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The differences between process safety engineers and senior process engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a process safety engineer, becoming a senior process engineer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a senior process engineer has an average salary of $105,378, which is higher than the $84,412 average annual salary of a process safety engineer.
The top three skills for a process safety engineer include safety management, OSHA and risk management. The most important skills for a senior process engineer are continuous improvement, project management, and data analysis.
| Process Safety Engineer | Senior Process Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $84,412 | $105,378 |
| Hourly rate | $40.58 | $50.66 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 38,650 | 56,510 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
A process safety engineer is responsible for conducting quality check procedures for the operational processes of the manufacturing and construction industries. Process safety engineers analyze practices to ensure that the methodologies adhere to safety standards and state regulations. They also inspect the tools and materials used, the budget needed for production, and timetables to strategize efficient ways in minimizing costs and risks. A process safety engineer records the process findings and suggests technical solutions to maximize productivity.
A Senior Process Engineer assesses a process efficiency, effectiveness, safety, and quality. They also conduct process improvement initiatives and custom product developments.
Process safety engineers and senior process engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Process Safety Engineer | Senior Process Engineer | |
| Average salary | $84,412 | $105,378 |
| Salary range | Between $55,000 And $129,000 | Between $82,000 And $134,000 |
| Highest paying City | Orange, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Louisiana |
| Best paying company | California Resources | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Energy |
There are a few differences between a process safety engineer and a senior process engineer in terms of educational background:
| Process Safety Engineer | Senior Process Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Chemical Engineering | Chemical Engineering |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor |
Here are the differences between process safety engineers' and senior process engineers' demographics:
| Process Safety Engineer | Senior Process Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 77.0% Female, 23.0% | Male, 85.1% Female, 14.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.7% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.5% Asian, 12.6% White, 67.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 15.3% White, 66.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |