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The differences between safety specialists 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 specialist, 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 $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 engineer are OSHA, safety standards, and safety program.
| Safety Specialist | Safety Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $57,905 | $74,228 |
| Hourly rate | $27.84 | $35.69 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 16,355 | 16,617 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| 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.
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 specialists and safety engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Safety Specialist | Safety Engineer | |
| Average salary | $57,905 | $74,228 |
| Salary range | Between $38,000 And $87,000 | Between $49,000 And $110,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | North Dakota |
| Best paying company | Chevron | Apple |
| Best paying industry | - | Technology |
There are a few differences between a safety specialist and a safety engineer in terms of educational background:
| Safety Specialist | Safety Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Business | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | San Diego State University | University of Connecticut |
Here are the differences between safety specialists' and safety engineers' demographics:
| Safety Specialist | Safety Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 69.3% Female, 30.7% | Male, 81.6% Female, 18.4% |
| 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, 4.8% 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% |