Year	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023
Enrolled with PubH-IH Emphasis	82	86	64	60	53	42	54	66	49	54
Total Graduated with IH	18	13	14	21	17	17	11	13	14	10
Total entered workforce as IH or Safety	16	7	10	18	15	16	9	11	11	7
Total entering Grad School	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Total pursuing medical, dental, pharmacy, or other health fields	2	5	3	3	2	0	2	2	2	2
Not yet in any of the above categories	0	1	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	1

TBD = Too be determined

Industrial Hygiene Program Educational Objectives:

GOALS of the Industrial hygiene program:

The Utah State University baccalaureate industrial hygiene program seeks to graduate well educated, entry level, industrial hygienists who are prepared for either professional practice or graduate school with a solid science background in biology and chemistry and who are competent in the principles and practice of industrial hygiene, prepared with occupational safety skills, and knowledgeable about environmental protection.  The approach of the Utah State University industrial hygiene program to achieving this goal is to integrate the knowledge gleaned from a strong basic science and humanities education into our applied science and professional practice curriculum and to meet the requirements of ABET accreditation.

Consistent with the above goals, the following Program Educational Objectives have been identified for the Industrial Hygiene emphasis: Graduates will be able to …

• succeed in an entry-level industrial hygiene position in a regional, national, or international industry or governmental or nongovernmental agency.
• integrate biological, chemical, and other basic sciences into their professional practice.
• utilize existing and future technical tools and techniques within their profession.
• work effectively within the social, organizational, regulatory, and economic constraints and opportunities of their profession.
• pursue a graduate degree, lifelong learning activities, and/or professional certification.

Industrial Hygiene Student Outcomes:

The USU Industrial Hygiene Program uses the General Criterion 3 of ABET and the ABET Program Criteria for Industrial Hygiene Programs to determine expected Student Outcomes upon graduation from our program.  General Criterion 3 of ABET states that upon graduation students have:

While use of the Program Criteria for Industrial Hygiene Programs demonstrates that graduates have the ability to:

FAQ

What is industrial hygiene

It helps if you know Hygeia was the Greek goddess of health. Often depicted with a serpent (a symbol of health), Hygeia is the daughter of Asclepius, the god of medicine, and sister to Panacea, goddess of remedies. The Hippocratic Oath for physicians began "I swear by Apollo the Physician and Asclepius and Hygeia and Panaceia and all the gods and goddesses..."

"Hygiene" is the science of the promotion and preservation of health, and "industrial hygiene" is the profession that deals with occupational health hazards. In much of the world, industrial hygiene is more appropriately known as "occupational hygiene".

What kind of people become industrial hygienists?

Industrial hygienists generally like to solve problems and they enjoy helping others. Good speaking and writing skills are important, as industrial hygienists need to communicate and interact with workers and management. Industrial hygiene is a technical field, so it helps to have an aptitude and interest in the sciences. IH professionals are represented by people of all ages, races and genders. For example, one fourth of U.S. industrial hygienists are female.

What do industrial hygienists do?

Industrial hygienists are involved with chemical, physical, and biological hazards, and they often use instruments and specialized equipment to evaluate these hazards. Industrial hygienists specify methods to control the hazards, such as using a ventilation system or wearing protective equipment. While industrial hygienists usually are "generalists" with a wide base of knowledge and expertise, they also may specialize in specific areas like ergonomics or radiation safety, for example.

Where do industrial hygienist work?

Industrial hygienists work for government, industry, insurance companies, consultants, and regulatory agencies like OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. They often find themselves doing work in related fields, such as safety or environmental compliance.

Most industrial hygiene jobs are found in the more industrialized and populated regions of the country, like the East, Midwest, and West Coast. Here in the Intermountain region, many industrial hygienists work for mining companies, government, and industry.

How much money do industrial hygienists make?

Based on the starting salaries of our graduates from 2020 – 2023, we have seen a salary range of $50,000 to a high of $100,000, with the average of all salaries being at $71,100.  Of course salaries vary based on type of industry, the geographical area, and the position requirements.

Are Utah State industrial hygiene graduates successful?

Utah State has a nationally recognized industrial hygiene program, and our students do very well after graduation. Our program is one of only four accredited undergraduate industrial hygiene programs in the US, and USU Public Health faculty members are certified in industrial hygiene (CIH). USU graduates are eagerly sought by employers looking for quality candidates and students are very successful in pursuing advanced schooling (medical school, graduate school, etc.).