Microbiologists vs Occupational Health and Safety Specialists: Similar Pay, 6.2% vs 18.5% Growth

Microbiologists vs Occupational Health and Safety Specialists: what changes?

Consider Microbiologists if you want to investigate the growth, structure, development, and other characteristics of microscopic organisms, such as bacteria, algae, or fungi. Consider Occupational Health and Safety Specialists if you would rather review, evaluate, and analyze work environments and design programs and procedures to control, eliminate, and prevent disease or injury caused by chemical, physical, and biological agents or ergonomic factors. Both list bachelor's degree; compare training and prior experience separately.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Microbiologists and Occupational Health and Safety Specialists. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences

Microbiologists

National median pay (2025): $87,990
Route into the job: Bachelor's degree
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.
Work to investigate: Isolate and maintain cultures of bacteria or other microorganisms in prescribed or developed media, controlling moisture, aeration, temperature, and nutrition.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 1,500

Know before you choose

This is a small national occupation (20,100 jobs in 2025), so location and employer concentration can matter more than the national median suggests.

See the full Microbiologists brief

Occupational Health and Safety Specialists

National median pay (2025): $90,150
Route into the job: Bachelor's degree
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.
Work to investigate: Recommend measures to help protect workers from potentially hazardous work methods, processes, or materials.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 17,100

Know before you choose

Review the full career brief for day-to-day working conditions.

See the full Occupational Health and Safety Specialists brief

How the national numbers differ

Occupational Health and Safety Specialists has the edge on annual openings

Occupational Health and Safety Specialists is at 17,100 annual openings, compared with 1,500 annual openings for Microbiologists.

Occupational Health and Safety Specialists has the edge on projected growth

Occupational Health and Safety Specialists is at 18.5% projected growth, compared with 6.2% projected growth for Microbiologists.

Occupational Health and Safety Specialists has the edge on median pay

Occupational Health and Safety Specialists is at $90,150, compared with $87,990 for Microbiologists.

55.2/ 100

Microbiologists

74.3/ 100

Occupational Health and Safety Specialists

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence

Microbiologists vs Occupational Health and Safety Specialists

Dimension	Microbiologists	Occupational Health and Safety Specialists
Median pay (2025)	$87,990	$90,150
Pay percentile	76.6 percentile	77.2 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)	6.2%	18.5%
Annual openings (2025–2035)	1,500	17,100
2025 employment	20,100	143,100
How you qualify	Bachelor's degree	Bachelor's degree
O*NET preparation group	Job Zone 4	Job Zone 4
Related work experience	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
On-the-job training	BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.	BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.

The table reports national benchmarks and reviewed work descriptions. It does not rate personal suitability, job security, or physical safety.

Read Microbiologists brief Read Occupational Health and Safety Specialists brief

Microbiologists vs Occupational Health and Safety Specialists: what changes?

The facts most likely to affect your decision

Microbiologists

Occupational Health and Safety Specialists

How the national numbers differ

Occupational Health and Safety Specialists has the edge on annual openings

Occupational Health and Safety Specialists has the edge on projected growth

Occupational Health and Safety Specialists has the edge on median pay

Microbiologists vs Occupational Health and Safety Specialists

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