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The differences between safety engineers and industrial hygienists 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 engineer and an industrial hygienist. Additionally, a safety engineer has an average salary of $74,228, which is higher than the $68,173 average annual salary of an industrial hygienist.
The top three skills for a safety engineer include OSHA, safety standards and safety program. The most important skills for an industrial hygienist are OSHA, environmental health, and indoor air quality.
| Safety Engineer | Industrial Hygienist | |
| Yearly salary | $74,228 | $68,173 |
| Hourly rate | $35.69 | $32.78 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 16,617 | 23,048 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
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.
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.
Safety engineers and industrial hygienists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Safety Engineer | Industrial Hygienist | |
| Average salary | $74,228 | $68,173 |
| Salary range | Between $49,000 And $110,000 | Between $45,000 And $102,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Berkeley, CA |
| Highest paying state | North Dakota | Louisiana |
| Best paying company | Apple | Exxon Mobil |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Energy |
There are a few differences between a safety engineer and an industrial hygienist in terms of educational background:
| Safety Engineer | Industrial Hygienist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Public Health |
| Most common college | University of Connecticut | Duke University |
Here are the differences between safety engineers' and industrial hygienists' demographics:
| Safety Engineer | Industrial Hygienist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.6% Female, 18.4% | Male, 74.0% Female, 26.0% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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 | 4% | 4% |