Occupational Health and Safety Specialist salary
From 199 certified H-1B filings (FY2025–FY2026). Base salary only.
- Occupation code 19-5011: Occupational Health and Safety Specialists
- Also filed as: Safety Specialist
At a glance
- Mostly Level II (mid-level). 35% of Occupational Health and Safety Specialist filings are Level II, compared with 42% across all H-1B filings.
- Top filer: Tesla. 15 filings (8% of the total), median $108,471.
- Median up 26% since FY2020. From $74,000 in FY2020 to $92,900 in FY2026 (Q1–Q3). Nominal, not adjusted for inflation.
Occupational Health and Safety Specialist H-1B salary overview
Employers filed 199 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications for Occupational Health and Safety Specialist jobs in FY2025–FY2026 (occupation code 19-5011, Occupational Health and Safety Specialists). The median base salary is $85,176, 31% below the median for all H-1B filings ($122,699), and half of the filings fall between $70,000 and $108,027. The most common wage level is Level II (mid-level), at 35% of filings. New York, NY has the most filings (16), and Tesla is the employer that files the most (15).
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Percentiles from certified H-1B filings, base salary only. Metro areas with at least 10 filings.
Top employers for Occupational Health and Safety Specialist
TeslaEmployers with the most Occupational Health and Safety Specialist filings. Bar: share of all Occupational Health and Safety Specialist filings. Figure: median base salary.
Pay by level
Entry-level · 28% of filings
Mid-level · 35% of filings
Senior · 19% of filings
Expert · 18% of filings
Show the table
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Level I · Entry | $65,000 | 55 |
| Level II · Qualified | $83,100 | 68 |
| Level III · Experienced | $94,620 | 38 |
| Level IV · Fully competent | $136,500 | 35 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Occupational Health and Safety Specialist pay by city
Median base salary in each metro area. Rent: HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027.
Show all 3 metro areas
| Metro area | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | $78,925 | 16 |
| Houston, TX | $74,894 | 14 |
| San Francisco, CA | $95,000 | 10 |
Metro areas with at least 10 filings for this occupation.
What a Occupational Health and Safety Specialist does
Review, evaluate, and analyze work environments and design programs and procedures to control, eliminate, and prevent disease or injury caused by chemical, physical, and biological agents or ergonomic factors. May conduct inspections and enforce adherence to laws and regulations governing the health and safety of individuals. May be employed in the public or private sector.
Typical tasks
- Recommend measures to help protect workers from potentially hazardous work methods, processes, or materials.
- Develop or maintain hygiene programs, such as noise surveys, continuous atmosphere monitoring, ventilation surveys, or asbestos management plans.
- Order suspension of activities that pose threats to workers' health or safety.
- Investigate accidents to identify causes or to determine how such accidents might be prevented in the future.
- Inspect or evaluate workplace environments, equipment, or practices to ensure compliance with safety standards and government regulations.
- Collect samples of dust, gases, vapors, or other potentially toxic materials for analysis.
Preparation
Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed. Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
O*NET occupation: Occupational Health and Safety Specialists (19-5011.00). This section includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
H-1B pay vs. all U.S. workers
Across all U.S. workers in this occupation (Occupational Health and Safety Specialists), the median annual wage was $90,150 in May 2025, with 140,610 people employed. The median H-1B base salary in FY2025–FY2026 is $85,176, 6% lower.
| H-1B filings | All U.S. workers (BLS, May 2025) | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $60,000 | $55,000 |
| 25th percentile | $70,000 | $69,560 |
| Median | $85,176 | $90,150 |
| 75th percentile | $108,027 | $111,690 |
| 90th percentile | $136,909 | $134,950 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). BLS wages cover all wage and salary workers and include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are the base salary offered on certified LCAs. The two sources cover different periods. BLS reports wages of $239,200 or more as a single top value.
Salary details
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $60,000 |
| 25th | $70,000 |
| 50th (median) | $85,176 |
| 75th | $108,027 |
| 90th | $136,909 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $74,000 | $63,000 | $98,186 | 51 |
| FY2021 | $76,000 | $63,528 | $100,000 | 54 |
| FY2022 | $69,888 | $57,117 | $86,318 | 75 |
| FY2023 | $77,498 | $65,302 | $97,166 | 63 |
| FY2024 | $72,500 | $62,706 | $97,541 | 88 |
| FY2025 | $78,500 | $64,002 | $98,727 | 111 |
| FY2026 | $92,900 | $77,266 | $113,366 | 88 |
Questions
How much does an H-1B Occupational Health and Safety Specialist make?
The median base salary in certified H-1B filings for Occupational Health and Safety Specialist jobs is $85,176 (199 filings, FY2025–FY2026). Half of the filings are between $70,000 and $108,027.
What does an entry-level Occupational Health and Safety Specialist earn on an H-1B?
Level I (entry-level) filings have a median of $65,000. Level I accounts for 28% of Occupational Health and Safety Specialist filings.
Do H-1B Occupational Health and Safety Specialists earn more than other U.S. workers in the same job?
The H-1B median base salary ($85,176) is 6% lower than the median wage of all U.S. workers in this occupation ($90,150, BLS May 2025). The sources measure pay differently, so treat this as a rough comparison.