Occupational Health and Safety Technicians
Occupational Health and Safety Technicians (SOC 19-5012) earn a median $61,560 a year ($29.59 an hour) in the United States, with 30,590 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Washington.
What occupational health and safety technicians do
Occupational health and safety technicians collect data on work environments so that occupational health and safety specialists can analyze it, and they carry out the evaluation of programs that limit chemical, physical, biological, and ergonomic risks to workers. Typical tasks include testing workplaces for environmental hazards, such as exposure to radiation, chemicals, or biological agents, supplying, operating, and maintaining personal protective equipment, and training workers in safety procedures such as the use of fall protection. They may also evaluate situations in which a worker has refused to work on the grounds of imminent danger. They keep records of readings and inspections and report findings to the specialist or manager. The occupation differs from occupational health and safety specialists, who design programs and make recommendations, from health and safety engineers, who apply engineering to hazard control, and from government inspectors who enforce regulations. They also inspect fire suppression and portable fire systems, verify that safety equipment such as hearing protection or respirators is available and in use, and maintain required environmental records.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported education level is a bachelor's degree.
Also called: Construction Safety Consultant, Advisory Industrial Hygienist, Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), Construction Health and Safety Technician (CHST), Consumer Safety Technician (Consumer Safety Tech).
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $22.25 | $25.22 | $29.59 | $37.91 | $48.15 | $32.75 | 30,590 |
| Annual | $46,280 | $52,470 | $61,560 | $78,850 | $100,160 | $68,120 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where occupational health and safety technicians earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Washington | Hourly | $27.89 | $33.85 | $50.44 | $53.33 | $57.66 | $44.77 | 570 | 0.16 | 0.81 |
| Annual | $58,010 | $70,400 | $104,910 | $110,930 | $119,920 | $93,120 | ||||
| Rhode Island | Hourly | $25.22 | $31.65 | $40.69 | $51.10 | $63.12 | $42.74 | 60 | 0.11 | 0.57 |
| Annual | $52,470 | $65,840 | $84,640 | $106,290 | $131,280 | $88,900 | ||||
| West Virginia | Hourly | $28.87 | $31.63 | $39.17 | $43.60 | $43.84 | $38.05 | 320 | 0.46 | 2.32 |
| Annual | $60,040 | $65,790 | $81,470 | $90,690 | $91,190 | $79,150 | ||||
| Alaska | Hourly | $21.25 | $27.00 | $38.83 | $51.95 | $65.11 | $40.07 | 140 | 0.42 | 2.15 |
| Annual | $44,210 | $56,150 | $80,760 | $108,060 | $135,420 | $83,340 | ||||
| New Mexico | Hourly | $22.84 | $29.11 | $38.21 | $57.98 | $65.00 | $42.25 | 790 | 0.91 | 4.62 |
| Annual | $47,510 | $60,550 | $79,490 | $120,610 | $135,200 | $87,870 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Texas | Hourly | $21.18 | $23.84 | $27.87 | $33.80 | $42.20 | $29.94 | 4,420 | 0.31 | 1.60 |
| Annual | $44,060 | $49,580 | $57,980 | $70,300 | $87,770 | $62,270 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $21.24 | $26.40 | $29.50 | $39.94 | $50.94 | $34.35 | 2,650 | 0.15 | 0.74 |
| Annual | $44,170 | $54,920 | $61,360 | $83,080 | $105,950 | $71,450 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $24.43 | $28.48 | $31.71 | $42.73 | $51.19 | $35.85 | 1,790 | 0.29 | 1.49 |
| Annual | $50,810 | $59,240 | $65,960 | $88,870 | $106,480 | $74,570 | ||||
| Indiana | Hourly | $22.54 | $25.18 | $28.92 | $30.14 | $39.76 | $29.92 | 1,660 | 0.52 | 2.64 |
| Annual | $46,880 | $52,380 | $60,150 | $62,690 | $82,690 | $62,240 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $23.41 | $27.70 | $33.48 | $37.83 | $45.14 | $33.66 | 1,410 | 0.15 | 0.74 |
| Annual | $48,690 | $57,610 | $69,640 | $78,680 | $93,890 | $70,000 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | Hourly | $31.41 | $35.93 | $49.35 | $50.22 | $50.22 | $45.41 | 40 | 0.06 | 0.31 |
| Annual | $65,320 | $74,740 | $102,640 | $104,460 | $104,460 | $94,460 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $29.93 | $35.39 | $44.11 | $48.16 | $61.71 | $45.69 | 130 | 0.11 | 0.56 |
| Annual | $62,250 | $73,620 | $91,750 | $100,180 | $128,350 | $95,030 | ||||
| Anchorage, AK | Hourly | $25.00 | $30.72 | $43.27 | $47.87 | $55.36 | $42.24 | 60 | 0.32 | 1.60 |
| Annual | $51,990 | $63,900 | $90,000 | $99,570 | $115,140 | $87,860 | ||||
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | Hourly | $25.76 | $31.11 | $42.24 | $48.15 | $48.15 | $39.62 | 140 | 0.47 | 2.39 |
| Annual | $53,580 | $64,700 | $87,870 | $100,160 | $100,160 | $82,400 | ||||
| Omaha, NE-IA | Hourly | $26.49 | $31.44 | $42.15 | $56.36 | $59.05 | $42.70 | 70 | 0.14 | 0.71 |
| Annual | $55,090 | $65,390 | $87,670 | $117,220 | $122,820 | $88,810 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $19.39 | $24.04 | $28.94 | $36.72 | $50.80 | $32.01 | 1,540 | 0.47 | 2.37 |
| Annual | $40,330 | $50,000 | $60,200 | $76,380 | $105,660 | $66,580 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $22.68 | $24.52 | $28.00 | $29.17 | $37.95 | $28.93 | 1,350 | 0.33 | 1.69 |
| Annual | $47,160 | $51,000 | $58,230 | $60,670 | $78,940 | $60,180 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $24.15 | $28.47 | $30.13 | $41.98 | $52.18 | $35.59 | 1,310 | 0.29 | 1.47 |
| Annual | $50,240 | $59,230 | $62,670 | $87,320 | $108,540 | $74,020 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $25.38 | $29.86 | $37.09 | $38.59 | $47.38 | $35.56 | 1,090 | 0.11 | 0.58 |
| Annual | $52,790 | $62,100 | $77,150 | $80,270 | $98,550 | $73,970 | ||||
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | Hourly | $23.50 | $25.75 | $29.06 | $29.40 | $36.33 | $29.12 | 830 | 0.75 | 3.82 |
| Annual | $48,890 | $53,570 | $60,440 | $61,160 | $75,570 | $60,580 | ||||
Top industries employing occupational health and safety technicians
Warehousing and Storage employ 27.3% of occupational health and safety technicians nationally (8,350 jobs) at a median $59,490 a year ($28.60 an hour), followed by Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (7.0%) and Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (4.7%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warehousing and Storage NAICS 493100 | 8,350 | 27.3% | $59,490 | $28.60 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services NAICS 541600 | 2,140 | 7.0% | $52,310 | $25.15 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 1,440 | 4.7% | $70,720 | $34.00 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises NAICS 551100 | 910 | 3.0% | $64,630 | $31.07 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals NAICS 622100 | 790 | 2.6% | $64,830 | $31.17 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (30,590). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $51,120 for occupational health and safety technicians in May 2021 and $61,560 in May 2025, with employment of 21,750 and 30,590.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $51,120 | $24.58 | 21,750 |
| May 2022 | $57,970 | $27.87 | 23,670 |
| May 2023 | $57,920 | $27.85 | 27,270 |
| May 2024 | $58,440 | $28.10 | 31,450 |
| May 2025 | $61,560 | $29.59 | 30,590 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
48 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington profile | $50.44 | $104,910 | $58,010 | $119,920 | 570 | 0.16 | 0.81 |
| 2 | Rhode Island profile | $40.69 | $84,640 | $52,470 | $131,280 | 60 | 0.11 | 0.57 |
| 3 | West Virginia profile | $39.17 | $81,470 | $60,040 | $91,190 | 320 | 0.46 | 2.32 |
| 4 | Alaska profile | $38.83 | $80,760 | $44,210 | $135,420 | 140 | 0.42 | 2.15 |
| 5 | New Mexico profile | $38.21 | $79,490 | $47,510 | $135,200 | 790 | 0.91 | 4.62 |
| 6 | Minnesota profile | $35.77 | $74,400 | $50,730 | $94,890 | 270 | 0.09 | 0.47 |
| 7 | Colorado profile | $35.15 | $73,110 | $56,640 | $97,460 | 400 | 0.14 | 0.71 |
| 8 | New York profile | $33.48 | $69,640 | $48,690 | $93,890 | 1,410 | 0.15 | 0.74 |
| 9 | Massachusetts profile | $33.04 | $68,730 | $51,840 | $99,270 | 290 | 0.08 | 0.41 |
| 10 | Connecticut profile | $32.84 | $68,310 | $60,910 | $104,460 | 130 | 0.08 | 0.39 |
| 11 | Wyoming profile | $32.81 | $68,250 | $50,260 | $87,690 | 80 | 0.27 | 1.37 |
| 12 | Michigan profile | $32.36 | $67,310 | $48,490 | $112,080 | 450 | 0.10 | 0.52 |
| 13 | New Jersey profile | $32.18 | $66,930 | $48,340 | $103,940 | 270 | 0.06 | 0.33 |
| 14 | Illinois profile | $31.71 | $65,960 | $50,810 | $106,480 | 1,790 | 0.29 | 1.49 |
| 15 | Arizona profile | $31.48 | $65,480 | $49,520 | $82,840 | 440 | 0.14 | 0.69 |
| 16 | Ohio profile | $31.25 | $65,000 | $51,350 | $88,040 | 1,310 | 0.24 | 1.20 |
| 17 | Oregon profile | $31.25 | $65,000 | $56,280 | $95,200 | 230 | 0.12 | 0.60 |
| 18 | Maryland profile | $31.09 | $64,670 | $44,260 | $95,740 | 280 | 0.10 | 0.52 |
| 19 | Missouri profile | $31.01 | $64,490 | $47,410 | $105,930 | 270 | 0.09 | 0.46 |
| 20 | Wisconsin profile | $30.98 | $64,440 | $51,730 | $92,060 | 640 | 0.22 | 1.11 |
| 21 | Maine profile | $30.88 | $64,240 | $56,310 | $83,710 | 140 | 0.22 | 1.09 |
| 22 | Georgia profile | $30.43 | $63,290 | $48,030 | $103,380 | 1,210 | 0.25 | 1.26 |
| 23 | New Hampshire profile | $30.11 | $62,630 | $50,960 | $82,610 | 50 | 0.08 | 0.40 |
| 24 | Virginia profile | $29.99 | $62,380 | $41,470 | $96,530 | 840 | 0.21 | 1.04 |
| 25 | Delaware profile | $29.96 | $62,310 | $47,380 | $99,000 | 150 | 0.31 | 1.55 |
| 26 | Vermont profile | $29.79 | $61,960 | $54,390 | $82,600 | 80 | 0.28 | 1.40 |
| 27 | Nevada profile | $29.70 | $61,770 | $49,790 | $108,520 | 440 | 0.29 | 1.46 |
| 28 | North Carolina profile | $29.69 | $61,760 | $49,400 | $89,340 | 720 | 0.15 | 0.74 |
| 29 | Pennsylvania profile | $29.64 | $61,640 | $47,420 | $90,810 | 1,020 | 0.17 | 0.85 |
| 30 | California profile | $29.50 | $61,360 | $44,170 | $105,950 | 2,650 | 0.15 | 0.74 |
| 31 | Mississippi profile | $29.44 | $61,230 | $37,920 | $100,680 | 360 | 0.31 | 1.56 |
| 32 | Kentucky profile | $29.38 | $61,120 | $48,510 | $100,160 | 650 | 0.32 | 1.65 |
| 33 | Idaho profile | $29.17 | $60,670 | $48,150 | $105,230 | 240 | 0.28 | 1.41 |
| 34 | Indiana profile | $28.92 | $60,150 | $46,880 | $82,690 | 1,660 | 0.52 | 2.64 |
| 35 | Kansas profile | $28.72 | $59,740 | $43,410 | $91,370 | 480 | 0.33 | 1.70 |
| 36 | Nebraska profile | $28.45 | $59,180 | $44,900 | $117,220 | 200 | 0.20 | 1.02 |
| 37 | Florida profile | $28.43 | $59,140 | $49,590 | $85,390 | 1,000 | 0.10 | 0.51 |
| 38 | South Carolina profile | $28.12 | $58,490 | $45,030 | $92,460 | 420 | 0.18 | 0.94 |
| 39 | Iowa profile | $28.03 | $58,300 | $45,700 | $82,170 | 290 | 0.18 | 0.93 |
| 40 | Texas profile | $27.87 | $57,980 | $44,060 | $87,770 | 4,420 | 0.31 | 1.60 |
| 41 | Louisiana profile | $27.85 | $57,930 | $30,680 | $100,750 | 780 | 0.40 | 2.05 |
| 42 | Utah profile | $27.57 | $57,340 | $39,100 | $79,990 | 280 | 0.16 | 0.82 |
| 43 | Oklahoma profile | $27.15 | $56,470 | $34,530 | $80,990 | 370 | 0.22 | 1.10 |
| 44 | North Dakota profile | $26.93 | $56,000 | $39,700 | $99,370 | 150 | 0.35 | 1.76 |
| 45 | Tennessee profile | $26.49 | $55,090 | $45,030 | $74,360 | 310 | 0.09 | 0.47 |
| 46 | Alabama profile | $26.45 | $55,010 | $41,780 | $96,350 | 880 | 0.42 | 2.11 |
| 47 | Arkansas profile | $24.44 | $50,840 | $40,100 | $76,490 | 510 | 0.39 | 2.01 |
| 48 | Montana profile | $19.91 | $41,420 | $37,440 | $89,630 | 60 | 0.13 | 0.63 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (19-5010), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 19-5012 Occupational Health and Safety Technicians.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 19-5012, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 19-5012.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.