How much does a HSE Specialist make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a HSE Specialist in the United States is $103,719 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $50.

However, a HSE Specialist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $125,380
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $95,877 to $115,057
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $88,737

Key Factors That Influence HSE Specialist Salaries

A HSE Specialist's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects HSE Specialist Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a HSE Specialist's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $71,203
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $85,216
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $102,885
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $125,823
  • Expert (over 8 years): $153,632
Levels Salary
Environme... Level HSE Specialist$71,203
Environme... Level HSE Specialist$85,216
HSE Speci... Level HSE Specialist$102,885
Environme... Level HSE Specialist$125,823
Environme... Level HSE Specialist$153,632

Top Paying Cities for HSE Specialists

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $130,821
  • San Francisco: $129,388
  • Oakland: $126,662

What Skills Can Increase a HSE Specialist's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 9.31% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Safety Engineering (Mentioned in 2.23% Job Postings): Integrating safety practices in engineering design and development to prevent accidents and reduce the opportunities for human error.
  • Electrical Engineering (Mentioned in 1.52% Job Postings): Electrical engineering is a technical discipline concerned with the study, design and application of equipment, devices and systems which use electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism. It emerged as an identified activity in the latter half of the 19th century after commercialization of the electric telegraph, the telephone, and electrical power generation, distribution and use. Electrical engineering is now divided into a wide range of fields including, computer engineering, power engineering, telecommunications, radio-frequency engineering, signal processing, instrumentation, and electronics. Many of these disciplines overlap with other engineering branches, spanning a huge number of specializations including hardware engineering, power electronics, electromagnetics and waves, microwave engineering, nanotechnology, electrochemistry, renewable energies, mechatronics, and electrical materials science. See glossary of electrical and electronics engineering.
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 9.31%
Safety Engineering 2.23%
Electrical Engineering 1.52%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a HSE Specialist's salary.

  • Computer Engineering: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Public Service: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • System Design: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Computer Engineering $110,979
7%
Public Service $110,979
7%
System Design $108,905
5%

HSE Specialist Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For HSE Specialist roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 60% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Biotechnology and Pharmaceuticals sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average. In contrast, HSE Specialist positions in Transportation or Retail & Wholesale typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view HSE Specialist as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a HSE Specialist

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Biotechnology$134,835$65.030%
Pharmaceuticals$134,835$65.030%
Software & Networking$124,463$60.020%
Energy & Utilities$119,277$57.015%
Aerospace & Defense$114,091$55.010%

How Education impacts a HSE Specialist's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many HSE Specialists enter the field with a Associate's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a HSE Specialist with a Associate's Degree is between $98,221 and $103,204).

HSE Specialist Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for HSE Specialist
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 4.8%
High School 4.8%
Associates 3.6%
Bachelors 44.0%
Masters 41.7%
Doctorate 6.0%

HSE Specialist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a HSE Specialist's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$95,877
Average $103,719/year
$115,057
$7,990
Average $8,643/month
$9,588
$1,844
Average $1,995/week
$2,213
$46
Average $50/hour
$55
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $115,057 $9,588 $2,213 $55
Average $103,719 $8,643 $1,995 $50
25th Percentile $95,877 $7,990 $1,844 $46

Most common benefits for HSE Specialist

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for HSE Specialist

Here are companies hiring for HSE Specialist and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next HSE Specialist Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current HSE Specialist job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

For Employees

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Get a Salary Increase

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

Search Job Openings

For Employers

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Adjust Employee Salary

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

Price My Industry Jobs

FAQ about HSE Specialist

1. What industry pays the highest salary for HSE Specialist?

The Biotechnology industry offers the highest average compensation for HSE Specialist roles, with salaries approximately 30% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst