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The differences between ehs specialists and safety engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become an ehs specialist, becoming a safety engineer takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a safety engineer has an average salary of $74,228, which is higher than the $58,112 average annual salary of an ehs specialist.
The top three skills for an ehs specialist include OSHA, environmental health and risk assessments. The most important skills for a safety engineer are OSHA, safety standards, and safety program.
| EHS Specialist | Safety Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $58,112 | $74,228 |
| Hourly rate | $27.94 | $35.69 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 7,580 | 16,617 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 45 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
Usually working for large industries, an environment and health safety (EHS) specialist's role is to ensure the implementation of the safety policies and regulations in the workplace. Typically, they spearhead programs such as fire and earthquake drills, train new employees, identify areas of vulnerabilities in the system, and organize conferences and workshops. An EHS specialist must also maintain documentation of processes, produce progress reports, prepare presentations, and develop new policies when necessary. Furthermore, it is essential to coordinate with all departments, ensuring safety compliance in all areas.
The duties of a safety engineer depend on one's industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around overseeing the implementation of the safety policies and regulations in a company by conducting regular inspections and maintenance checks, coordinating with department personnel to gather data, assessing risks, and arranging precautionary measures. A safety engineer must also address issues and concerns, responding to them in a timely and efficient manner. Furthermore, there are instances when they have to lead safety orientations and seminars to maintain a safe and productive environment for everyone.
Ehs specialists and safety engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| EHS Specialist | Safety Engineer | |
| Average salary | $58,112 | $74,228 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $82,000 | Between $49,000 And $110,000 |
| Highest paying City | Newark, NJ | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | North Dakota |
| Best paying company | Genentech | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Technology |
There are a few differences between an ehs specialist and a safety engineer in terms of educational background:
| EHS Specialist | Safety Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Business | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Connecticut |
Here are the differences between ehs specialists' and safety engineers' demographics:
| EHS Specialist | Safety Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 72.6% Female, 27.4% | Male, 81.6% Female, 18.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 15.0% Asian, 5.8% White, 62.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.9% Asian, 9.7% White, 69.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 4% |