All EHS pros are not created equal. One holds a Ph.D. and is certified as a safety professional and an industrial hygienist. Another earned his entire safety education on the shop floor, starting fresh out of high school. Both hold the title "environmental health and safety director." But what job titles conceal, salary differences reveal. EHS pay varies wildly, even among folks with the exact same title. Annual salaries range from a low of under $20,000 to a high of over $200,000, according to respondents to Industrial Safety & Hygiene News' 1997 EHS Salary Survey-the profession's only comprehensive compensation report. (We received a 29% response rate from 2,100 ISHN readers surveyed by mail-700 readers were polled from each of three job categories: industrial hygiene, safety, and environmental management). Pay differences, those who've earned their credentials will be glad to know, are mostly linked to experience, certification, and education levels.
Other demographics impact earnings, too. Male professionals average $55,900, females $49,000. By education level, median income for those without a bachelor's degree is $42,800; the median among those holding bachelor's degrees is $50,000; and middle-range income for graduate-degreed pros is $61,800. Years in the field is, not surprisingly, another factor: the median income for a pro with more than 20 years under the belt is $67,600. For newcomers with less than five years experience it's $41,000.