by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene covers Occupational Health And Industrial Hygiene. A Program That Prepares Public Health Specialists To Monitor And Evaluate Health And Related Safety Standards In Industrial, Commercial, And Government Workplaces And Facilities. Includes Instruction In Occupational Health And Safety Standards And Regulations; Health-Related Aspects Of Various Occupations And Work Environments; Health Hazard Testing And Evaluation; Test Equipment Operation And Maintenance; Industrial Toxicology; Worker Health And Safety Education; And The Analysis And Testing Of Job-Related Equipment, Behavior Practices, And Protective Devices And Procedures. Examples: [Industrial Hygiene]. Read on to learn the important information every occupational health and industrial hygiene student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering occupational health and industrial hygiene programs.
Nationwide, occupational health and industrial hygiene is a popular field of study, with 313 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene Schools ranking analyzes these 25 schools to determine the best overall colleges for occupational health and industrial hygiene students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of occupational health and industrial hygiene programs later in this article.
Coursework for Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene develop a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations occupational health and industrial hygiene graduates commonly enter.
Skills developed in a occupational health and industrial hygiene program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Per O*NET surveys, a occupational health and industrial hygiene major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several occupational health and industrial hygiene degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 77 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 231 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 5 |
People currently working in careers related to occupational health and industrial hygiene tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 33.3% |
| Doctoral degree | 22.6% |
| Post-doctoral training | 17.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 17.1% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 5.2% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 3.0% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 0.6% |
| Some college courses | 0.4% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.4% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in occupational health and industrial hygiene careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Studying occupational health and industrial hygiene opens doors to numerous career paths. Below are some of the most common occupations related to occupational health and industrial hygiene.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to occupational health and industrial hygiene.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,335,407 | 10.7% |
| Occupational Health and Safety Specialists | 72,502 | 2.7% |
| Occupational Health and Safety Technicians | 54,625 | 9.1% |
College Scorecard reports median earnings of occupational health and industrial hygiene graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $50,939 |
| 4 years | $60,432 |
| 5 years | $70,561 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for occupational health and industrial hygiene graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers occupational health and industrial hygiene grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Occupational Health and Safety Specialists | $105,544 |
| Occupational Health and Safety Technicians | $48,647 |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | $46,663 |
With 25 different occupational health and industrial hygiene programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased occupational health and industrial hygiene school rankings to help you.
Students interested in occupational health and industrial hygiene, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Public Health, General | 25,004 |
| Public Health Education and Promotion | 3,785 |
| Public Health, Other | 2,803 |
| Health Services Administration | 2,629 |
| Community Health and Preventive Medicine | 2,571 |
| International Public Health/International Health | 1,500 |
| Environmental Health | 1,269 |
| Behavioral Aspects of Health | 623 |
| Health/Medical Physics | 288 |
| Maternal and Child Health | 180 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
