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Industrial hygienist: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 26, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$90,150median pay per year, or $43.34 an hour, May 2025[2]
  1. $55,000lowest 10% earn less
  2. $69,56025th percentile
  3. $90,150median
  4. $111,69075th percentile
  5. $134,950top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[4]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[5]

Industrial hygienist is one of the job titles reported under the BLS category occupational health and safety specialists[1], which had median pay of $90,150 a year in May 2025[2]. Jobs are projected to grow 18.5% from 2025 to 2035[3].

Job growth, 2025–35
+18.5%[3]
Openings per year
17,100[6]
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree[7]

How much do industrial hygienists make?

BLS does not publish a separate figure for industrial hygienists. It reports occupational health and safety specialists, and O*NET lists "Industrial Hygienist" among the job titles workers use[1]. The median wage for the category was $90,150 a year, or $43.34 an hour[2]. The median splits workers into a higher-paid half and a lower-paid half. The average was $93,860 a year, or $45.12 an hour[8]. For all occupations, the median annual wage was $50,980[5].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $55,000 a year[4]. The highest-paid 10% earned more than $134,950[4]. BLS publishes percentile boundaries, not a starting salary[9].

Percentile Annual wage Hourly wage
10th[4][10] $55,000 $26.44
25th[4][10] $69,560 $33.44
Median[2] $90,150 $43.34
75th[4][10] $111,690 $53.70
90th[4][10] $134,950 $64.88

These figures cover workers paid a wage or salary. They leave out the self-employed and do not include benefits or nonproduction bonuses[11].

Pay by state and city

The District of Columbia had the top median at $111,530[12]. Massachusetts ($103,970), Washington ($102,920) and California ($102,840) came next[12]. Arkansas had the lowest published median at $73,130[12].

Texas had the most jobs at 17,920[13]. California followed with 16,230, then New York (6,840), Ohio (6,820) and Florida (6,760)[13].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs[14], San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara had the top median at $128,980[14]. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont was next at $126,860, then Kennewick-Richland at $125,970[14]. The New York area had the most metro jobs at 6,020[15]. Houston had 5,650 and Los Angeles had 5,550[15].

Show median pay in 50 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
District of Columbia[12]$111,530280
Massachusetts$103,9703,390
Washington$102,9203,570
California$102,84016,230
Rhode Island$101,740200
Colorado$101,4003,080
New Hampshire$101,260610
Alaska$99,270370
Illinois$98,2702,900
Maine$97,640600
Minnesota$96,9902,460
Connecticut$96,1101,090
New York$95,7206,840
Oregon$95,2401,820
Hawaii$94,840640
Nevada$94,3601,150
Wyoming$94,030580
North Dakota$93,250540
Maryland$91,8202,160
Ohio$91,4606,820
Virginia$90,8003,910
New Jersey$90,6103,830
Utah$90,2001,230
Louisiana$89,5602,380
Arizona$89,4803,220
Florida$88,8206,760
South Dakota$88,610250
South Carolina$88,0802,170
Iowa$87,8301,310
Vermont$87,210170
Pennsylvania$87,0504,890
Idaho$86,920730
North Carolina$86,6504,670
West Virginia$86,5601,020
Kansas$86,3001,350
Georgia$85,4503,220
Wisconsin$84,7502,250
New Mexico$84,510840
Mississippi$84,4901,140
Michigan$84,0803,350
Nebraska$83,990630
Kentucky$83,7302,480
Indiana$83,4703,870
Missouri$83,0902,660
Alabama$82,2602,510
Montana$81,330720
Tennessee$81,1902,690
Delaware$81,120600
Oklahoma$79,8901,690
Texas$79,66017,920
Arkansas$73,130850

How to become an industrial hygienist

The BLS training details come from a profile that covers a wider group, including technicians[16]. For specialists, the path looks like this:

Certification typically takes an accredited program, work experience and an exam. Keeping it up usually means continuing education[19]. The facts do not say how long any of this takes.

In an O*NET survey of 23 workers, 74% said a bachelor's degree was required, 9% said a post-baccalaureate certificate and 9% said a master's degree[20].

What industrial hygienists do

O*NET describes the work as reviewing work environments and designing programs to prevent illness or injury from chemical, physical and biological hazards and ergonomic factors[21]. Some jobs also involve inspections and enforcing health and safety rules[21]. Typical tasks include:

Where they work

BLS says these specialists work indoors and outdoors, from offices and factories to construction sites. The job may involve a lot of travel and fieldwork[23]. The work can be strenuous, with standing, squatting and lifting, and it can be stressful in emergencies. Protective gear such as gloves, helmets and respirators helps lower the risk of injury[24]. Most are full time, and some put in over 40 hours a week[25].

Across the wider group, 18% worked in government in 2025, excluding state and local education and hospitals[26].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 18.5% from 2025 to 2035[3]. That is from about 143,100 to 169,600 jobs, a gain of about 26,400[3]. For all occupations the projected growth is 3.5%[27]. These counts include self-employed workers[3].

About 17,100 openings a year are projected[6]. Openings include jobs left by people who retire or switch occupations, not only new jobs[6]. Each year, 1.9% of workers leave the labor force and 7.4% move to a different occupation[28]. BLS points to employers giving more weight to worker health and safety. It names a focus on employee well-being, new workplace technology and climate-related hazards as drivers[29].

Is it a good fit?

The facts describe a field with pay well above the all-occupations median and growth well above the all-occupations rate[2][5][3][27]. The usual entry route is a bachelor's degree with no required work experience, though some employers prefer industry experience and some positions want a master's[7][17][18]. The job can involve fieldwork, travel, physical effort and stressful situations[23][24]. People who like inspecting sites and solving safety problems may see a match in the task list[22].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[30].

Frequently asked questions

How much does an industrial hygienist make?
The BLS category occupational health and safety specialists had a median of $90,150 a year in May 2025, or $43.34 an hour[2].
What degree do you need to be an industrial hygienist?
BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry education[7]. Some positions require a master's degree[17].
Is industrial hygienist a growing field?
BLS projects 18.5% growth from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% for all occupations[3][27]. About 17,100 openings a year are projected[6].
What is the highest paying state for industrial hygienists?
The District of Columbia is first in the state list, with a median of $111,530[12]. Massachusetts is next at $103,970[12].

Facts and sources

  1. O*NET 19-5011.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Chemical Hygiene Officer, EHS Officer (Environmental Health and Safety Officer), Health and Safety Analyst, Industrial Hygiene Consultant, Industrial Hygienist, Industrial Hygienist Consultant, OHS Consultant (Occupational Health and Safety Consultant), Risk Control Consultant. O*NET OnLine
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Occupational Health and Safety Specialists in the US was $90,150 per year and $43.34 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Occupational Health and Safety Specialists is projected to grow 18.5% from 2025 to 2035, from about 143,100 to 169,600 jobs (a change of +26,400). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Occupational Health and Safety Specialists: 10th percentile $55,000, 25th percentile $69,560, 75th percentile $111,690, 90th percentile $134,950. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. BLS Employment Projections: about 17,100 openings for Occupational Health and Safety Specialists are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Occupational Health and Safety Specialists: education needed for entry: Bachelor's degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Occupational Health and Safety Specialists was $93,860 per year and $45.12 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Occupational Health and Safety Specialists: 10th percentile $26.44, 25th percentile $33.44, 75th percentile $53.70, 90th percentile $64.88. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Median annual wage for Occupational Health and Safety Specialists in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Occupational Health and Safety Specialists jobs: Texas 17,920; California 16,230; New York 6,840; Ohio 6,820; Florida 6,760. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Occupational Health and Safety Specialists (areas with at least 100 jobs): San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $128,980; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $126,860; Kennewick-Richland, WA $125,970; Vallejo, CA $109,550; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $109,500; Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $109,170; Manchester-Nashua, NH $109,130; Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $107,910. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Occupational Health and Safety Specialists jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 6,020 (median $96,320); Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 5,650 (median $82,910); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 5,550 (median $102,610); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 3,660 (median $81,000); Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH 2,720 (median $105,960); San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA 2,550 (median $126,860). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Occupational Health and Safety Specialists and Technicians" covers Occupational Health and Safety Specialists together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  17. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Work Experience in a Related Occupation. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. O*NET 19-5011.00 survey of workers (23 respondents), education level they say is required: Bachelor's Degree 74%, Post-Baccalaureate Certificate 9%, Master's Degree 9% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  21. O*NET description of Occupational Health and Safety Specialists. O*NET OnLine
  22. O*NET task list for Occupational Health and Safety Specialists. O*NET OnLine
  23. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  24. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  25. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  26. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of occupational health and safety specialists and technicians in 2025: Government, excluding state and local education and hospitals 18%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  27. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  28. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Occupational Health and Safety Specialists: 1.9% of workers leave the labor force each year and 7.4% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  29. BLS Employment Projections, factor affecting employment of Occupational Health and Safety Specialists: Demand change - share increases as employers increasingly prioritize worker health and safety. This will be largely driven by an increased focus on employee well-being, the introduction of new technologies in the workplace, and a greater prevalence of climate-related hazards. BLS Employment Projections
  30. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers. The Occupational Outlook Handbook text covers a wider group of occupations than this page.

This page 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. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.