government, Public Safety and Security, Administration and Management

## Also called

Analysis Safety Inspector, Cause Analyst, Certified Indoor Environmentalist, Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), Chemical Hygiene Officer, Construction Safety Manager, Consumer Safety Inspector, Dining Service Inspector, EHS Officer (Environmental Health and Safety Officer), EHS Specialist (Environmental Health and Safety Specialist)

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Public Health](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5122) (CIP 5122, 836 colleges)
- [Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1507) (CIP 1507, 169 colleges)
- [Pharmacology and Toxicology](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/2610) (CIP 2610, 109 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [University of California-Santa Barbara UCSB](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-california-santa-barbara-ucsb-2888) | Pharmacology and Toxicology | $42,364 | $98,462 | $11,000 |
| [Central Washington University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/central-washington-university-477) | Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians | $86,594 | $97,869 | $19,000 |
| [Utah State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/utah-state-university-3102) | Public Health | $77,239 | $93,161 | not reported |
| [Eastern Kentucky University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/eastern-kentucky-university-866) | Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians | $75,355 | $92,289 | $24,628 |
| [Jacksonville State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/jacksonville-state-university-1321) | Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians | $72,830 | $90,850 | $19,375 |
| [Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/indiana-university-of-pennsylvania-main-campus-1276) | Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians | $78,548 | $90,257 | $26,500 |
| [University of Southern California USC](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-southern-california-usc-3050) | Public Health | not reported | $89,522 | $17,279 |
| [Keene State College-New Hampshire](https://www.collegesref.com/college/keene-state-college-new-hampshire-1371) | Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians | $69,475 | $87,710 | $26,000 |

## Related careers

- [Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/health-and-safety-engineers-except-mining-safety-engineers-and-inspectors): $115,160 median pay
- [Occupational Health and Safety Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/occupational-health-and-safety-technicians): $61,560 median pay
- [Environmental Compliance Inspectors](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/environmental-compliance-inspectors): $80,730 median pay
- [Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/environmental-science-and-protection-technicians-including-health): $55,090 median pay
- [Construction and Building Inspectors](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/construction-and-building-inspectors): $74,690 median pay
- [Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/environmental-scientists-and-specialists-including-health): $82,220 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.