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Health inspector vs environmental health specialist

The differences between health inspectors and environmental health specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a health inspector and an environmental health specialist. Additionally, an environmental health specialist has an average salary of $54,789, which is higher than the $47,982 average annual salary of a health inspector.

The top three skills for a health inspector include home health, food establishments and regulatory compliance. The most important skills for an environmental health specialist are environmental health, EHS, and OSHA.

Health inspector vs environmental health specialist overview

Health InspectorEnvironmental Health Specialist
Yearly salary$47,982$54,789
Hourly rate$23.07$26.34
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs63,83769,497
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 65%Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Average age4545
Years of experience66

Health inspector vs environmental health specialist salary

Health inspectors and environmental health specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

Health InspectorEnvironmental Health Specialist
Average salary$47,982$54,789
Salary rangeBetween $32,000 And $70,000Between $38,000 And $77,000
Highest paying City-Santa Rosa, CA
Highest paying state-Alaska
Best paying company-ICU Medical
Best paying industry-Manufacturing

Differences between health inspector and environmental health specialist education

There are a few differences between a health inspector and an environmental health specialist in terms of educational background:

Health InspectorEnvironmental Health Specialist
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 65%Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Most common majorPublic HealthPublic Health
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of California, Berkeley

Health inspector vs environmental health specialist demographics

Here are the differences between health inspectors' and environmental health specialists' demographics:

Health InspectorEnvironmental Health Specialist
Average age4545
Gender ratioMale, 50.1% Female, 49.9%Male, 62.8% Female, 37.2%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.9% Asian, 5.8% White, 62.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 5.7% White, 62.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
LGBT Percentage7%7%

Differences between health inspector and environmental health specialist duties and responsibilities

Health inspector example responsibilities.

  • Manage organization's injury/illness recordkeeping and handle worker's compensation claims.
  • Ensure compliance of HACCP regulations.
  • Experience in Medicare surveys of end stage renal disease facilities.
  • Review and evaluates documents, licensure applications and site plans/drawings for compliance.
  • Assist in licensing and review of HACCP plans to meet codes and laws.
  • Train managers to edit and audit their employees' time for payroll processing.
  • Show more

Environmental health specialist example responsibilities.

  • Help in managing the implementation of management systems meeting OHSAS 18001 and ISO 14001 standards.
  • Manage organization's injury/illness recordkeeping and handle worker's compensation claims.
  • Provide strategic leadership and work with management on identify EHS issues/recommendations/opportunities to foster continuous improvement of EHS programs and culture.
  • Maintain SDS and GHS programs.
  • Serve as an in-house expert for GHS - SDS and labeling issues.
  • Help integrate EHSMS internal audits with QMS internal audits for ISO 13485 and reviewing QSR.
  • Show more

Health inspector vs environmental health specialist skills

Common health inspector skills
  • Home Health, 20%
  • Food Establishments, 9%
  • Regulatory Compliance, 8%
  • Health Care Facilities, 6%
  • State Regulations, 6%
  • Medicare, 5%
Common environmental health specialist skills
  • Environmental Health, 15%
  • EHS, 8%
  • OSHA, 7%
  • Hazardous Waste, 4%
  • Public Health, 3%
  • Risk Assessments, 3%

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