Occupational Health and Safety Specialists Salary
Occupational Health and Safety Specialists in Merced, CA make a median of $94,470 a year, or about $45.42 an hour. The range runs from $51K at the entry level to $131K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.28), that's roughly $96,123 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,503/month, or 25.3% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $94K get you in Merced?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Merced’s Regional Price Parity (98.28). 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 Merced
Occupational health and safety specialists pay in Merced tracks closely to the national median, $94K locally vs. $90K nationwide, a 5% difference. Rent runs $1,503/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 98.28) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for occupational health and safety specialists in metros near Merced, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $103K | $90K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $127K | $110K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $90K | $85K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $101K | $90K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Merced, CA
Entry-level occupational health and safety specialists (10th percentile) start around $51K. Mid-career wages sit at $94K. Top earners bring in $131K or more, a $80K 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 Merced?
Yes — at the median salary of $94K, rent takes 25.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,503/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for occupational health and safety specialists in Merced?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new occupational health and safety specialists typically earn — is $51K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,074/month. At HUD’s $1,503/month FMR, rent would take 49% 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 Merced?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $94K locally vs. $90K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Merced compare to the national average for occupational health and safety specialists?
Merced pays $94K median vs. the U.S. average of $90K — that’s +5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.28), the purchasing-power equivalent is $96K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do occupational health and safety specialists make in Merced, CA?
The median is $94,470 a year, that works out to about $45 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $51,240, and experienced occupational health and safety specialists can clear $131,420. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $94K enough to live in Merced?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,827/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,503/month, which eats 25.8% 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 Merced?
Merced has a Regional Price Parity of 98.28 (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 $96,123 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.