Occupational Health and Safety Specialists Salary
Occupational Health and Safety Specialists in Ames, IA make a median of $82,970 a year, or about $39.89 an hour. The range runs from $68K at the entry level to $116K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.83), which stretches that salary to about $93,403 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,153/month, or 22% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $83K get you in Ames?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Ames’s Regional Price Parity (88.83). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About occupational health and safety specialists
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What this looks like in Ames
Occupational health and safety specialists pay in Ames tracks closely to the national median, $83K locally vs. $90K nationwide, a 8% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,153/month, 22.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.83 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for occupational health and safety specialists in metros near Ames, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $92K | $101K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $93K | $105K |
| Cedar Rapids | $94K | $106K |
| Sioux City | $93K | $108K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Ames, IA
Entry-level occupational health and safety specialists (10th percentile) start around $68K. Mid-career wages sit at $83K. Top earners bring in $116K or more, a $48K spread from bottom to top.
Occupational Health and Safety Specialists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Occupational Health and Safety Specialists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $112K | +24% | 280 |
| Massachusetts | $104K | +15% | 3,390 |
| Washington | $103K | +14% | 3,570 |
| California | $103K | +14% | 16,230 |
| Rhode Island | $102K | +13% | 200 |
| Colorado | $101K | +12% | 3,080 |
| New Hampshire | $101K | +12% | 610 |
| Alaska | $99K | +10% | 370 |
| Illinois | $98K | +9% | 2,900 |
| Maine | $98K | +8% | 600 |
| Minnesota | $97K | +8% | 2,460 |
| Connecticut | $96K | +7% | 1,090 |
| New York | $96K | +6% | 6,840 |
| Oregon | $95K | +6% | 1,820 |
| Hawaii | $95K | +5% | 640 |
| Nevada | $94K | +5% | 1,150 |
| Wyoming | $94K | +4% | 580 |
| North Dakota | $93K | +3% | 540 |
| Maryland | $92K | +2% | 2,160 |
| Ohio | $91K | +1% | 6,820 |
| Virginia | $91K | +1% | 3,910 |
| New Jersey | $91K | +1% | 3,830 |
| Utah | $90K | +0% | 1,230 |
| Louisiana | $90K | -1% | 2,380 |
| Arizona | $89K | -1% | 3,220 |
| Florida | $89K | -1% | 6,760 |
| South Dakota | $89K | -2% | 250 |
| South Carolina | $88K | -2% | 2,170 |
| Iowa | $88K | -3% | 1,310 |
| Vermont | $87K | -3% | 170 |
| Pennsylvania | $87K | -3% | 4,890 |
| Idaho | $87K | -4% | 730 |
| North Carolina | $87K | -4% | 4,670 |
| West Virginia | $87K | -4% | 1,020 |
| Kansas | $86K | -4% | 1,350 |
| Georgia | $85K | -5% | 3,220 |
| Wisconsin | $85K | -6% | 2,250 |
| New Mexico | $85K | -6% | 840 |
| Mississippi | $84K | -6% | 1,140 |
| Michigan | $84K | -7% | 3,350 |
| Nebraska | $84K | -7% | 630 |
| Kentucky | $84K | -7% | 2,480 |
| Indiana | $83K | -7% | 3,870 |
| Missouri | $83K | -8% | 2,660 |
| Alabama | $82K | -9% | 2,510 |
| Montana | $81K | -10% | 720 |
| Tennessee | $81K | -10% | 2,690 |
| Delaware | $81K | -10% | 600 |
| Oklahoma | $80K | -11% | 1,690 |
| Texas | $80K | -12% | 17,920 |
| Arkansas | $73K | -19% | 850 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
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Frequently asked questions
Can a occupational health and safety specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Ames?
Yes — at the median salary of $83K, rent takes 22.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,153/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for occupational health and safety specialists in Ames?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new occupational health and safety specialists typically earn — is $68K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,066/month. At HUD’s $1,153/month FMR, rent would take 28% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is occupational health and safety specialist a high-paying job in Ames?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $83K locally vs. $90K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Ames compare to the national average for occupational health and safety specialists?
Ames pays $83K median vs. the U.S. average of $90K — that’s -8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.83), the purchasing-power equivalent is $93K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do occupational health and safety specialists make in Ames, IA?
The median is $82,970 a year, that works out to about $40 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $67,770, and experienced occupational health and safety specialists can clear $116,030. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $83K enough to live in Ames?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,204/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,153/month, which eats 22.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a occupational health and safety specialists salary go in Ames?
Ames has a Regional Price Parity of 88.83 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median occupational health and safety specialists salary is worth about $93,403 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do occupational health and safety specialists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.