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Job outlook for safety officers in the United States
Safety officer job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected safety officer job growth rate is 6% from 2018-2028.
About 7,500 new jobs for safety officers are projected over the next decade.
Safety officer salaries have increased -15% for safety officers in the last 5 years.
There are over 33,991 safety officers currently employed in the United States.
There are 68,487 active safety officer job openings in the US.
The average safety officer salary is $46,336.
Are safety officer jobs in demand?
Safety Officer job and salary trends over time
Safety Officer jobs over time
Safety Officer job growth rate over time
| Year | # Of Jobs | % Of Population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 33,991 | 0.01% |
| 2020 | 33,507 | 0.01% |
| 2019 | 37,964 | 0.01% |
| 2018 | 85,970 | 0.03% |
| 2017 | 81,021 | 0.02% |
Average safety officer salary over time
Safety Officer salary by year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $46,336 | $22.28 | +3.6% |
| 2024 | $44,727 | $21.50 | --20.3% |
| 2023 | $56,095 | $26.97 | +1.7% |
| 2022 | $55,143 | $26.51 | +1.2% |
| 2021 | $54,482 | $26.19 | +1.0% |
Safety Officer jobs by state
Most common states for safety officers
| Rank | State | Population | # of Jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 355 | 21% |
| 2 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,353 | 20% |
| 3 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,055 | 19% |
| 4 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 201 | 19% |
| 5 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 147 | 19% |
| 6 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 226 | 17% |
| 7 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 511 | 16% |
| 8 | Vermont | 623,657 | 97 | 16% |
| 9 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 906 | 15% |
| 10 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 284 | 15% |
| 11 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 132 | 15% |
| 12 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 1,469 | 14% |
| 13 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 1,444 | 14% |
| 14 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 799 | 14% |
| 15 | California | 39,536,653 | 5,157 | 13% |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 1,605 | 13% |
| 17 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 1,215 | 13% |
| 18 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 902 | 13% |
| 19 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 380 | 13% |
| 20 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 178 | 13% |
Most common cities for safety officers
| Rank | City | # of Jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cambridge | 5 | 5% | $67,833 |
| 2 | Garden City | 1 | 4% | $39,730 |
| 3 | Franklin Town | 1 | 3% | $69,036 |
| 4 | Bentonville | 1 | 2% | $37,291 |
| 5 | Medford | 1 | 2% | $67,645 |
| 6 | Evansville | 1 | 1% | $37,536 |
| 7 | Fort Myers | 1 | 1% | $38,416 |
| 8 | Lakewood | 1 | 1% | $37,215 |
| 9 | New York | 2 | 0% | $72,043 |
| 10 | Baltimore | 1 | 0% | $59,247 |
| 11 | Boston | 1 | 0% | $67,968 |
| 12 | Irvine | 1 | 0% | $49,163 |
| 13 | Los Angeles | 1 | 0% | $50,490 |
Safety Officer job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of safety officer experts
University of Central Missouri
San Jose State University
NIOSH
IADLEST Member - International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training
NMSU/Dona Ana Community College
Wesley Tinker
Assistant Professor of SafetyUniversity of Central Missouri
Safety Sciences
What general advice would you give to a Safety Officer?
Wesley Tinker: - The day-to-day duties of a Safety Professional depend on the industry they currently work in but also the level of tenure they have in the organization. There is a long list of duties but the following allow for a broad sweep across an average day. The schedule of a typical workday could start with a toolbox talk which allows for a brief 'heads-up' to a vast array of safety-related topics or issues that workers have the possibility of seeing on-site. Field audits would be another crucial duty to examine the site for new safety-related issues and to monitor controls set on previously identified hazards. Conducting pieces of training for new workers and/or updates on safety-related issues on their site. Accident investigations are one of the random unexpected duties a Safety Professional might conduct, which is important in the prevention of future injuries and illnesses. Providing good customer service toward the workers and management but also the organization's vendors is critical for nearly all aspects of that company. Customer service is closely connected to the culture of the company as the majority of industry leaders provide a 'Safety First' environment. Overall, the Safety Professional provides many attributes to the day-to-day functions of many organizations. These attributes directly impact that company's stance in the overall global marketplace.
What Safety Officer 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.
What will help Safety Officers increase their earning potential?
Wesley Tinker: - Most dislikes are typically initial as they are mostly during the time needed to adapt to the organizational structure and procedures. Desensitization to certain aspects such as public speaking and conflict resolution is needed, as those skills will assist them heavily in their future in safety. Another dislike could be the individual not enjoying the development of safety loss control programs, but these documents are the backbone to which they enforce compliance and explain all elements related to worker and infrastructure safety. - There are many more 'likes' associated with being in safety than 'dislikes'. Safety Professionals can expect a very rewarding career personally, financially, and professionally as they typically enjoy a great work/life balance, maintaining a lucrative career which the majority of organizations start them at salaries ranging from $70,000 to $95,000, and several developmental aspects associated with being an active Safety Professional.
Christine Foster
Adjunct ProfessorSan Jose State University
Industrial Systems and Engineering Department
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Safety Officer 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 skills stand out on Safety Officer resumes?
Christine Foster: From a skills perspective, I look for strong written and verbal communication skills. This includes making sure that the resume is grammatically solid and free from spelling errors. This is a first impression, and one that may make the difference between getting an interview or not. Specific experience that is important includes risk assessment/analysis, regulatory interpretation, data analysis, and project management. So much of what we do in occupational safety is assessing risk and then translating that into recommendations that are then managed to execution. Today's safety professional needs to be able to do all of these things well.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Safety Officers to find work opportunities?
Christine Foster: For geographic areas that will be best for jobs, I would say the jobs will follow the industry trends I mentioned above. Areas with a concentration of biopharma, including the Bay Area, New Jersey, Boston, North Carolina, and Seattle will likely continue to see high demand for safety professionals.
For those entering the field, consulting firms are a great place to begin a career, with many opportunities for new graduates and an ability to learn the field in a variety of industry applications.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Safety Officers?
Dr. John Howard: Recent graduates beginning a career in occupational safety and health will find the COVID-19 pandemic has brought to light the critical role of workplace safety and the health and occupational safety and health practitioners - not just in health care but in industries nationwide. Workers are the backbone of our nation that keep us moving ahead, even in the face of unprecedented threats, such as the one we face today. The importance of taking proactive steps to ensure they have the safety equipment and the training they need to perform work safely and remain healthy is clearer than ever.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Safety Officer 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 Safety Officers 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 Safety Officers 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
What type of skills will young Safety Officers need?
Alfred Lujan: Most fire departments require or prefer candidates with a current Emergency Medical Technician-Basic license at a minimum.
Many fire departments require a minimum of a Firefighter I IFSAC or Pro Board certification, and it is a prerequisite Hazardous Materials Awareness and Operations certification.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Safety Officers 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.
How do you envision technology impacting Safety Officers in the next 5 years?
Alfred Lujan: Technology advancements are prevalent in emergency services, like everywhere else. In the next five years, I envision GPS technology to play a vital role in the dispatch of and location navigation for emergency services units and personnel tracking in the hot zone. Technology will also likely play a role in improving communication and connectivity between emergency response agencies.
Things like biotelemetry, simulation training, advancements in personal protective equipment, and advances in apparatus and equipment technology will continue to evolve in making firefighters more effective and efficient.