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

Occupational Health and Safety Specialistss out-earn Occupational Health and Safety Technicianss by $29K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Occupational Health and Safety Technicianss land at $61,560 and Occupational Health and Safety Specialistss at $90,150. The education gap is real: occupational health and safety technician programs typically require bachelor's degree, while occupational health and safety specialist programs require bachelor's degree. Top-paying state for Occupational Health and Safety Technicianss is Washington ($104,910); for Occupational Health and Safety Specialistss it's District of Columbia ($111,530).

Occupational Health and Safety Technicians
Occupational Health and Safety Specialists
Median salary
$61,560
$90,150
Hourly rate
$29.59/hr
$43.34/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$46,280
$55,000
Senior level (90th %)
$100,160
$134,950
Education required
Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
U.S. employment
30,590
140,610
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
N/A
Category
Science
Science
Top-paying state
Washington
District of Columbia

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Occupational Health and Safety Technicians median pay.

State
Occupational Health and Safety Technicians
Occupational Health and Safety Specialists
Washington
$104,910
$102,920
Rhode Island
$84,640
$101,740
Alaska
$80,760
$99,270
Minnesota
$74,400
$96,990
Colorado
$73,110
$101,400
New York
$69,640
$95,720
Massachusetts
$68,730
$103,970
Connecticut
$68,310
$96,110
Wyoming
$68,250
$94,030
Illinois
$65,960
$98,270
Oregon
$65,000
$95,240
Maine
$64,240
$97,640
New Hampshire
$62,630
$101,260
Nevada
$61,770
$94,360
California
$61,360
$102,840

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

Common questions

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

Occupational Health and Safety Specialistss earn more nationally. The median is $61,560 for Occupational Health and Safety Technicianss versus $90,150 for Occupational Health and Safety Specialistss, a difference of $29K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

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

Occupational Health and Safety Technicians 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 Occupational Health and Safety Technicianss get paid the most?

Washington is the top-paying state for Occupational Health and Safety Technicianss at $104,910/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

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

The gap varies significantly by state. In Washington, Occupational Health and Safety Technicianss earn $104,910 vs. $102,920 for Occupational Health and Safety Specialistss. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

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