Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Moderate-term on-the-job training
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Occupational health and safety technicians focus on protecting people in workplaces and other environments by applying technical, analytical, and communication skills. Nationally, the occupation has a median annual salary of $58,440 and employment of about 32,000, indicating a sizable field with established opportunities. Projected employment growth of 8.5% and about 3,000 annual openings suggest that positions are expected to continue becoming available over time. Strong skills in science, critical and analytical thinking, and attention to detail support the technical side of the work, while speaking, listening, writing, and reading skills help with documentation and communication. Leadership, project management, adaptability, computers and information technology, and mathematics round out the skill profile, indicating a role that blends practical problem-solving with coordination and organization. For people interested in safety, structured procedures, and applying analytical thinking in real-world settings, this career can offer a solid combination of stability, progression potential, and geographic choice across different states and metro areas.
Nationally, occupational health and safety technicians earn a median annual salary of $58,440, providing a clear baseline for evaluating offers and planning a career path. However, pay can vary substantially by location. Among top states, Washington reports a median salary of $104,910, and Colorado reaches $73,110, while New York, Massachusetts, and California fall between roughly the low $60,000s and upper $60,000s. Top metro areas show additional variation: San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA reports a median of $91,750, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $80,390, and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $77,150. These figures suggest that some regions offer significantly higher median pay than the national figure. When comparing opportunities, candidates can weigh higher-salary locations like Washington state and high-opportunity metros such as San Jose and New York against personal preferences, cost of living, and job availability.
Occupational health and safety technicians show a national projected employment growth rate of 8.5%, with total employment around 32,000. This growth projection, paired with about 3,000 annual openings, indicates a steady flow of opportunities from both new positions and turnover. The consistent 8.5% growth rate also appears in the listed top states and metro areas, suggesting comparatively uniform projected expansion across many highlighted regions. For job seekers, this means that while specific employers and roles may differ, the overall outlook points to ongoing hiring needs rather than a static or shrinking field. People entering this occupation or considering a transition from similar roles—such as occupational health and safety specialists or health and safety engineers—can plan around a labor market that is expected to continue generating openings over time in both national and regional contexts.
Location plays a major role in opportunity for occupational health and safety technicians, with certain states and metros standing out. Among states, California leads on opportunity score (67.38) with a median salary of $61,360 and employment of 2,650, indicating both scale and opportunity. Massachusetts and New York show similar opportunity scores (around the mid‑60s) with higher median salaries of $68,730 and $69,640, though with smaller employment levels than California. Colorado and Washington combine higher median salaries—$73,110 and $104,910—with somewhat lower opportunity scores in the mid‑50s range and more modest employment counts. At the metro level, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ have the highest opportunity scores (both about 77) and strong median pay levels. Other metros like San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA; Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV; and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH also offer solid opportunity scores and salaries, giving candidates multiple high-potential urban options.
For occupational health and safety technicians, the typical education requirement is a high school diploma or equivalent. This makes the role accessible to individuals who may not have completed a college degree but are prepared to build a strong skill set. Success in this field is supported by a blend of technical and soft skills. Science, mathematics, and computers and information technology underpin the analytical and data-related aspects of the work. Critical and analytical thinking, along with being detail oriented, help in evaluating information and maintaining accuracy. Writing and reading are important for documentation, while speaking and listening support clear communication with colleagues and other stakeholders. Leadership, project management, and adaptability indicate that technicians may often contribute to organizing tasks, coordinating activities, and adjusting to changing conditions. Together, this mix of education and skills supports a pathway into a technical career with room for growth and specialization over time.
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