Best states for a safety manager

Q: What is the best state for safety managers?

The best state to be a safety manager is California based on safety manager salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for safety managers?

The highest paying state for safety managers is Mississippi based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for safety managers?

The worst state for safety managers is Louisiana, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

Quoted expert

Alfred Lujan

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Are you thinking of becoming a safety manager and really want to work at United States Army Corps of Engineers? Turns out, your chances to become a safety manager are better in some states than others.Turns out, the median salary for the highest 10% of safety managers in America is $115,000.

To do that, we looked at the most recent data we have available for the following criteria -- average annual wages, and availability of jobs for safety managers.If you are currently seeking employment as a safety manager, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.

10 best states for safety managers in 2026

1. California
Total safety manager jobs: 1,083
Average annual salary: $103,946
Lowest 10 percent earn: $63,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $170,000
Location Quotient:
1.17
Safety manager jobs in California
2. Nevada
Total safety manager jobs: 76
Average annual salary: $98,032
Lowest 10 percent earn: $60,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $158,000
Location Quotient:
1.15
Safety manager jobs in Nevada
3. New Jersey
Total safety manager jobs: 277
Average annual salary: $94,488
Lowest 10 percent earn: $62,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $143,000
Location Quotient:
1.1
Safety manager jobs in New Jersey
4. District of Columbia
Total safety manager jobs: 56
Average annual salary: $99,448
Lowest 10 percent earn: $64,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $152,000
Location Quotient:
1.05
Safety manager jobs in District of Columbia
5. Michigan
Total safety manager jobs: 274
Average annual salary: $83,528
Lowest 10 percent earn: $55,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $125,000
Location Quotient:
1.12
Safety manager jobs in Michigan
6. North Dakota
Total safety manager jobs: 27
Average annual salary: $91,583
Lowest 10 percent earn: $62,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $133,000
Location Quotient:
0.92
Safety manager jobs in North Dakota
7. Connecticut
Total safety manager jobs: 115
Average annual salary: $89,630
Lowest 10 percent earn: $59,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $135,000
Location Quotient:
1.1
Safety manager jobs in Connecticut
8. Massachusetts
Total safety manager jobs: 255
Average annual salary: $95,873
Lowest 10 percent earn: $64,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $142,000
Location Quotient:
0.88
Safety manager jobs in Massachusetts
9. New Hampshire
Total safety manager jobs: 53
Average annual salary: $87,498
Lowest 10 percent earn: $59,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $128,000
Location Quotient:
0.96
Safety manager jobs in New Hampshire
10. Utah
Total safety manager jobs: 75
Average annual salary: $94,923
Lowest 10 percent earn: $61,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $146,000
Location Quotient:
0.74
Safety manager jobs in Utah

Safety manager jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a safety manager

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a safety manager

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	California	$103,946	$63,000	39,536,653	1,083
2	Nevada	$98,032	$60,000	2,998,039	76
3	New Jersey	$94,488	$62,000	9,005,644	277
4	District of Columbia	$99,448	$64,000	693,972	56
5	Michigan	$83,528	$55,000	9,962,311	274
6	North Dakota	$91,583	$62,000	755,393	27
7	Connecticut	$89,630	$59,000	3,588,184	115
8	Massachusetts	$95,873	$64,000	6,859,819	255
9	New Hampshire	$87,498	$59,000	1,342,795	53
10	Utah	$94,923	$61,000	3,101,833	75
11	Oregon	$86,921	$58,000	4,142,776	132
12	Pennsylvania	$78,302	$51,000	12,805,537	409
13	Virginia	$79,321	$50,000	8,470,020	413
14	Vermont	$88,424	$60,000	623,657	17
15	Kentucky	$73,103	$47,000	4,454,189	139
16	Ohio	$77,422	$50,000	11,658,609	289
17	West Virginia	$83,740	$54,000	1,815,857	30
18	Maryland	$76,682	$50,000	6,052,177	234
19	Washington	$82,183	$55,000	7,405,743	193
20	North Carolina	$69,683	$43,000	10,273,419	424
21	Idaho	$73,994	$48,000	1,716,943	52
22	New Mexico	$76,087	$46,000	2,088,070	52
23	Wyoming	$77,531	$52,000	579,315	12
24	New York	$77,291	$51,000	19,849,399	360
25	South Carolina	$70,812	$44,000	5,024,369	142
26	Tennessee	$65,332	$41,000	6,715,984	217
27	Alabama	$62,894	$39,000	4,874,747	176
28	Iowa	$63,255	$42,000	3,145,711	138
29	Illinois	$70,878	$47,000	12,802,023	349
30	Maine	$67,199	$46,000	1,335,907	43
31	Montana	$72,881	$48,000	1,050,493	29
32	Minnesota	$75,123	$50,000	5,576,606	113
33	Arizona	$70,123	$42,000	7,016,270	158
34	Alaska	$69,016	$53,000	739,795	27
35	Rhode Island	$68,378	$45,000	1,059,639	33
36	Indiana	$60,318	$39,000	6,666,818	225
37	Colorado	$72,051	$47,000	5,607,154	131
38	Missouri	$60,518	$39,000	6,113,532	198
39	Arkansas	$65,099	$41,000	3,004,279	66
40	Delaware	$68,268	$44,000	961,939	32
41	South Dakota	$66,322	$45,000	869,666	16
42	Texas	$64,188	$38,000	28,304,596	543
43	Florida	$53,118	$31,000	20,984,400	512
44	Georgia	$52,450	$32,000	10,429,379	340
45	Wisconsin	$59,744	$39,000	5,795,483	147
46	Kansas	$59,351	$39,000	2,913,123	78
47	Nebraska	$61,910	$41,000	1,920,076	44
48	Hawaii	$53,687	$37,000	1,427,538	27
49	Mississippi	$45,516	$28,000	2,984,100	63
50	Oklahoma	$56,625	$36,000	3,930,864	67
51	Louisiana	$47,674	$28,000	4,684,333	81

Highest paying states for safety managers

Rank	State	Avg. Safety Manager Salary
1	California	$103,946
2	Nevada	$98,032
3	New Jersey	$94,488
4	District of Columbia	$99,448
5	Michigan	$83,528
6	North Dakota	$91,583
7	Connecticut	$89,630
8	Massachusetts	$95,873
9	New Hampshire	$87,498
10	Utah	$94,923
11	Oregon	$86,921
12	Pennsylvania	$78,302
13	Virginia	$79,321
14	Vermont	$88,424
15	Kentucky	$73,103
16	Ohio	$77,422
17	West Virginia	$83,740
18	Maryland	$76,682
19	Washington	$82,183
20	North Carolina	$69,683
21	Idaho	$73,994
22	New Mexico	$76,087
23	Wyoming	$77,531
24	New York	$77,291
25	South Carolina	$70,812
26	Tennessee	$65,332
27	Alabama	$62,894
28	Iowa	$63,255
29	Illinois	$70,878
30	Maine	$67,199
31	Montana	$72,881
32	Minnesota	$75,123
33	Arizona	$70,123
34	Alaska	$69,016
35	Rhode Island	$68,378
36	Indiana	$60,318
37	Colorado	$72,051
38	Missouri	$60,518
39	Arkansas	$65,099
40	Delaware	$68,268
41	South Dakota	$66,322
42	Texas	$64,188
43	Florida	$53,118
44	Georgia	$52,450
45	Wisconsin	$59,744
46	Kansas	$59,351
47	Nebraska	$61,910
48	Hawaii	$53,687
49	Mississippi	$45,516
50	Oklahoma	$56,625
51	Louisiana	$47,674

Expert opinions on the best states for safety managers

Are there any particularly good places in the United States for safety managers to find work opportunities?
Alfred Lujan
Assistant Professor, NMSU/Dona Ana Community College
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.

Safety manager best states FAQs

What is the best state for safety managers?

What is the highest paying state for safety managers?

What is the worst state for safety managers?

Have more questions? See all answers to common architecture and engineering questions.

Search for safety manager jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse architecture and engineering jobs

Total safety manager jobs:	1,083
Average annual salary:	$103,946
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$63,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$170,000
Location Quotient:	1.17

Best states for a safety manager

10 best states for safety managers in 2026

1. California

2. Nevada

3. New Jersey

4. District of Columbia

5. Michigan

6. North Dakota

7. Connecticut

8. Massachusetts

9. New Hampshire

10. Utah