Occupational Health and Safety Specialists Salary
Occupational Health and Safety Specialists in North Carolina make a median of $86,650 a year, or about $41.66 an hour. The range runs from $60K at the entry level to $130K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.66), which stretches that salary to about $93,514 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,284/month, or 23% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across North Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $87K get you in North Carolina?
About occupational health and safety specialists
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What this looks like in North Carolina
Occupational health and safety specialists pay in North Carolina tracks closely to the national median, $87K locally vs. $90K nationwide, a 4% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,284/month, 23.5% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.66 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, North Carolina
Entry-level occupational health and safety specialists (10th percentile) start around $60K. Mid-career wages sit at $87K. Top earners bring in $130K or more, a $70K spread from bottom to top.
Occupational Health and Safety Specialists salary by metro in North Carolina
15 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $98K | +14% | 310 |
| Fayetteville | $96K | +10% | 160 |
| Jacksonville | $94K | +8% | 70 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $91K | +5% | 1,160 |
| Raleigh-Cary | $90K | +4% | 770 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton | $88K | +1% | 130 |
| Wilmington | $85K | -2% | 150 |
| Greensboro-High Point | $84K | -3% | 410 |
| Asheville | $82K | -6% | 140 |
| Winston-Salem | $80K | -7% | 270 |
| Burlington | $79K | -8% | 60 |
| Rocky Mount | $79K | -9% | 50 |
| Greenville | $78K | -10% | 120 |
| Goldsboro | $77K | -12% | 40 |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines | $74K | -14% | 30 |
Showing 1–10 of 15 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when North Carolina numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a occupational health and safety specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in North Carolina?
Yes — at the median salary of $87K, rent takes 23.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,284/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for occupational health and safety specialists in North Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new occupational health and safety specialists typically earn — is $60K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,573/month. At HUD’s $1,284/month FMR, rent would take 36% 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 North Carolina?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $87K locally vs. $90K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does North Carolina compare to the national average for occupational health and safety specialists?
North Carolina pays $87K median vs. the U.S. average of $90K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $94K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do occupational health and safety specialists make in North Carolina?
The median is $86,650 a year, that works out to about $42 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $59,550, and experienced occupational health and safety specialists can clear $129,710. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $87K enough to live in North Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,454/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,284/month, which eats 23.5% 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 North Carolina?
North Carolina has a Regional Price Parity of 92.66 (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 $93,514 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.