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The differences between safety specialists and safety consultants 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 a safety consultant takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a safety consultant has an average salary of $72,011, 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 a safety consultant are OSHA, EHS, and safety procedures.
| Safety Specialist | Safety Consultant | |
| Yearly salary | $57,905 | $72,011 |
| Hourly rate | $27.84 | $34.62 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 16,355 | 20,066 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| 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.
A safety consultant specializes in establishing safety guidelines and regulations for a company to ensure a safe and productive work environment. Their responsibilities revolve around understanding company operations, assessing existing safety programs to identify areas needing improvement, and recommending solutions through reports and presentations. They must also develop strategies to provide safety information to workers, creating information programs as necessary. Furthermore, as a safety consultant, it is essential to lead the implementation of new guidelines and policies, ensuring workforce compliance.
Safety specialists and safety consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Safety Specialist | Safety Consultant | |
| Average salary | $57,905 | $72,011 |
| Salary range | Between $38,000 And $87,000 | Between $46,000 And $111,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Chevron | Phillips 66 |
| Best paying industry | - | Energy |
There are a few differences between a safety specialist and a safety consultant in terms of educational background:
| Safety Specialist | Safety Consultant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | San Diego State University | University of Connecticut |
Here are the differences between safety specialists' and safety consultants' demographics:
| Safety Specialist | Safety Consultant | |
| Average age | 45 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 69.3% Female, 30.7% | Male, 82.0% Female, 18.0% |
| 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, 5.0% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 9.6% White, 69.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 4% |