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Job outlook for health and safety inspectors in the United States
Are health and safety inspector jobs in demand?
Health and safety inspector job and salary trends over time
Health and safety inspector jobs over time
Health and safety inspector job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,129 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 1,174 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 1,276 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 3,300 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 3,036 | 0.00% |
Average health and safety inspector salary over time
Health and safety inspector salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $45,272 | $21.77 | +3.6% |
| 2024 | $43,700 | $21.01 | --20.3% |
| 2023 | $54,807 | $26.35 | +1.7% |
| 2022 | $53,877 | $25.90 | +1.2% |
| 2021 | $53,231 | $25.59 | +1.0% |
Health and safety inspector jobs by state
Most common states for health and safety inspectors
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 208 | 30% |
| 2 | Vermont | 623,657 | 154 | 25% |
| 3 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,093 | 20% |
| 4 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 1,299 | 19% |
| 5 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 1,802 | 17% |
| 6 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 1,730 | 17% |
| 7 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 538 | 17% |
| 8 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 287 | 17% |
| 9 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 233 | 17% |
| 10 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 132 | 17% |
| 11 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,359 | 16% |
| 12 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 1,207 | 16% |
| 13 | Tennessee | 6,715,984 | 1,056 | 16% |
| 14 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 1,801 | 15% |
| 15 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 1,482 | 15% |
| 16 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 930 | 15% |
| 17 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 707 | 15% |
| 18 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 289 | 15% |
| 19 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 144 | 14% |
| 20 | Delaware | 961,939 | 138 | 14% |
Health And Safety Inspector job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of health and safety inspector experts
Southeastern Oklahoma State University
University of Central Missouri
University of Central Missouri
Southeastern Louisiana University
San Jose State University
IADLEST Member - International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training
NMSU/Dona Ana Community College
What will help Health And Safety Inspectors increase their earning potential?
Andy Perry MS, CSP: Ask lots of questions. There are no dumb questions. Tell people when you don’t know the answer. You can always look it up later and get back to them. Guessing or misremembering can cause problems down the road. Document any recommendations made to your employer to keep a record of things for future reference.
What general advice would you give to a Health And Safety Inspector?
Dr. Nick Nichols Professor: Obtain as many certifications as you can. Certified Safety Professionals (CSPs) are certainly in demand, but other certifications such as first responder training, confined space training, OSHA General Industry, Construction Safety and Recordkeeping certifications will make entrants more marketable to potential employers. It will also make them more flexible if they should decide to seek out new opportunities in the field. Additionally, the ability to speak fluid Spanish is more and more becoming a job requirement for many employers. As I often tell many of my advisees, "if you decide to learn the Spanish language, you will enhance your opportunities for competitive positions and salaries almost exponentially."
What Health And Safety Inspector skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Nick Nichols Professor: In my opinion, in the field of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) the first and foremost skill that both entry-level and veteran workers in the field must cultivate is the ability to get along well with people. ALL TYPES of people. From the most reluctant to participate in safety, to the most eager. Regardless of what area of the field OSH professionals choose, at some point they must deal with multiple types of personalities. Be flexible, sharpen your soft skills, and be prepared to face both negative and positive attitudes toward the field with the utmost professionalism. Beyond that, the rise of technology and social media in the field can't be ignored. From the use of drones to conduct safety inspections (both at the federal government and corporate levels) to the need to network via social media with other safety professionals, organizations, and governmental entities, entrants into the field must be technically proficient interacting with technology all along this spectrum. Additionally, proficiency with these types of technologies will enable them to successfully utilize the ever-evolving equipment a safety professional must utilize to perform the practical work they must complete effectively in the field on a regular basis.
What will help Health And Safety Inspectors increase their earning potential?
Dr. Nick Nichols Professor: Don't let salary be your only guide. Choose an area of the field that you are most interested in, and that will provide you with a positive atmosphere for growth and protecting employees (our overriding goal). The bonuses, promotions and other perks will come eventually, due to the passion you exhibit for what you do. Conversely, if you find yourself in a "bait and switch" situation (a negative motivational environment), be prepared to "warm up your resume."
Wesley Tinker
Assistant Professor of SafetyUniversity of Central Missouri
Safety Sciences
What Health And Safety Inspector skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Wesley Tinker: - In today's marketplace, the need for Safety Professionals is at an all-time high. With the ever-evolving methods and equipment across all industries, safety-related positions are being instituted to keep up with the introduction of the risks associated with the evolvement. Safety professionals impact the four quadrants of risk management involving finances, strategy, operations, and of course hazards. In previous years, the persona of duties associated with the Safety professional only impacted the hazards element but nowadays we can see how impactful they are on all four of those quadrants. With this level of involvement in the organization, the justification for a higher salary is made. Safety Professionals typically enter the field because they want to prevent people from becoming injured and/or ill but also the volume of positions along with the higher payscale than most 'fresh out of college' professions, allows for more opportunities.
Wesley Tinker
Assistant Professor of SafetyUniversity of Central Missouri
Safety Sciences
What hard/technical skills are most important for Health And Safety Inspectors?
Wesley Tinker: -Risk assessment skills are a must; without them, the individual will be lost.
-Ventilation and noise calculations as well as monitoring procedures.
-How to calibrate hazard monitoring equipment.
-Instructional skills. The safety professional spends a large portion of their days training workers to perform their tasks safely either in a classroom setting or individually on site.
-Ability to perform thorough accident investigations and provide preventative control measures based on causal factors found.
-Ability to quantitate values of risk versus controls as well as cost/benefit analysis.
-The technical uses for analytical techniques to break down analysis' in several different functions of the job duties.
-Able to apply OSHA requirements to specific site functions, i.e., secondary containment, hot works, and elevated working surfaces.
What skills will help Health And Safety Inspectors earn the most?
Wesley Tinker: -Being a well-rounded safety professional is one of the absolute most important contributions to any organization. Being able to have several skill sets will make the professional highly marketable.
-Continuing education will advance one's pay range.
-An advanced degree will increase market salary.
-Professional certifications from the Board of Certified Safety Professionals such as the GSP, CHST, SMS, ASP, CSP, and CIH.
-Overall, there must be a good mesh of personable and technical skills to be a highly successful safety professional in almost any industry.
What skills stand out on Health And Safety Inspector resumes?
Wesley Tinker: When reviewing an Occupational Health and Safety Professional resumes, specific items stand out from a viewer's standpoint.
-Whether the degree program they graduated from is ABET-accredited.
-Obtaining the Graduate Safety Practitioner (GSP) upon graduation from a qualified degree program shows that the candidate has been very well educated for the safety profession.
-The experience from their internships. Expect to be asked about their day-to-day duties while in their internship.
-Professional skills noted such as time management, customer service, technological abilities, and overall organizational skills.
-Affiliations with safety organizations as well as student chapter organizations, such as the American ---Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP).
-Limiting to a single page for a resume is important. Most entry-level safety professionals are hired knowing they do not possess all the skill sets that a seasoned safety professional might have. The average resume for most industries is viewed for approximately 6 to 7 seconds. Having high-profile information toward the top of the resume is critical if wanting to be brought in for an interview.
-Certifications in OSHA 10 and 30, CPR/First Aid, as well as CPR/First Aid Instructor certification, is a very large advantage. If one really wanted to stand out, an EMT-B license would help too.
What soft skills should all Health And Safety Inspectors possess?
Wesley Tinker: In the safety profession, one must be personable and know how to read the crowd and the individual.
-A strong work ethic is a standout for anyone, but effective multi-tasking in the safety profession will set you apart.
-As noted, time management is a professional trait all must possess to be successful in almost any industry.
Handling pressure and keeping composure under stressful situations shows your professionalism and handling most tasks presented to you.
Continuous improvement objectives so that the site safety culture is always advancing toward high worker morale and management support for what the safety professional is attempting to achieve.
Jared Reno
Undergraduate Coordinator of The Industrial and Engineering Technology DepartmentSoutheastern Louisiana University
Industrial and Engineering Technology
What soft skills should all Health And Safety Inspectors possess?
Jared Reno: In industrial and engineering technologies, I believe that the most important soft skill is critical thinking skills like designing aptitudes to fit specific needs, innovating using the resources available to your company, troubleshooting problems in equipment, logistics, and interpersonal disputes. This industry is all about solving problems in new and creative ways, and that is why I think critical thinking skills are the most important.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Health And Safety Inspectors?
Jared Reno: The most important technical skills someone needs to know is:
-One, how to read blueprints and professionally drafted plans. Our industry partners have told us that print reading is a must for all internships and part-time and full-time positions. It is expected that a college graduate of a technical field knows how to read plans
-Basic computer skills using Spreadsheets and Document formats such as Microsoft Word and Excel or Google Docs and Google Sheets. This is crucial for working in any industry but especially Engineering or Industrial practices. These are used to make procedures for safety and production. They are used to evaluate data that has been collected. They are used for organizing information for customers, employees, and manufacturers. The more you know about these programs, the easier your work life will be.
-Basic project management skills are also crucial. Even if you are not the "project manager," you need to have some skills. You need to know how to prioritize more important tasks, you need to know how to manage your time wisely, you need to know how to communicate with multiple people or groups of people.
Christine Foster
Adjunct ProfessorSan Jose State University
Industrial Systems and Engineering Department
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Health And Safety Inspector job market given the pandemic?
Christine Foster: I believe that the pandemic will continue to drive opportunities for occupational safety work within the greater healthcare market, and more specifically in hospitals and clinics as well as biotech/pharma. I also have seen an increased demand for safety professionals overall, as many aspects of the pandemic have driven home the need for safety in industries that have not typically had a focus in this area. Examples of this include food and beverage, where there have been significant outbreaks during the pandemic, and food service where there is great risk for exposure during eating and drinking activities. Regulatory changes will also continue to increase demand for occupational safety expertise.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Health And Safety Inspector job market given the pandemic?
Linsay Hale: The most glaring impact of COVID-19 on the job market is lean towards telework and virtual offices. Public safety, corrections included, is not and will not be impacted by this trend since ensuring the safety and security of a courtroom's correctional facility requires an in-person presence.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Health And Safety Inspectors in the next 3-5 years?
Linsay Hale: Law enforcement, like most job fields, is continually evolving to reflect technological advancements. I would say, again generally speaking, that transparency and accountability of those employed in police and corrections are at the forefront of the national social and political discussion, as is the safety of the men and women choosing to work in those professions and the safety of community members (whether they be incarcerated or not). As such, I suppose that any tool or technologies developed to further those initiatives will increase in popularity and prevalence.
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Health And Safety Inspectors in the next 5 years?
Linsay Hale: I don't know that a POST agency best answers this question. Our agency (Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training) is responsible for training and certifying public safety officers, to include corrections officers. But we don't hire corrections officers. While we know, through registrations into the Basic Corrections Course, that employed Oregon corrections officers are required to attend, there is always a need for qualified corrections officers. Still, I would suggest posing this question to agencies responsible for hiring those officers. The employment requirements (including what level of education is required) is at their discretion. They would also be best suited to weigh whether or not they see an increase or decrease in demand coming.
Alfred Lujan
Assistant ProfessorNMSU/Dona Ana Community College
Public Services Department, Fire Science Program
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Health And Safety Inspectors to find work opportunities?
Alfred Lujan: No, most municipalities and counties in the US have fire departments, and personnel is frequently hired due to regular attrition. Pay varies, however, depending on the area.