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The differences between safety specialists and safety coordinators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a safety specialist and a safety coordinator. Additionally, a safety coordinator has an average salary of $61,604, 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 coordinator are OSHA, safety procedures, and safety program.
| Safety Specialist | Safety Coordinator | |
| Yearly salary | $57,905 | $61,604 |
| Hourly rate | $27.84 | $29.62 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 16,355 | 22,112 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | 3 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
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 coordinator is responsible for monitoring and evaluating daily operations and planning procedures to mitigate risks and improve safety regulations. Safety coordinators inspect building premises, individual workstations, as well as common areas to ensure that the arrangements are compliant with federal and state law safety protocols. They also conduct safety training and orientations to promote safety codes for each employee's practice. A safety coordinator also assesses the company's equipment and machinery to ensure its safety for everyone's use.
Safety specialists and safety coordinators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Safety Specialist | Safety Coordinator | |
| Average salary | $57,905 | $61,604 |
| Salary range | Between $38,000 And $87,000 | Between $40,000 And $94,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Chevron | Koppers |
| Best paying industry | - | Energy |
There are a few differences between a safety specialist and a safety coordinator in terms of educational background:
| Safety Specialist | Safety Coordinator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | San Diego State University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between safety specialists' and safety coordinators' demographics:
| Safety Specialist | Safety Coordinator | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 69.3% Female, 30.7% | Male, 71.8% Female, 28.2% |
| 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, 9.8% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 14.3% Asian, 5.7% White, 62.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |