Quick answer:Health and Safety Engineers in the San Jose area earn a median $143,050 per year, above the national median of $115,160, and the metro employs about 160 of them (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Occupational Safety Pay in San Jose, CA
Metric
San Jose metro
California
National
Median annual wage
$143,050
$131,540
$115,160
10th percentile
$103,040
$83,210
$68,420
25th percentile
$125,270
$103,460
$90,930
75th percentile
$209,600
$161,160
$142,980
90th percentile
$282,650
$175,940
$171,250
Employment
160
2,470
21,450
Location quotient
1.03
-
1.00
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metropolitan statistical area.
What the Numbers Say About This Market
The San Jose median of $143,050 is above the national median of $115,160, and above the California statewide median of $131,540 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The metro’s location quotient of 1.03 means health and safety engineers are more concentrated here than in the average U.S. labor market (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Higher concentration generally means more employers competing for the same people, and an easier job change later.
Safety demand follows the region’s industrial base, construction volume and the concentration of employers large enough to staff a dedicated safety function.
Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. Safety practice is credential-driven rather than licensed. The certifications employers recruit against come from BCSP, principally the Associate Safety Professional and the Certified Safety Professional. The Professional Engineer path exists through an ABET-accredited degree and the NCEES sequence but is less commonly required. OSHA regulation governs the workplace rather than the individual practitioner.
See the California licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with BCSP and the employers you are targeting.
Schools Near You
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
How We Rank Schools
We first gather the schools closest to the city or state page you are viewing, then rank that
local group by BOC Score, with the highest at the top. The BOC Score is computed from federal
IPEDS and College Scorecard data; schools without enough data to score appear last.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry
25%
Average net price (lower is better)
20%
Retention rate
15%
Fully online availability
10%
Schools without enough federal outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
How much do health and safety engineers make in San Jose?
The median annual wage for health and safety engineers in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area is $143,050, above the national median of $115,160 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
How many health and safety engineers work in the San Jose area?
The San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area employs about 160 health and safety engineers (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Do health and safety engineers in San Jose need a license?
Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. Safety practice is credential-driven rather than licensed. The certifications employers recruit against come from BCSP, principally the Associate Safety Professional and the Certified Safety Professional. The Professional Engineer path exists through an ABET-accredited degree and the NCEES sequence but is less commonly required. OSHA regulation governs the workplace rather than the individual practitioner. Confirm current requirements with BCSP and the employers you are targeting.
Can I study occupational safety online from San Jose?
The academic portion of these programs is widely available online for working adults, while labs, clinical hours or supervised field work are completed in person. Check that the program's accreditation satisfies BCSP and the employers you are targeting.
Is San Jose a better market than the rest of California?
The San Jose metro median is $143,050 against a statewide median of $131,540 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Health and Safety Engineers (SOC 17-2111), national, state and metropolitan estimates
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
