Occupational Health and Safety Specialists Salary
Occupational Health and Safety Specialists in Decatur, IL make a median of $79,880 a year, or about $38.41 an hour. The range runs from $65K at the entry level to $135K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.42), which stretches that salary to about $90,342 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,063/month, or 20.3% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $80K get you in Decatur?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Decatur’s Regional Price Parity (88.42). 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 Decatur
Pay for occupational health and safety specialists in Decatur runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $90K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,063/month, 21% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.42 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Decatur can be a reasonable trade-off for occupational health and safety specialistss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for occupational health and safety specialists in metros near Decatur, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $102K | $98K |
| Peoria | $95K | $104K |
| Champaign-Urbana | $83K | $89K |
| Rockford | $94K | $102K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Decatur, IL
Entry-level occupational health and safety specialists (10th percentile) start around $65K. Mid-career wages sit at $80K. Top earners bring in $135K or more, a $70K 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 states
Track occupational health and safety specialists salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a occupational health and safety specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Decatur?
Yes — at the median salary of $80K, rent takes 21% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,063/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for occupational health and safety specialists in Decatur?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new occupational health and safety specialists typically earn — is $65K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,904/month. At HUD’s $1,063/month FMR, rent would take 27% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is occupational health and safety specialist a high-paying job in Decatur?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $80K here vs. $90K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Decatur compare to the national average for occupational health and safety specialists?
Decatur pays $80K median vs. the U.S. average of $90K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.42), the purchasing-power equivalent is $90K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do occupational health and safety specialists make in Decatur, IL?
The median is $79,880 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $65,060, and experienced occupational health and safety specialists can clear $134,630. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $80K enough to live in Decatur?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,052/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,063/month, which eats 21% 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 Decatur?
Decatur has a Regional Price Parity of 88.42 (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 $90,342 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.