Health and safety engineers design and implement systems that protect workers, consumers, and the environment from potential hazards. They earn a median salary of $109,660 and work in manufacturing, construction, consulting, and government sectors. You'll need a bachelor's degree in engineering-typically mechanical, industrial, chemical, or environmental-from an ABET-accredited program to start your career.
Every workplace has risks. Whether it's a factory floor, a construction site, or an office building, keeping people safe isn't just a priority-it's a legal requirement. That's where health and safety engineers come in. They don't just respond to accidents after they happen. They work proactively to prevent them, designing systems, processes, and equipment that minimize hazards before anyone gets hurt.
If you're drawn to problem-solving, have a knack for seeing potential risks others might miss, and want a career that directly protects human life, health, and safety engineering could be your path. Let's explore what these professionals actually do, what you'll need to break into the field, and what kind of career you can build.
What Does a Health and Safety Engineer Do?
Core Responsibilities
Health and safety engineers bridge the gap between engineering expertise and workplace protection. They apply knowledge of industrial processes, mechanics, chemistry, psychology, and occupational safety laws to create safer work environments and products. Here's what that looks like in practice:
They identify potential hazards in workplaces, manufacturing processes, or consumer products. This means conducting thorough risk assessments, analyzing accident data, and staying ahead of emerging safety concerns. When they spot a problem, they don't just flag it-they engineer solutions.
Design work makes up a significant portion of their responsibilities. They develop safety systems and protocols, specify protective equipment requirements, and integrate safety features into manufacturing processes. If a factory needs better ventilation to protect workers from chemical exposure, or a construction site needs fall protection systems, health and safety engineers figure out exactly what's needed and how to implement it.
They also ensure regulatory compliance. Health and safety laws are complex and constantly evolving. These engineers stay current on OSHA regulations, EPA requirements, and industry-specific safety standards. They conduct audits, prepare documentation for regulatory agencies, and help companies avoid costly violations while keeping workers safe.
Collaboration and Consulting Work
Health and safety engineers don't work in isolation. They collaborate closely with health and safety managers who oversee day-to-day safety operations, and with health and safety trainers who educate workers on proper procedures.
When new equipment is installed or processes change, they're on the ground explaining how the safety systems they designed actually work. They train staff, provide technical guidance, and troubleshoot when issues arise. This hands-on consulting ensures that well-designed systems translate into actual protection for workers.
Maintenance and continuous improvement are ongoing responsibilities. Safety systems aren't "set it and forget it" solutions. These engineers regularly inspect equipment, replace or upgrade devices as needed, and evaluate whether existing measures still meet current standards. As technology advances or new hazards emerge, they adapt their approaches.
Where Does a Health and Safety Engineer Work?
The majority of health and safety engineers find employment in industries where physical hazards are inherent to operations. Your background and specialization will largely determine which sector offers the best fit.
Manufacturing and Industrial Settings
Manufacturing employs the largest share of health and safety engineers. In these environments, you might work directly on production floors, ensuring machinery is properly guarded, chemical exposure is minimized, and ergonomic hazards are addressed. Or you could work in research and development, ensuring new products meet safety standards before they reach consumers.
Chemical manufacturing facilities offer particularly specialized opportunities. Working with potentially hazardous materials requires engineers who understand both the chemistry and the engineering controls needed to protect workers and surrounding communities.
Construction and Building Sites
About 21% of health and safety engineers work in construction. This sector brings unique challenges-temporary work sites, changing conditions, multiple contractors working simultaneously, and inherently dangerous activities like working at heights or with heavy equipment. Engineers in construction focus on fall protection, excavation safety, equipment operation protocols, and site-specific hazard analysis. You'll split time between the office (planning, designing systems, specifying equipment) and actual construction sites (conducting inspections, overseeing installations, training workers).
Government and Public Sector
Approximately 10% of health and safety engineers work for state and local governments. Government roles involve designing safety systems for public buildings, schools, transportation infrastructure, and other facilities that serve communities. You might work on ensuring courthouse security systems meet standards, that public schools have appropriate emergency evacuation plans and equipment, or that water treatment facilities protect both workers and public health.
These positions often offer more regular hours and strong job security compared to private sector roles, though salaries tend to be lower than in manufacturing or consulting.
Consulting and Engineering Services
Engineering consulting firms and specialized technical consulting services employ about 18% of health and safety engineers combined. Consulting offers variety-you'll work with multiple clients across different industries, tackling diverse safety challenges. One month you might be evaluating hazards at a food processing plant, the next assessing risks at a university research laboratory.
Independent consultants and small firms are increasingly common as businesses look to reduce costs by hiring safety expertise on a project basis rather than maintaining full-time staff. This trend creates opportunities for experienced engineers to build consulting practices.
Regardless of sector, expect to split your time between office work (analysis, design, documentation) and field work (site visits, inspections, training). Most health and safety engineers work standard business hours, though emergency situations or project deadlines may occasionally require extended hours.
Health and Safety Engineer Salary
Health and safety engineers are well-compensated for their expertise. As of May 2024, the median annual wage was $109,660 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That means half of all health and safety engineers earned more than this amount, and half earned less.
Pay varies considerably based on experience, industry, and location. The lowest 10% of earners made around $62,190, while the highest 10% earned $160,600 or more. Engineers working in petroleum and coal products manufacturing, oil and gas extraction, and scientific research tend to command the highest salaries.
| Industry Sector | Mean Annual Wage (2023) | Typical Employers |
|---|---|---|
| Chemical Manufacturing | $130,550 | Chemical plants, pharmaceutical manufacturers |
| State Government | $116,490 | State agencies, public institutions |
| Engineering Services | $110,480 | Consulting firms, technical services |
| Management Consulting | $110,390 | Safety consulting firms, advisory services |
| Local Government | $74,090 | Municipal agencies, local public works |
Geographic Salary Variations
Location significantly impacts earning potential. California offers the highest average salaries at $128,560, followed by Louisiana ($127,030) and Alaska ($124,880). High-paying metropolitan areas include San Jose, California ($146,280), Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, California ($145,040), and Las Vegas, Nevada ($142,870).
Cost of living is an important consideration. While California salaries are higher, so are housing costs and taxes. Texas, with an average salary of $117,000 and no state income tax, might offer better purchasing power than higher-paying coastal markets. Similarly, states like Oklahoma, Alabama, and West Virginia employ significant numbers of health and safety engineers at salaries that go further in lower cost-of-living areas.
Total Compensation Considerations
Base salary tells only part of the compensation story. Most health and safety engineers receive comprehensive benefits packages including health insurance, retirement contributions (often with employer matching), paid time off, and professional development support. Government positions typically offer particularly strong retirement benefits and job security, which can offset somewhat lower salaries.
Some industries offer performance bonuses or profit-sharing. Consulting firms might provide project completion bonuses. Engineers who achieve professional licensure or advanced certifications often see corresponding pay increases.
Education Requirements for Health and Safety Engineers
Breaking into health and safety engineering requires at a minimum a bachelor's degree in engineering or a closely related field. Here's what you need to know about educational pathways and requirements.
Bachelor's Degree Programs
Most health and safety engineers hold bachelor's degrees in traditional engineering disciplines-mechanical engineering, industrial engineering, chemical engineering, civil engineering, or environmental engineering. Some universities offer dedicated occupational safety and health engineering programs, though these are less common.
Industrial hygiene programs can serve as suitable alternatives, particularly if they include strong engineering coursework. The key is ensuring your program provides a solid grounding in engineering principles-mechanics, thermodynamics, materials science-alongside safety-specific content.
Accreditation matters significantly. Employers strongly prefer (and many require) degrees from ABET-accredited programs. ABET accreditation ensures programs meet industry-recognized quality standards for engineering education. Before committing to any program, verify its ABET accreditation status.
Strong undergraduate preparation in mathematics and hard sciences is essential. You should enter college with solid grades in calculus, physics, chemistry, and biology. Once enrolled, you'll build on this foundation with advanced coursework in engineering mechanics, fluid dynamics, thermodynamics, and materials science.
Practical experience during your degree significantly improves job prospects. Look for programs offering cooperative education (co-op) opportunities or robust internship programs. These experiences let you apply classroom knowledge to real workplace safety challenges, build professional networks, and often lead directly to job offers upon graduation.
Master's Degree Advantages
A master's degree isn't mandatory for entry-level positions, but it opens doors to more complex projects, management roles, and higher salaries. Master's programs in occupational safety, safety engineering, industrial hygiene, or related fields provide advanced knowledge in risk assessment, ergonomics, toxicology, and safety management systems.
Consider pursuing a master's degree if you're interested in working on particularly complex safety challenges, managing large safety programs, or eventually moving into executive safety leadership roles. It's also valuable if you're in a competitive job market or want to specialize in a particular industry sector.
Many engineers pursue master's degrees part-time while working, often with employer support. This allows you to immediately apply what you're learning while advancing your career.
Doctoral Programs and Research
Doctoral degrees are rare in this field and primarily relevant if you're interested in academic research, university teaching, or leading research and development efforts for major corporations or government agencies. PhD programs focus on advancing safety science through original research in areas like human factors, safety modeling, or emerging hazard identification.
Skills and Competencies
Technical knowledge alone won't make you an effective health and safety engineer. The role demands a combination of engineering expertise, analytical thinking, and strong interpersonal abilities.
Technical Skills Required
You'll need strong computer skills for safety analysis software, data analysis tools, CAD programs for designing safety systems, and standard office productivity software for documentation and reporting. Familiarity with statistical analysis is valuable for evaluating incident trends and risk probabilities.
Deep knowledge of applicable regulations is non-negotiable. You must stay current on OSHA standards, EPA requirements, NFPA codes, and industry-specific safety regulations. Understanding how to interpret and apply these standards to specific situations is crucial.
Technical communication abilities matter tremendously. You'll write detailed reports, create safety procedures and work instructions, develop training materials, and prepare documentation for regulatory compliance. All of this must be clear, accurate, and usable by people who may not have engineering backgrounds.
Soft Skills and Professional Competencies
Problem-solving and critical thinking are daily requirements. When you identify a safety hazard, you must evaluate multiple potential solutions, consider costs and feasibility, and determine the most effective approach. You'll often need to be creative-standard solutions don't fit every situation.
Strong interpersonal and communication skills are essential. You'll explain complex safety concepts to workers who may have limited technical education. You'll need to persuade management to invest in safety improvements, sometimes in the face of resistance about costs. You'll collaborate with engineers from other disciplines, production managers, and frontline workers.
Attention to detail can literally save lives. Missing a potential hazard during an assessment, making an error in safety system specifications, or overlooking a regulatory requirement can have severe consequences. Successful health and safety engineers are thorough, methodical, and careful in their work.
Leadership and influence abilities grow in importance as you advance. You'll need to mentor junior engineers, lead safety committees, champion safety culture improvements, and guide organizational decision-making toward safer practices-often without direct authority over the people you're trying to influence.
Licensure and Certification
While not always mandatory, professional credentials can significantly enhance your career prospects and earning potential.
Professional Engineer (PE) License
The Professional Engineer license isn't universally required for health and safety engineers, but it carries weight-particularly if you're doing design work, consulting independently, or working on public projects. The PE demonstrates that you've met rigorous standards for engineering competence.
Obtaining a PE license involves several steps. First, you must graduate from an ABET-accredited program. Then you pass the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam, typically taken during your final year of college or shortly after graduation. After gaining at least four years of professional experience under a licensed engineer, you're eligible to take the Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exam in your discipline.
Requirements vary by state, and not all states offer a PE exam specifically in safety engineering. Many health and safety engineers pursue PE licensure in their undergraduate discipline (mechanical, chemical, industrial, etc.). This provides professional credibility even if your day-to-day work focuses on safety applications.
Certified Safety Professional (CSP)
The Certified Safety Professional credential, offered by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals, is highly respected in the field. Unlike the PE, which focuses on engineering competence, the CSP demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of safety practice, risk management, and safety management systems.
CSP requirements include a bachelor's degree in engineering or a safety-related field plus four years of professional safety experience (more experience required if your degree isn't in engineering or safety). You must pass two examinations covering safety fundamentals and advanced practice topics.
Many employers prefer or require CSP certification for senior safety positions. It's particularly valuable if you're working in consulting, aspiring to safety management roles, or want to establish yourself as a recognized safety professional beyond just your engineering background.
State-Specific Requirements
Some states have additional requirements for anyone practicing engineering, even if you're not stamping and sealing design documents. Be sure to check requirements in your state. Some states require industrial exemptions or engineering firm registration even for safety engineers who aren't providing traditional engineering design services.
Continuing education is important regardless of formal requirements. Safety regulations evolve, new hazards emerge, and best practices advance. Professional organizations offer training, conferences, and resources to help you stay current.
Career Path and Progression
Health and safety engineering offers clear advancement opportunities as you gain experience and demonstrate your capabilities.
Entry-Level Positions (0-3 Years)
New graduates typically start as junior health and safety engineers or safety engineers. In these roles, you'll work under the supervision of experienced engineers, conducting safety inspections, assisting with hazard assessments, helping implement safety programs, and learning how safety theory translates into practice.
Your first few years focus on building practical experience and technical knowledge. You'll learn your company's or clients' specific operations, develop proficiency with assessment tools and methodologies, and begin to understand how different industries approach safety challenges.
This is also when you should be working toward professional credentials-preparing for and taking the FE exam, gaining experience that counts toward your PE license, and beginning to accumulate the experience hours needed for CSP certification.
Mid-Career Advancement (3-7 Years)
With experience, you'll take on more independence and responsibility. You might lead specific safety projects, manage the implementation of safety improvements, conduct complex hazard analyses with minimal supervision, and begin training or mentoring newer engineers.
Many engineers at this stage obtain their PE license and potentially their CSP certification. These credentials open doors to more advanced positions and higher pay. You might also begin specializing in particular industry sectors (manufacturing, construction, healthcare) or specific hazard types (chemical safety, ergonomics, fire safety).
Mid-career engineers often face a decision point: continue developing deep technical expertise or begin moving toward management roles. Both paths offer rewarding careers, but they require different skill development.
Senior and Management Roles (7+ Years)
Senior health and safety engineers manage major projects, oversee multiple junior engineers, develop comprehensive safety strategies for organizations, and serve as technical experts for their companies or clients. You might lead company-wide safety initiatives, represent your organization with regulatory agencies, or manage multi-site safety programs.
Management positions include titles like Safety Manager, Health and Safety Manager, Director of Environmental Health and Safety, or Vice President of Safety. In these roles, you'll develop departmental budgets, make strategic decisions about safety investments, build and lead teams, and report directly to executive leadership.
Some experienced engineers transition into consulting, either joining established firms or starting their own practices. Consulting offers variety, the potential for higher income, and the satisfaction of solving diverse safety challenges. However, it also brings business development responsibilities and less predictable income, especially when you're starting out.
Throughout your career, continuous learning is essential. Attend professional conferences, pursue additional certifications, stay current on emerging regulations and technologies, and consider teaching or writing to establish yourself as a thought leader in your area of expertise.
Job Outlook and Demand
Employment of health and safety engineers is projected to grow 4% from 2022 to 2032, which BLS classifies as about as fast as the average for all occupations. This translates to approximately 1,300 annual job openings expected from growth and replacements over the decade. Many of these openings will come from engineers transferring to other occupations or retiring, rather than from pure job growth.
Several factors drive continued demand for health and safety engineers. Workplace safety has become increasingly important to organizations-not just as a moral imperative, but as a business necessity. Accidents cost companies money through workers' compensation claims, lost productivity, damaged equipment, regulatory fines, and increased insurance premiums. Investing in safety engineering often provides substantial returns.
Evolving regulations create ongoing needs. As understanding of workplace hazards improves and new technologies emerge, regulatory agencies update standards. Companies need safety engineers to help them achieve compliance and avoid penalties.
Emerging technologies bring new safety challenges. Automation, robotics, additive manufacturing, and other advanced manufacturing technologies introduce hazards that require engineering solutions. Similarly, the green energy transition-solar installations, wind farms, battery manufacturing-creates demands for safety engineering expertise in relatively new industries.
Public awareness and expectations around workplace safety have never been higher. High-profile workplace accidents generate intense scrutiny and regulatory action. Companies face reputational risks from safety failures that can affect customer loyalty, employee recruitment, and investor confidence. This environment supports sustained demand for safety engineering expertise.
One trend that may affect traditional employment is the increased use of consulting services. Rather than maintaining a full-time safety engineering staff, some smaller companies contract with consultants for periodic assessments and projects. This shift creates opportunities in consulting but may slightly reduce traditional employment positions at small and mid-sized companies.
Health & Safety Engineering - Related Degrees
Professional Organizations and Resources
Professional organizations provide invaluable support throughout your career-networking opportunities, continuing education, technical resources, and advocacy for the profession.
The American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP), formerly the American Society of Safety Engineers, is the oldest and most prominent safety professional organization in the United States. ASSP offers extensive professional development resources, publishes technical journals and standards, hosts conferences and educational events, and provides networking opportunities through local chapters. Membership gives you access to technical practice specialties, mentoring programs, and resources to support credential attainment.
The Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) administers the CSP certification and other safety credentials. While primarily a certifying body rather than a membership organization, BCSP provides resources for credential candidates and maintains standards for safety practice.
The International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE) focuses broadly on systems engineering but includes safety engineering within its scope. INCOSE is particularly valuable if you're working on complex systems where safety engineering integrates with broader systems engineering approaches.
The National Safety Council provides safety training, data and research, and advocacy. While not specifically for engineers, the NSC offers resources that health and safety engineers frequently use.
The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) focuses on industrial hygiene but has significant overlap with safety engineering, particularly in areas like exposure assessment, ventilation, and chemical safety. Many health and safety engineers maintain membership in both ASSP and AIHA.
State-specific organizations also exist in many areas, often affiliated with national organizations. These provide local networking, training opportunities, and a professional community.
Participation in professional organizations shouldn't be passive. Attend conferences, volunteer for committees, contribute to technical publications, and engage with local chapters. Active involvement accelerates your professional development and expands your network far beyond what's possible in your immediate work environment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a Professional Engineer (PE) license to work as a health and safety engineer?
A PE license isn't universally required, but it enhances your credentials and opens additional opportunities, particularly in consulting or roles involving engineering design work. Requirements vary by state and employer. Many health and safety engineers pursue PE licensure in their undergraduate engineering discipline (mechanical, chemical, industrial, etc.) even if they don't strictly need it, as it demonstrates professional competence and commitment to the field.
What's the difference between a health and safety engineer and a health and safety manager?
Health and safety engineers apply engineering principles to design safety systems, conduct technical risk assessments, and develop engineered solutions to workplace hazards. They focus on the "how" of making workplaces safer through technical interventions. Health and safety managers oversee the day-to-day implementation and administration of safety programs, manage safety staff, ensure regulatory compliance, and handle incident investigations. Many safety managers have engineering backgrounds, and some positions combine both engineering and management responsibilities, particularly in smaller organizations.
Can I become a health and safety engineer with any type of engineering degree?
Yes, though some disciplines provide better preparation than others. Mechanical, industrial, chemical, civil, and environmental engineering degrees all offer strong foundations for safety engineering careers. The key is graduating from an ABET-accredited program and developing knowledge of safety principles, either through electives during your degree or through early career experience and professional development. Some universities offer dedicated occupational safety and health engineering programs, but these are less common and not necessary for entry into the field.
Which industries hire the most health and safety engineers?
Manufacturing is the largest employer of health and safety engineers, particularly in chemical manufacturing and heavy industry. Construction comes next, employing about 21% of safety engineers. Government agencies (state and local) employ approximately 10%. Engineering consulting firms and management consulting services employ about 18% combined. Oil and gas, utilities, aerospace, and healthcare also hire significant numbers of health and safety engineers.
Is a master's degree required for health and safety engineers?
No, a bachelor's degree is sufficient for most entry-level positions. However, a master's degree in occupational safety, industrial hygiene, or a related field can accelerate career advancement, qualify you for more complex technical roles, and increase earning potential. Many engineers pursue master's degrees part-time after gaining some work experience, often with employer support. A master's becomes more valuable as you move into senior technical roles or management positions.
What certifications should I pursue besides a PE license?
The Certified Safety Professional (CSP) credential from the Board of Certified Safety Professionals is the most widely recognized safety certification. It's particularly valuable for career advancement and is required or strongly preferred by many employers for senior positions. Other valuable certifications include Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) if you work extensively with exposure assessment and control, Associate Safety Professional (ASP) as a stepping stone to CSP, and various specialized certifications in areas like construction safety, ergonomics, or specific hazard types, depending on your industry focus.
How long does it take to become a fully established health and safety engineer?
Plan on 4 years for your bachelor's degree, then 4-6 years of professional experience to become well-established in the field. During those early career years, you'll work toward professional credentials-the FE exam immediately after graduation, the PE exam after 4 years of experience, and the CSP certification, which also requires 4 years of relevant experience. By 6-8 years post-graduation, most engineers have obtained key credentials, developed specialization in specific industries or hazard types, and moved beyond entry-level roles.
Key Takeaways
- Proactive Protection: Health and safety engineers design systems and processes to prevent workplace accidents and injuries before they occur, applying engineering principles to minimize hazards in manufacturing, construction, government, and consulting sectors.
- Strong Earning Potential: The median salary of $109,660 (May 2024) reflects the specialized expertise required, with experienced engineers in high-paying industries like chemical manufacturing and oil and gas earning well over $130,000 annually.
- Education Requirements: You'll need a bachelor's degree in engineering from an ABET-accredited program-mechanical, industrial, chemical, civil, or environmental engineering all provide suitable foundations, with practical experience through co-ops or internships significantly improving job prospects.
- Professional Credentials Matter: While not always mandatory, the Professional Engineer (PE) license and Certified Safety Professional (CSP) credential substantially enhance career opportunities, earning potential, and professional credibility, particularly for senior roles and consulting positions.
- Clear Career Progression: The field offers well-defined advancement from junior engineer to senior technical specialist or management roles, with opportunities to specialize in specific industries or hazard types and potential transitions into independent consulting.
- Steady Job Growth: Projected 4% employment growth through 2032, with approximately 1,300 annual openings, reflects sustained demand driven by regulatory requirements, emerging technologies, heightened public awareness of workplace safety, and organizational recognition of safety's business value.
Ready to start your career protecting workers and saving lives through engineering? Explore ABET-accredited engineering programs that will prepare you for a career in health and safety engineering.
2024 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary and job growth figures for health and safety engineers reflect national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed January 2026.
