Health and safety managers and officers: average salary and pay in the UK
Full-time health and safety managers and officers in the UK earned a median £46,444 in the year to 5 April 2025, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE): 19% more than the £39,039 median for all full-time jobs.
What the figures show
That ranks 82nd of 382 occupations on this measure.
The middle half of full-time jobs paid between £37,925 and £57,141.
Median full-time pay: women £43,967 a year, men £50,303 a year.
ASHE counts roughly 76,000 employee jobs, 88% full-time.
Since 2021 it has risen 21.7%, from £38,175, slower than the 25.0% for all jobs.
The Annual Population Survey counts 87,900 people in this line of work, 13% of them in South East.
Pay distribution, 2025 provisional
| Gross pay | Full-time, annual | Full-time, weekly | Full-time, hourly | All, annual | All, weekly | All, hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | £29,890 | £583.60 | £15.32 | £26,433 | £518.10 | £14.95 |
| 20th percentile | £35,100 | £685.80 | £17.91 | £31,409 | £615.90 | £17.59 |
| 25th percentile | £37,925 | £736.90 | £19.07 | £34,580 | £672.40 | £18.83 |
| 30th percentile | £39,585 | £767.30 | £20.13 | £36,610 | £727.10 | £19.78 |
| 40th percentile | £43,256 | £836.90 | £21.80 | £40,498 | £792.60 | £21.48 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £46,444 | £903.90 | £24.06 | £44,551 | £867.90 | £23.73 |
| 60th percentile | £51,266 | £987.70 | £26.06 | £48,812 | £940.30 | £25.62 |
| 70th percentile | £55,080 | £1,070.90 | £28.01 | £53,469 | £1,050.90 | £27.78 |
| 75th percentile | £57,141 | £1,105.00 | £29.16 | £55,660 | £1,094.20 | £28.88 |
| 80th percentile | £61,570 | £1,171.90 | £30.51 | £58,702 | £1,142.60 | £30.41 |
| Mean | £49,657 | £961.80 | £25.10 | £46,989 | £907.00 | £24.97 |
Pay since 2021
| ASHE year | Full-time, annual median | Full-time, weekly median | Full-time, hourly median | All, annual median | All, weekly median | Jobs (thousands, indicative) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 revised | £38,175 | £731.70 | £19.35 | £36,206 | £708.30 | 53 |
| 2022 revised | £38,518 | £766.60 | £20.20 | £37,130 | £747.00 | 52 |
| 2023 revised | £41,721 | £843.30 | £21.68 | £40,412 | £815.30 | 68 |
| 2024 revised | £42,622 | £862.10 | £22.65 | £41,412 | £818.90 | 73 |
| 2025 provisional | £46,444 | £903.90 | £24.06 | £44,551 | £867.90 | 76 |
Health and safety managers and officers by region
UK: 87,900 (± 11,500), April 2025 to March 2026. 10 of the 12 regions and nations have samples too small to publish.
| Region or nation | People in employment | 95% confidence interval |
|---|---|---|
| South East | 11,000* | ± 4,200 |
| Wales | 6,200* | ± 2,200 |
Annual Population Survey (Nomis)
What health and safety managers and officers do
Health and safety managers and officers counsel employees to ensure and promote health and safety in the workplace and co-ordinate accident prevention and health and safety measures within an establishment or organisation. (ONS SOC 2020, 3582)
Also covers: asbestos surveyor, health and safety officer, occupational hygienist, safety consultant, safety officer, accident investigator, asbestos analyst, asbestos consultant, ehs adviser, EHS manager, fire consultant, fire marshall, HSE adviser, HSE manager, inspector (catering), QHSE manager, safety attendant and safety man (47 titles in the ONS coding index).
- Inspects workplace areas to ensure compliance with health and safety legislation
- Helps to develop effective health and safety policies and procedures and carries out risk assessments
- Instructs workers in the proper use of protective clothing and safety devices and conducts routine tests on that equipment
- Compiles statistics on accidents and injuries, analyses their causes and makes recommendations to management accordingly
- Maintains contact with those off work due to illness
- Counsels individuals on any personal or domestic problems affecting their work
Entrants usually possess a degree or vocational qualification in occupational health and safety; and typically practice at level 6 or sometimes level 7 for more advanced positions.
Related
Regulatory associate professionals (median £44,442) · Inspectors of standards and regulations · Other vocational and industrial trainers · salary percentile · UK average weekly earnings growth · Median
ASHE Table 14: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · coding index · notes · 15 October 2026