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The differences between safety directors and safety engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a safety director and a safety engineer. Additionally, a safety director has an average salary of $85,687, which is higher than the $74,228 average annual salary of a safety engineer.
The top three skills for a safety director include OSHA, DOT and safety procedures. The most important skills for a safety engineer are OSHA, safety standards, and safety program.
| Safety Director | Safety Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $85,687 | $74,228 |
| Hourly rate | $41.20 | $35.69 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 19,507 | 16,617 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A safety director is responsible for maintaining the safety and security of the business and its employees, enforcing strict safety standards, and facilitating safety drills and programs to avoid potential hazards within the office's premises. Safety directors inspect the building's premises, including the office's equipment and other systems, and perform immediate actions even for the smallest inconsistencies. They also create incident and audit reports to discuss with the management and implement or adjust regulations as needed.
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.
Safety directors and safety engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Safety Director | Safety Engineer | |
| Average salary | $85,687 | $74,228 |
| Salary range | Between $55,000 And $131,000 | Between $49,000 And $110,000 |
| Highest paying City | South San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | North Dakota |
| Best paying company | Genentech | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Technology |
There are a few differences between a safety director and a safety engineer in terms of educational background:
| Safety Director | Safety Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Business | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Connecticut |
Here are the differences between safety directors' and safety engineers' demographics:
| Safety Director | Safety Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 79.8% Female, 20.2% | Male, 81.6% Female, 18.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.8% Asian, 9.7% White, 69.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | 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 | 4% | 4% |