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Safety Manager Education Requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a safety manager. Safety managers usually study business, occupational safety and health, or management. 55% of safety managers hold a bachelor's degree, and 22% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 18,318 real safety manager resumes to see exactly what safety manager education sections show.
The most common colleges for safety managers are the Columbia Southern University and the Columbia Southern University.
There are also many online safety manager courses to help get the education required to be a safety manager.
There are certain safety manager certifications that you should consider. These safety manager certifications include OSHA Safety Certificate and Occupational Health and Safety Technologist (OHST).
What education do you need to become a safety manager?
What degree do you need to be a safety manager?
- Bachelor's, 55%
- Associate, 22%
- Master's, 9%
- High School Diploma, 7%
- Other Degrees, 7%
What should I major in to become a safety manager?
- Business, 26%
- Management, 9%
- Criminal Justice, 6%
- Other Majors, 47%
Most common colleges for safety managers
| Safety Manager Common College | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Columbia Southern University | 25.06% |
| University of Phoenix | 12.45% |
| Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania | 5.78% |
| Murray State University | 5.19% |
| University of Central Missouri | 4.89% |
Best majors for safety managers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 26.1% |
| 2 | Occupational Safety And Health | 12.2% |
| 3 | Management | 9.0% |
| 4 | Criminal Justice | 6.2% |
| 5 | Public Health | 5.5% |
Best colleges for safety managers
The best colleges for safety managers are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.
A safety manager with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for safety managers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become safety managers.
1. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-State Tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-State Tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
4. Maine Maritime Academy
Castine, ME • Private
In-State Tuition
$13,478
Enrollment
979
5. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
6. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$7,309
Enrollment
9,142
7. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$9,808
Enrollment
13,990
8. Villanova University
Villanova, PA • Private
In-State Tuition
$53,308
Enrollment
6,819
9. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
10. Bentley University
Waltham, MA • Private
In-State Tuition
$49,880
Enrollment
4,177
20 best online courses for safety managers
Advertising Disclosure
1. OSHA Safety Training: Conducting Safety Meetings
A Brief Safety Management Course for Current and Aspiring Safety Professionals...
2. OSHA Safety Pro: Personal Protective Equipment
Impress management or get that job with you your ability to display life and dollar saving work place safety practices...
3. OSHA Safety Training: Heat Stress Management
A Workplace Safety Management Course for Current and Future Safety Professionals...
4. NEBOSH FIRE SAFETY
Managing Fire Safety in Workplace...
5. Fire Safety: Become A Fire Safety Expert
Become an expert in Fire Safety, Fire Hazards Control, Fire Evacuation Plans, and Fire Risk Assessment...
6. Occupational Health & Safety Training
Workplace Health and Safety Course For Employees & Managers...
7. ISO 22000:2018. Food Safety Management System
Understand the requirements for a food safety management system applicable for any organization in the food chain...
8. Food Safety for Managers and Supervisors
The Highfield Food Safety Level 3 syllabus presented in two hours of video tutorials. Boost your food safety knowledge...
9. Basic Fire Safety Awareness
Basic Fire Safety Awareness - Your Gateway towards Career in Fire Safety...
10. NEBOSH health and safety Management System
It Shows the Start point to Build your Health & safety Career and how to Join the field and becoming HSE Specialist...
11. Functional Safety for Safety Instrumented Systems
The most complete course available on Functional Safety. 2+ hours of videos, case studies, assignments, & more...
12. Basic Certificate in Health Safety & Environment-HSE Level 2
A comprehensive course for Safety Officers, Supervisors, Managers and Aspiring Safety Professionals...
13. ISO 45001. Occupational health & safety management system
Upgrate your health and safety career by understanding the requriements for an OH & S management system from ISO 45001...
14. Refresher course of Safety Management Systems
A quick overview for aviation managers and safety professionals about basic concepts and philosophy of SMS...
15. Fun food safety and sanitation course
The food safety course will help prepare you for safely working in a kitchen and food handler tests like Servesafe...
16. OSHA Safety Pro: Deadly Concrete Dust. Crystalline Silica.
OSHA's General, Construction, and Maritime Industries Hazard Prevention and Safety Standard...
17. Complete Health and Safety Auditor Course. OHSAS 18001.
How to implement and audit a health & safety management system and obtain certification to OHSAS 18001 Standard...
18. OSHA Workplace Safety (General Industry 6 Hr Class)
Learn the requirements and standards associated with OSHA and workplace safety. Safety best practices for the workplace...
19. OSHA Safety Pro: Trenching Excavation & Soil Mechanics
A quick yet detailed certification in OSHA safety with a focus on Trenching, Excavation, & Soil Mechanics...
20. Fire Safety and Prevention Planning
Become an expert in understanding Fire Safety and Prevention Planning for your workplaces and organizations...
Top 10 most affordable universities for safety managers
The most affordable schools for safety managers are SUNY Farmingdale, california state university - bakersfield, and baruch college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for safety managers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for safety managers.
1. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$8,306
Cost of Attendance
16,091
2. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$7,309
Cost of Attendance
16,714
3. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$7,262
Cost of Attendance
14,046
4. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$6,942
Cost of Attendance
14,469
5. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$7,240
Cost of Attendance
13,991
6. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-State Tuition
$5,620
Cost of Attendance
18,136
7. SUNY Polytechnic Institute
Utica, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$8,238
Cost of Attendance
21,567
8. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-State Tuition
$5,587
Cost of Attendance
13,043
9. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$7,488
Cost of Attendance
22,990
10. Clayton State University
Morrow, GA • Private
In-State Tuition
$5,419
Cost of Attendance
17,697
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for safety managers
The hardest universities for safety managers to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.
Some great schools for safety managers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for safety managers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions Rate
4%
SAT Average
1,497
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions Rate
8%
SAT Average
1,508
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions Rate
8%
SAT Average
1,492
4. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions Rate
22%
SAT Average
1,420
5. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions Rate
20%
SAT Average
1,419
6. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions Rate
13%
SAT Average
1,445
7. Villanova University
Villanova, PA • Private
Admissions Rate
29%
SAT Average
1,407
8. Bentley University
Waltham, MA • Private
Admissions Rate
43%
SAT Average
1,338
9. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
Admissions Rate
40%
SAT Average
1,376
10. Brandeis University
Waltham, MA • Private
Admissions Rate
31%
SAT Average
1,398
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for safety managers
The easiest schools for safety managers to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, notre dame de namur university, and holy names university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a safety manager without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for safety managers.
1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions Rate
68%
SAT Average
964
2. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions Rate
82%
SAT Average
983
3. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions Rate
70%
SAT Average
849
4. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions Rate
90%
SAT Average
994
5. LIM College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions Rate
83%
SAT Average
1,061
6. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions Rate
98%
SAT Average
999
7. Life University
Marietta, GA • Private
Admissions Rate
94%
SAT Average
979
8. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions Rate
100%
SAT Average
1,072
9. Presentation College
Aberdeen, SD • Private
Admissions Rate
97%
SAT Average
1,050
10. Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR • Private
Admissions Rate
96%
SAT Average
1,139
Average safety manager salary by education level
| Safety Manager education level | Safety Manager salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $93,583 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $78,852 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $61,277 |
Safety Manager Education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025