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The differences between safety specialists and industrial hygienists 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 specialist, becoming an industrial hygienist takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an industrial hygienist has an average salary of $68,173, which is higher than the $57,905 average annual salary of a safety specialist.
The top three skills for a safety specialist include OSHA, develop corrective action and safety program. The most important skills for an industrial hygienist are OSHA, environmental health, and indoor air quality.
| Safety Specialist | Industrial Hygienist | |
| Yearly salary | $57,905 | $68,173 |
| Hourly rate | $27.84 | $32.78 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 16,355 | 23,048 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 45 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
Safety specialists examine various types of work procedures and environments. They observe if workplaces stick to the regulations on health, safety, and the environment. Also, they create programs to prevent injury or disease to workers and harm to the environment. Their duties include identifying hazards at the workplace and collecting samples of potentially toxic materials for examination. Another task they do is conduct training on emergency preparedness. Additionally, they explore and identify the causes of an accident to determine their preventative measures.
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 specialists and industrial hygienists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Safety Specialist | Industrial Hygienist | |
| Average salary | $57,905 | $68,173 |
| Salary range | Between $38,000 And $87,000 | Between $45,000 And $102,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | Berkeley, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Louisiana |
| Best paying company | Chevron | Exxon Mobil |
| Best paying industry | - | Energy |
There are a few differences between a safety specialist and an industrial hygienist in terms of educational background:
| Safety Specialist | Industrial Hygienist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Business | Public Health |
| Most common college | San Diego State University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between safety specialists' and industrial hygienists' demographics:
| Safety Specialist | Industrial Hygienist | |
| Average age | 45 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 69.3% Female, 30.7% | Male, 74.0% Female, 26.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 5.7% White, 62.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% | 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 | 7% | 4% |