How Much Money Does a Radiation Safety Officer Make in a Year?

By Jared Lewis, eHow Contributor , last updated August 20, 2011 Radiation safety officers detect radiation levels to ensure public safety.

Radiation safety officers play an important role in keeping people safe from the effects of radiation. As the Bureau of Labor Statistics notes, these safety officers are occupational health and safety technicians or health physics technicians who conduct tests to determine radiation levels and take the necessary steps needed to protect people when radiation levels are too high. Annual salaries for these safety officers can vary by location and employer. For instance, as Bob Zoon, Radiation Safety Officer with the National Institute of Health notes on the Health Physics Society website, salaries for federal government employees in this field can vary based on salary grade level and responsibility.

PAY SCALE
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The average salary of safety officers and other health and safety technicians was $47,520 per year, as of May 2010, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The bureau indicates that the median salary for those working in this field was $45,330, with the middle 50 percent earning salaries ranging from $34,960 to $57,890. The highest paid technicians in this field earned salaries of $72,220 per year or higher. The lowest paid safety officers made less than $27,580 per year. Differences in salary tend to reflect the fact that there are various types of occupational health and safety technicians. Richard R. Brey, Ph.D., and member of the health physics society indicates, however, that the middle salary range listed by the BLS is close to what radiation safety officers typically make, noting a range from $35,000 to $50,000, with the potential to make up to $80,000 per year.

EMPLOYERS
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The employer of the radiation safety officer provides some indication of the expected salary for those working in this field. The largest group of occupational health and safety technicians were employed by local government agencies and made an average salary of $47,240 per year in 2010, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The bureau notes that those working in general medical and surgical hospitals made $44,040, while those employed in waste treatment and disposal earned an average of $52,940. Those working the power generation field, like those who work in nuclear power plants, made an average of $61,610. Earning potential for some companies can be significantly higher. For example, Molycorp Minerals advertised a job opening for radiation safety officers paying between $80,000 and $90,000 per year, as of 2011.

LOCATION
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The geographic location in which the radiation safety officer works also provides some indication of his expected salary. According to the BLS, the highest paid occupational health and safety technicians worked in the state of Alaska, earning an average salary of $75,270 per year in 2010. Those in Nevada were the next highest paid technicians and made $56,330. The bureau also notes that the state with the highest number of

occupational health and safety technicians was Texas. Safety officers in Texas made an average of $49,940 per year. Those employed in California made $53,450, on average.

Job Outlook
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The number of jobs for occupational health and safety technicians is expected to grow by about 14 percent from 2008 to 2018, according to the BLS. The bureau indicates that this faster than average job growth rate will occur largely due to increased emphasis on fewer government regulations in the workplace, while ensuring optimum health and safety. Renewed emphasis on nuclear safety following the 2011 Japan earthquake should also influence the demand for radiation safety officers.

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