The Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) and the National Safety Council (NSC) have released the results of an expansive salary survey, analyzing responses from over 9,200 respondents to identify the typical salary and benefits of safety, health, and environmental (SH&E) professionals in an extensive report and online calculator.
The median base salary for full-time professionals was $98,000, with those holding at least one safety certification (CSP, SMS, ASP, OHST, CHST, STS, STSC, CIT, CIH, CHMM, CHMP, CDGP) typically earning over $20,000 more than those with none. The Certified Safety Professional® (CSP®) certification added $30,000 to the salary of a practitioner with no other credentials. Of the safety professionals surveyed, 46 percent held the CSP.
“The 2020 SH&E industry salary survey illustrates once again that safety certifications support our important professionals in demonstrating the value of their knowledge, skills, and experience,” says BCSP’s Interim CEO, Christy Uden, CAE, IOM. “To know that companies are recognizing that value makes all of us at BCSP all the more confident that a safer world is possible.”
Those looking to pursue a college degree in SH&E may also be interested in the correlation between attaining the Graduate Safety Practitioner® (GSP®), for which those attending a BCSP Qualified Academic Program (QAP) are eligible, and median salary. Of those who graduated college and had fewer than five-year’s experience, GSPs earned nearly $4,000 more.
“Our annual salary survey helps raise the profile of the safety profession, which is more important than ever given the demands placed on the safety industry as a result of the pandemic. We are grateful to have BCSP partner with the National Safety Council in support of safety professionals everywhere,” said Lorraine Martin, president and CEO of the National Safety Council.
The survey was designed by BCSP, NSC, and Minnesota-based Readex Research, a nationally recognized independent research company. Since its founding in 1947, Readex has completed thousands of surveys for clients in many markets, including associations, corporations and government.
Download the full report and use the interactive SH&E Industry Salary Survey Calculator at bcsp.org/resources/salary-survey.