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The differences between safety officers and safety engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a safety officer, becoming a safety engineer takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a safety engineer has an average salary of $74,228, which is higher than the $46,336 average annual salary of a safety officer.
The top three skills for a safety officer include OSHA, patients and patrol. The most important skills for a safety engineer are OSHA, safety standards, and safety program.
| Safety Officer | Safety Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $46,336 | $74,228 |
| Hourly rate | $22.28 | $35.69 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 68,487 | 16,617 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 45 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
A safety officer specializes in maintaining a safe and healthy work environment for employees in a building or establishment. Aside from adhering to the safety standards and regulations within a company, a safety officer also has to craft and improve policies that prioritize the physical and mental health of workers. Furthermore, it is essential to implement safety programs by educating workers on various precautionary measures, performing regular inspections of equipment and machines, and ensuring the proper disposal of any hazardous waste materials.
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 officers and safety engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Safety Officer | Safety Engineer | |
| Average salary | $46,336 | $74,228 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $73,000 | Between $49,000 And $110,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New York | North Dakota |
| Best paying company | Amgen | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Government | Technology |
There are a few differences between a safety officer and a safety engineer in terms of educational background:
| Safety Officer | Safety Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Business | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | California State University - Bakersfield | University of Connecticut |
Here are the differences between safety officers' and safety engineers' demographics:
| Safety Officer | Safety Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 78.8% Female, 21.2% | Male, 81.6% Female, 18.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 5.6% White, 62.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% | 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 | 7% | 4% |