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Salary comparison

Foresters vs. Occupational Health and Safety Specialists: Who Earns More?

Occupational Health and Safety Specialistss out-earn Foresterss by $14K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Foresterss land at $76,400 and Occupational Health and Safety Specialistss at $90,150. The education gap is real: forester programs typically require bachelor's degree, while occupational health and safety specialist programs require bachelor's degree. Top-paying state for Foresterss is California ($107,120); for Occupational Health and Safety Specialistss it's District of Columbia ($111,530).

Foresters
Occupational Health and Safety Specialists
Median salary
$76,400
$90,150
Hourly rate
$36.73/hr
$43.34/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$50,790
$55,000
Senior level (90th %)
$109,700
$134,950
Education required
Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
U.S. employment
10,430
140,610
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
N/A
Category
Science
Science
Top-paying state
California
District of Columbia

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Foresters median pay.

State
Foresters
Occupational Health and Safety Specialists
California
$107,120
$102,840
Massachusetts
$89,650
$103,970
Alaska
$87,210
$99,270
Connecticut
$84,820
$96,110
Illinois
$82,160
$98,270
Oregon
$81,450
$95,240
Washington
$78,460
$102,920
Minnesota
$76,490
$96,990
Colorado
$76,400
$101,400
District of Columbia
$74,710
$111,530
New York
$73,710
$95,720
Wyoming
$68,180
$94,030
Maine
$66,480
$97,640
New Hampshire
$65,170
$101,260
Nevada
$51,070
$94,360

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Foresterss or Occupational Health and Safety Specialistss?

Occupational Health and Safety Specialistss earn more nationally. The median is $76,400 for Foresterss versus $90,150 for Occupational Health and Safety Specialistss, a difference of $14K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Foresters or Occupational Health and Safety Specialists?

BLS Employment Projections data is not available for one or both occupations. Check the individual career pages for current outlook figures.

Which requires more education, Foresters or Occupational Health and Safety Specialists?

Foresters typically requires bachelor's degree. Occupational Health and Safety Specialists requires bachelor's degree. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Foresterss get paid the most?

California is the top-paying state for Foresterss at $107,120/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Foresters vs. Occupational Health and Safety Specialists pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In California, Foresterss earn $107,120 vs. $102,840 for Occupational Health and Safety Specialistss. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Foresters salary breakdownView →Full Occupational Health and Safety Specialists salary breakdownView →Best cities for Foresterss by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Occupational Health and Safety Specialistss by take-home payExplore →How to become a forestersGuide →How to become a occupational health and safety specialistsGuide →