Occupational Health and Safety Specialists Salary
Occupational Health and Safety Specialists in Texas make a median of $79,660 a year, or about $38.3 an hour. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $127K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.49), which stretches that salary to about $87,070 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,415/month, or 25.6% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Texas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $80K get you in Texas?
About occupational health and safety specialists
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What this looks like in Texas
Pay for occupational health and safety specialists in Texas runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $90K. Rent runs $1,415/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.49 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% 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, Texas
Entry-level occupational health and safety specialists (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $80K. Top earners bring in $127K or more, a $80K spread from bottom to top.
Occupational Health and Safety Specialists salary by metro in Texas
25 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midland | $92K | +15% | 580 |
| Victoria | $88K | +11% | 50 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur | $84K | +6% | 450 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $83K | +4% | 5,650 |
| Killeen-Temple | $81K | +2% | 160 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $81K | +2% | 3,660 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $81K | +1% | 1,240 |
| Corpus Christi | $78K | -2% | 400 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $78K | -2% | 1,230 |
| Sherman-Denison | $77K | -3% | 60 |
| Tyler | $77K | -4% | 90 |
| Texarkana | $76K | -4% | 50 |
| Wichita Falls | $76K | -4% | 40 |
| Abilene | $76K | -4% | 60 |
| Amarillo | $75K | -5% | 130 |
| Longview | $73K | -8% | 200 |
| San Angelo | $73K | -8% | 50 |
| Waco | $70K | -12% | 140 |
| Lubbock | $70K | -12% | 150 |
| College Station-Bryan | $66K | -17% | 130 |
| Odessa | $66K | -17% | 310 |
| El Paso | $66K | -18% | 330 |
| Laredo | $64K | -20% | 120 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen | $60K | -25% | 100 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission | $57K | -29% | 210 |
Showing 1–10 of 25 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Texas numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a occupational health and safety specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Texas?
Yes — at the median salary of $80K, rent takes 26.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,415/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for occupational health and safety specialists in Texas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new occupational health and safety specialists typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,783/month. At HUD’s $1,415/month FMR, rent would take 51% 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 Texas?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $80K here vs. $90K nationally. Cost of living is 9% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Texas compare to the national average for occupational health and safety specialists?
Texas pays $80K median vs. the U.S. average of $90K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $87K — below the national median.
How much do occupational health and safety specialists make in Texas?
The median is $79,660 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $46,380, and experienced occupational health and safety specialists can clear $126,500. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $80K enough to live in Texas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,369/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,415/month, which eats 26.4% 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 Texas?
Texas has a Regional Price Parity of 91.49 (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 $87,070 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.