U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsPromote worksite or product safety by applying knowledge of industrial processes, mechanics, chemistry, psychology, and industrial health and safety laws. Includes industrial product safety engineers.
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:
| Employment (1) | Employment RSE (3) |
Mean hourly wage |
Mean annual wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23,170 | 2.1 % | $37.76 | $78,540 | 0.6 % |
Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:
| Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% (Median) |
75% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly Wage | $21.57 | $28.29 | $36.28 | $46.49 | $56.06 |
| Annual Wage (2) | $44,860 | $58,840 | $75,470 | $96,700 | $116,610 |
Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidential Building Construction | 2,460 | 0.38 | $35.73 | $74,310 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | 1,760 | 0.17 | $37.02 | $76,990 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | 1,630 | 0.13 | $40.57 | $84,380 |
| State Government (OES Designation) | 1,270 | 0.06 | $38.55 | $80,190 |
| Local Government (OES Designation) | 1,090 | 0.02 | $33.74 | $70,190 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other Pipeline Transportation | 50 | 0.72 | $38.03 | $79,100 |
| Basic Chemical Manufacturing | 740 | 0.52 | $40.73 | $84,720 |
| Resin, Synthetic Rubber, and Artificial Synthetic Fibers and Filaments Manufacturing | 350 | 0.40 | $41.68 | $86,690 |
| Nonresidential Building Construction | 2,460 | 0.38 | $35.73 | $74,310 |
| Waste Treatment and Disposal | 350 | 0.36 | $37.83 | $78,690 |
Top paying industries for this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil and Gas Extraction | 190 | 0.12 | $48.96 | $101,840 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) | 750 | 0.04 | $48.61 | $101,100 |
| Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers | (8) | (8) | $44.24 | $92,030 |
| Natural Gas Distribution | 150 | 0.14 | $43.81 | $91,120 |
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | 230 | 0.06 | $43.37 | $90,220 |
States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
States with the highest employment level in this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 2,420 | 0.17 | 0.95 | $42.35 | $88,090 |
| Texas | 2,240 | 0.22 | 1.20 | $41.17 | $85,630 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,350 | 0.24 | 1.35 | $31.88 | $66,320 |
| New York | 1,250 | 0.15 | 0.82 | $40.70 | $84,660 |
| Florida | 1,110 | 0.16 | 0.86 | $31.46 | $65,430 |
States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 190 | 0.60 | 3.33 | $49.76 | $103,500 |
| Idaho | 280 | 0.47 | 2.59 | $39.61 | $82,380 |
| Louisiana | 660 | 0.36 | 1.99 | $29.28 | $60,890 |
| West Virginia | 240 | 0.35 | 1.92 | $32.84 | $68,310 |
| Rhode Island | 150 | 0.34 | 1.86 | $40.43 | $84,090 |
Top paying States for this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 190 | 0.60 | 3.33 | $49.76 | $103,500 |
| New Jersey | 590 | 0.16 | 0.87 | $46.38 | $96,470 |
| District of Columbia | 90 | 0.13 | 0.74 | $44.52 | $92,600 |
| Massachusetts | 570 | 0.18 | 1.00 | $44.13 | $91,780 |
| Washington | 600 | 0.22 | 1.21 | $43.00 | $89,440 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX | 1,070 | 0.42 | 2.32 | $42.96 | $89,360 |
| New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division | 760 | 0.15 | 0.83 | $43.07 | $89,580 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA | 650 | 0.29 | 1.62 | $35.58 | $74,000 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division | 590 | 0.16 | 0.86 | $42.60 | $88,610 |
| Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division | 590 | 0.32 | 1.79 | $30.75 | $63,970 |
| Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, CO | 410 | 0.34 | 1.89 | $38.25 | $79,560 |
| Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division | 390 | 0.19 | 1.05 | $40.12 | $83,460 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA NECTA Division | 350 | 0.21 | 1.14 | $44.07 | $91,670 |
| Oakland-Fremont-Hayward, CA Metropolitan Division | 350 | 0.36 | 2.01 | $41.08 | $85,440 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale, AZ | 310 | 0.18 | 1.00 | $37.49 | $77,980 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kennewick-Pasco-Richland, WA | 290 | 2.96 | 16.39 | $45.41 | $94,460 |
| Idaho Falls, ID | 70 | 1.40 | 7.73 | $48.23 | $100,310 |
| Lewiston, ID-WA | 30 | 1.28 | 7.10 | $21.60 | $44,920 |
| Lafayette, LA | 150 | 1.04 | 5.74 | $19.83 | $41,260 |
| Peoria, IL | 150 | 0.87 | 4.81 | $34.98 | $72,760 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | 130 | 0.81 | 4.47 | $37.08 | $77,130 |
| Decatur, AL | 40 | 0.76 | 4.18 | $43.88 | $91,270 |
| Anchorage, AK | 110 | 0.68 | 3.74 | $49.70 | $103,380 |
| Morgantown, WV | 40 | 0.66 | 3.67 | $41.34 | $86,000 |
| Parkersburg-Marietta-Vienna, WV-OH | 40 | 0.62 | 3.42 | $40.67 | $84,590 |
Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OH | 150 | 0.16 | 0.90 | $56.68 | $117,900 |
| Newark-Union, NJ-PA Metropolitan Division | 250 | 0.26 | 1.45 | $53.37 | $111,020 |
| Victoria, TX | (8) | (8) | (8) | $52.04 | $108,230 |
| Anchorage, AK | 110 | 0.68 | 3.74 | $49.70 | $103,380 |
| Huntsville, AL | 90 | 0.43 | 2.40 | $48.46 | $100,800 |
| Idaho Falls, ID | 70 | 1.40 | 7.73 | $48.23 | $100,310 |
| Sacramento--Arden-Arcade--Roseville, CA | 260 | 0.32 | 1.80 | $46.31 | $96,330 |
| San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, CA Metropolitan Division | 140 | 0.15 | 0.83 | $46.01 | $95,710 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 160 | 0.18 | 1.01 | $45.76 | $95,180 |
| Kennewick-Pasco-Richland, WA | 290 | 2.96 | 16.39 | $45.41 | $94,460 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Idaho nonmetropolitan area | 70 | 1.47 | 8.15 | $46.91 | $97,570 |
| Railbelt / Southwest Alaska nonmetropolitan area | 60 | 0.87 | 4.80 | $51.53 | $107,180 |
| Los Alamos County, New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | 60 | 3.71 | 20.57 | $42.98 | $89,400 |
| West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | 60 | 0.38 | 2.08 | $37.32 | $77,620 |
| West Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | 50 | 0.32 | 1.79 | $25.70 | $53,460 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Alamos County, New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | 60 | 3.71 | 20.57 | $42.98 | $89,400 |
| East Idaho nonmetropolitan area | 70 | 1.47 | 8.15 | $46.91 | $97,570 |
| Railbelt / Southwest Alaska nonmetropolitan area | 60 | 0.87 | 4.80 | $51.53 | $107,180 |
| Lower Savannah South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | 30 | 0.60 | 3.34 | $26.26 | $54,630 |
| Northwestern Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | 40 | 0.38 | 2.11 | $31.30 | $65,100 |
Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Railbelt / Southwest Alaska nonmetropolitan area | 60 | 0.87 | 4.80 | $51.53 | $107,180 |
| East Idaho nonmetropolitan area | 70 | 1.47 | 8.15 | $46.91 | $97,570 |
| Los Alamos County, New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | 60 | 3.71 | 20.57 | $42.98 | $89,400 |
| Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area | 50 | 0.25 | 1.39 | $42.34 | $88,080 |
| Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | 40 | 0.19 | 1.03 | $37.94 | $78,920 |
These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.
The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.
(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.
(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly mean wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.
(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.
(8) Estimate not released.
(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.
Other OES estimates and related information:
May 2011 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2011 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2011 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2011 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
List of Occupations in SOC Code Number Order
List of Occupations in Alphabetical Order
Download May 2011 Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates in Zipped XLS files
Last Modified Date: March 27, 2012
