Occupational Safety Degree Programs in St. Louis, MO (2026)

Quick answer: The St. Louis metro employs about 130 health and safety engineers (BLS OEWS, May 2025), and licensing is set at the state level, through BCSP and the employers you are targeting.

Licensing

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 Missouri 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 – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention. Advertising plays no part.

This page lists 3 schools within 188 miles, closest group first, then ordered by BOC Score with the highest at the top. 3 of them carry a score.

Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%

Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal about the institution rather than about this subject. Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.

#1

Washington University in St Louis

St. Louis, MO 3.6 miles away BOC Score 85.3
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 23
  • Annual completions: 596
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $95,899 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#2

University of Central Missouri

Warrensburg, MO 188.5 miles away BOC Score 54.8
Tuition $10,050 - $22,947
Contact
Key stats
  • Admission rate: 63.8%
  • Graduation rate: 51.6%
  • Programs offered: 25
  • Annual completions: 1279
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $54,054 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

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#3

Westminster College

Fulton, MO 93.3 miles away BOC Score 44.9
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 4
  • Annual completions: 1
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $51,238 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

What Health and Safety Engineers Earn in St. Louis

Health and Safety Engineers in the St. Louis area earn a median $92,350 per year, below the national median of $115,160 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Occupational Safety Pay in St. Louis, MO

MetricSt. Louis metroMissouriNational
Median annual wage$92,350$89,820$115,160
10th percentile$74,440$70,900$68,420
25th percentile$75,820$75,270$90,930
75th percentile$116,010$116,400$142,980
90th percentile$156,980$157,260$171,250
Employment13025021,450
Location quotient0.69-1.00

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the St. Louis, MO-IL metropolitan statistical area.

What the Numbers Say About This Market

The St. Louis median of $92,350 is below the national median of $115,160, and above the Missouri statewide median of $89,820 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

The metro’s location quotient of 0.69 means health and safety engineers are less 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.


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.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do health and safety engineers make in St. Louis?

The median annual wage for health and safety engineers in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area is $92,350, below the national median of $115,160 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

How many health and safety engineers work in the St. Louis area?

The St. Louis, MO-IL metro area employs about 130 health and safety engineers (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Do health and safety engineers in St. Louis 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 St. Louis?

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 St. Louis a better market than the rest of Missouri?

The St. Louis metro median is $92,350 against a statewide median of $89,820 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.

Sources

  • 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

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/.