How long does the training take?

Typically no schooling after high school, then a few months to a year of training on the job. That is the usual route rather than a rule — people arrive by other paths all the time.

How much do occupational health and safety technicians make?

The US median is $61,560 a year, meaning half earn more and half less. Pay varies widely by state, employer and experience.

Do you need a degree for this work?

No. Most people are hired and trained on the job; a program is optional.

Where can you train for this work?

113 US colleges, community colleges and trade schools award credentials in a matching program. See which ones →

🎓 My University View

Home › Careers › Occupational health and safety technicians

Occupational health and safety technicians: pay, training and the programs that lead there

Science · SOC 19-5012

$61,560US median pay, 2025

+19.4%Projected growth, 2025–35

3,800Openings per year

On the jobUsual way in

How you get in

Most people are hired and trained on the job, so school is optional. A program can still help you stand out.

High school diploma or equivalent (a program is optional for this job)
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Work in: occupational health and safety technicians

Programs that lead to this job

These are the federal program codes (CIP) that the Department of Education maps to this occupation, and how many US colleges, community colleges or trade schools report awarding credentials in each.

Program	Code	Schools
Environmental Health	CIP 51.2202	81
Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene	CIP 51.2206	25
Environmental Toxicology	CIP 26.1006	11
Radiation Protection/Health Physics Technician	CIP 51.0916	4
Patient Safety and Healthcare Quality	CIP 51.2213	4
Process Safety Technology/Technician	CIP 15.0705	0

See the 113 schools that offer these programs →

Common questions

How long does the training take?: Typically no schooling after high school, then a few months to a year of training on the job. That is the usual route rather than a rule — people arrive by other paths all the time.
How much do occupational health and safety technicians make?: The US median is $61,560 a year, meaning half earn more and half less. Pay varies widely by state, employer and experience.
Do you need a degree for this work?: No. Most people are hired and trained on the job; a program is optional.
Where can you train for this work?: 113 US colleges, community colleges and trade schools award credentials in a matching program. See which ones →

Pay and growth are national figures. What you earn depends on where you work, your employer and your experience, and these are projections rather than promises. Education requirements describe how most people enter the job, not a rule — plenty of people take another route.

Pay, growth, openings and entry requirements: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35. Program-to-occupation mapping: NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk (2020/2018). School counts: IPEDS completions, 2022–23.

Related careers in Science

Occupational health and safety specialists · Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other · Medical scientists, except epidemiologists · Biological technicians · Chemical technicians · Environmental scientists and specialists, including health · Chemists · Environmental science and protection technicians, including health