Occupational Health and Safety Specialists Salary
Occupational Health and Safety Specialists in Columbus, OH make a median of $98,920 a year, or about $47.56 an hour. The range runs from $63K at the entry level to $178K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 95.47), that's roughly $103,614 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,430/month, or 22.9% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $99K get you in Columbus?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Columbus’s Regional Price Parity (95.47). 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 Columbus
Occupational health and safety specialists pay in Columbus tracks closely to the national median, $99K locally vs. $90K nationwide, a 10% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,430/month, 22.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 95.47) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. 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 Columbus, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati | $93K | $98K |
| Cleveland | $88K | $94K |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek | $89K | $96K |
| Akron | $83K | $89K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Columbus, OH
Entry-level occupational health and safety specialists (10th percentile) start around $63K. Mid-career wages sit at $99K. Top earners bring in $178K or more, a $115K 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 Columbus?
Yes — at the median salary of $99K, rent takes 22.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,430/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for occupational health and safety specialists in Columbus?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new occupational health and safety specialists typically earn — is $63K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,805/month. At HUD’s $1,430/month FMR, rent would take 38% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is occupational health and safety specialist a high-paying job in Columbus?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $99K locally vs. $90K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Columbus compare to the national average for occupational health and safety specialists?
Columbus pays $99K median vs. the U.S. average of $90K — that’s +10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 95.47), the purchasing-power equivalent is $104K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do occupational health and safety specialists make in Columbus, OH?
The median is $98,920 a year, that works out to about $48 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $63,420, and experienced occupational health and safety specialists can clear $178,410. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $99K enough to live in Columbus?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,328/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,430/month, which eats 22.6% 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 Columbus?
Columbus has a Regional Price Parity of 95.47 (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 $103,614 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.