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The differences between industrial hygiene technicians and industrial hygienists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become an industrial hygiene technician, becoming an industrial hygienist takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an industrial hygienist has an average salary of $68,173, which is higher than the $51,966 average annual salary of an industrial hygiene technician.
The top three skills for an industrial hygiene technician include asbestos, OSHA and air quality. The most important skills for an industrial hygienist are OSHA, environmental health, and indoor air quality.
| Industrial Hygiene Technician | Industrial Hygienist | |
| Yearly salary | $51,966 | $68,173 |
| Hourly rate | $24.98 | $32.78 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 16,439 | 23,048 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 45 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
Industrial hygienists identify health risks in the workplace and build methods for mitigating them. They measure the impact of these risks on workers. These health risks may include air quality, noise emissions, and ionic radiation. This position requires experience in the application of scientific methods, the ability to collect and analyze data, and the ability to use the results of that analysis to give guidance to employees. They work closely with management, both reporting and making recommendations to improve the quality of the industrial environment.
An Industrial Hygienist plans and conducts health programs to educate employees about cleanliness, safety, and sanitation in the workplace. They investigate adequacy of ventilation, exhaust equipment, lighting, and other conditions that can affect employees' health, comfort, or efficiency.
Industrial hygiene technicians and industrial hygienists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Industrial Hygiene Technician | Industrial Hygienist | |
| Average salary | $51,966 | $68,173 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $72,000 | Between $45,000 And $102,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Berkeley, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | Louisiana |
| Best paying company | - | Exxon Mobil |
| Best paying industry | - | Energy |
There are a few differences between an industrial hygiene technician and an industrial hygienist in terms of educational background:
| Industrial Hygiene Technician | Industrial Hygienist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Public Health | Public Health |
| Most common college | Duke University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between industrial hygiene technicians' and industrial hygienists' demographics:
| Industrial Hygiene Technician | Industrial Hygienist | |
| Average age | 45 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 75.8% Female, 24.2% | Male, 74.0% Female, 26.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.3% Asian, 5.7% White, 62.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% | Black or African American, 4.7% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.6% Asian, 9.8% White, 69.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 4% |