Career-PathGPS
← All education and training
Career

Occupational Health and Safety Technicians

Typical education: Bachelor's degreeHigh pressure Bright Outlook

What they do

Collect data on work environments for analysis by occupational health and safety specialists. Implement and conduct evaluation of programs designed to limit chemical, physical, biological, and ergonomic risks to workers.

Kinds of work

  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.
  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Investigative: Science, research, figuring out how things work and solving complex problems.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $61,560 Median per year · $29.59/hr Most earn $46,280–$100,160

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Evaluate situations or make determinations when a worker has refused to work on the grounds that danger or potential harm exists.
  • Prepare or calibrate equipment used to collect or analyze samples.
  • Prepare or calibrate equipment used to collect or analyze samples.
  • Plan emergency response drills.
  • Conduct worker studies to determine whether specific instances of disease or illness are job-related.
  • Inspect fire suppression systems or portable fire systems to ensure proper working order.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Rapid Growth

United States
19% more jobs by 2035, much faster than average · about 3,800 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Warehousing and storage25.5%
  • Management, scientific, and technical consulting services6.8%
  • Local government, excluding education and hospitals4.8%
  • Colleges, universities, and professional schools3.1%
  • Chemical manufacturing3.0%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 2 to 4 years

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Bachelor's degreeExperience before this job: 2 to 4 years

This is not usually a first job out of school. Most people earn a bachelor's degree, then spend about 2 to 4 years in a related safety or environmental role before taking on this work, so plan on roughly 6 to 8 years in total.

  1. Bachelor's degree in occupational safety, environmental science, or a related field

    4 years

    You learn the basics of workplace hazards, chemistry, biology, and safety rules, which you need before any safety job will hire you.

  2. Safety Coordinator

    2-4 years

    You help run safety programs, inspect worksites, and keep records, which builds the hands-on experience employers look for in technicians.

  3. Occupational Health and Safety Technician

    Career

    You collect data on workplaces and help carry out programs that limit chemical, physical, biological, and ergonomic risks to workers.

Where it can lead

  1. Occupational Health and Safety Specialist

    2-4 years of experience first

    You analyze the data technicians collect, decide which risks matter most, and design the safety programs, which usually takes more training and often a professional certification.

  2. Environmental Health and Safety Manager

    5+ years as a specialist of experience first

    You lead a team and set safety policy for a company or site, which requires strong experience, leadership skills, and often an advanced degree or certification.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take biology, chemistry, and statisticsThese classes give you the science and data skills that safety work depends on.
  • Join a science, engineering, or first aid clubClub activities build teamwork and hands-on experience with lab safety and careful procedures.
  • Get a starter job or volunteer at a workplace with safety rulesWorking at a grocery store, restaurant, or farm teaches you how safety programs function in real life.
  • Earn a first aid or CPR certificationMany schools and community centers offer these courses, and they show you take workplace safety seriously.
  • Practice writing clear reportsTechnicians write up what they observe, so strong writing helps you stand out from the start.

In college

  • Major in occupational safety, environmental science, or industrial hygieneThese majors cover the hazard, chemistry, and regulation knowledge that this career builds on.
  • Take statistics and data analysis coursesCollecting and analyzing workplace data is a core part of the job, so these skills are essential.
  • Pursue a summer internship at a company or agency with a safety departmentHands-on experience during school is one of the best ways to get your first safety job after graduation.
  • Join a student chapter of a safety or environmental organizationChapters often host speakers, workshops, and networking events that help you meet working professionals.
  • Work a campus job in a lab or facilities officeCampus labs and buildings follow real safety rules, so you can learn procedures while earning money.

Tips for getting started

  • Look for part-time or summer jobs at a lab, factory, construction site, or with your city or county, since hands-on work with safety rules is what hiring managers notice first.
  • Ask a safety professional at a local employer for a short informational interview to learn what their days look like and which skills matter most.
  • Get comfortable with data early. Technicians collect and record a lot of information, so strong math, spreadsheet, and writing skills will help you a lot.

Related jobs that often lead here

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

Related careers