Occupational Health and Safety Specialists Salary
Occupational Health and Safety Specialists in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI make a median of $73,200 a year, or about $35.19 an hour. The range runs from $52K at the entry level to $116K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.86), which stretches that salary to about $78,828 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $993/month, or 20.3% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $73K actually covers in South Bend-Mishawaka, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by South Bend-Mishawaka’s Regional Price Parity (92.86). 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 South Bend-Mishawaka
Pay for occupational health and safety specialists in South Bend-Mishawaka runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $90K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $993/month, 20.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.86 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, South Bend-Mishawaka can be a reasonable trade-off for occupational health and safety specialists who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for occupational health and safety specialists in metros near South Bend-Mishawaka, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $85K | $89K |
| Fort Wayne | $83K | $90K |
| Evansville | $91K | $99K |
| Elkhart-Goshen | $72K | $79K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI
Entry-level occupational health and safety specialists (10th percentile) start around $52K. Mid-career wages sit at $73K. Top earners bring in $116K or more, a $64K 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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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a occupational health and safety specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Bend-Mishawaka?
Yes — at the median salary of $73K, rent takes 20.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $993/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for occupational health and safety specialists in South Bend-Mishawaka?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new occupational health and safety specialists typically earn — is $52K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,518/month. At HUD’s $993/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 South Bend-Mishawaka?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $73K here vs. $90K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does South Bend-Mishawaka compare to the national average for occupational health and safety specialists?
South Bend-Mishawaka pays $73K median vs. the U.S. average of $90K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $79K — below the national median.
How much do occupational health and safety specialists make in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI?
The median is $73,200 a year, that works out to about $35 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $51,980, and experienced occupational health and safety specialists can clear $116,300. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $73K enough to live in South Bend-Mishawaka?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,804/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $993/month, which eats 20.7% 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 South Bend-Mishawaka?
South Bend-Mishawaka has a Regional Price Parity of 92.86 (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 $78,828 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.