Survey Finds Strong Income Potential for OSH Professionals
A 2015 American Society of Safety Engineers survey of more than 9,000 occupational safety and health professionals reveals they earn an annual base salary on average of $98,000, an increase of $8,000 since the survey was last conducted in 2013.
The ASSE survey results are part of an expansive collaboration with the American Board of Industrial Hygiene, Alliance of Hazardous Materials Professionals, American Industrial Hygiene Association, Board of Certified Safety Professionals, and Institute of Hazardous Materials Management.
The study found that professionals with at least one of the 11 certifications measured in the survey make on average over $14,000 more annually than a professional without one of these certifications and over $30,000 more annually than the typical Occupational Health and Safety Specialist, according to the number reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
On average a Certified Safety Professional earns $109,000 annually.
"This survey validates the earning power of OSH professionals,” said ASSE President Michael Belcher, CSP.
“I hope it encourages people within the industry or those thinking of pursuing an OSH career to seek accredited education programs to maximize their earning potential in such a dynamic field.”
Survey findings further paint the picture of the OSH professional as
- Primarily male, with 30% entering practice due to earning an OSH degree
- Maintaining supervisory responsibility (48%)
- Traveling 20% of the time
- Regularly working out of a facility/office (64%)
- Reporting up to operations/production (25%), risk management (14%), and HR/admin. (11%).
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