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The differences between safety engineers and safety inspectors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a safety engineer, becoming a safety inspector takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a safety engineer has an average salary of $74,228, which is higher than the $48,765 average annual salary of a safety inspector.
The top three skills for a safety engineer include OSHA, safety standards and safety program. The most important skills for a safety inspector are OSHA, safety procedures, and safety inspections.
| Safety Engineer | Safety Inspector | |
| Yearly salary | $74,228 | $48,765 |
| Hourly rate | $35.69 | $23.44 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 16,617 | 30,193 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 42 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
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.
A safety inspector is in charge of performing inspections to ensure that workplaces comply with the company or government's safety standards and regulations. Their responsibilities include inspecting tools and equipment, reviewing documents and specifications, assessing the workforce performances and conditions, observing facilities, and ensuring that employees have protective gear and safety measure knowledge. Moreover, a safety inspector utilizes the findings of their observation to recommend methods that will help workplaces maintain a safe and healthy environment for everyone. They may also investigate workplace incidents to keep them from happening again.
Safety engineers and safety inspectors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Safety Engineer | Safety Inspector | |
| Average salary | $74,228 | $48,765 |
| Salary range | Between $49,000 And $110,000 | Between $34,000 And $69,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Sacramento, CA |
| Highest paying state | North Dakota | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Apple | Volkert |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Energy |
There are a few differences between a safety engineer and a safety inspector in terms of educational background:
| Safety Engineer | Safety Inspector | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Business |
| Most common college | University of Connecticut | - |
Here are the differences between safety engineers' and safety inspectors' demographics:
| Safety Engineer | Safety Inspector | |
| Average age | 42 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.6% Female, 18.4% | Male, 82.1% Female, 17.9% |
| 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, 10.1% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.3% Asian, 5.7% White, 62.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 7% |