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The differences between computer programmers and cyber security specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-8 years to become a computer programmer, becoming a cyber security specialist takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a cyber security specialist has an average salary of $93,395, which is higher than the $70,979 average annual salary of a computer programmer.
The top three skills for a computer programmer include C #, java and javascript. The most important skills for a cyber security specialist are cyber security, incident response, and NIST.
| Computer Programmer | Cyber Security Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $70,979 | $93,395 |
| Hourly rate | $34.12 | $44.90 |
| Growth rate | -7% | 32% |
| Number of jobs | 205,491 | 65,235 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 56% |
| Average age | 47 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 6 |
A Computer Programmer is a specialist in writing computer programs as well as mobile applications. In addition to writing and testing code written, they are responsible for installing updates for software, debugging or improving functionality, troubleshooting parts of the program that is not functioning, and rewriting code for computer programs to be compatible in different operating systems. They also work to prevent data leaks and breaches in security by identifying malicious software and building firewalls.
Cybersecurity Specialists are information technology (IT) professionals who safeguard and protect the company's networks. They ensure that the network infrastructure is secure at all times. They do routine checks to see whether the infrastructure is vulnerable to attacks. Cybersecurity Specialists monitor and respond to security concerns. They launch programs or software to mitigate any attacks that the company's infrastructure may receive. They also look for ways to minimize the network infrastructure's vulnerability to risks, threats, and attacks.
Computer programmers and cyber security specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Computer Programmer | Cyber Security Specialist | |
| Average salary | $70,979 | $93,395 |
| Salary range | Between $55,000 And $90,000 | Between $69,000 And $125,000 |
| Highest paying City | Richmond, CA | Bellevue, WA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | BP America Inc | |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a computer programmer and a cyber security specialist in terms of educational background:
| Computer Programmer | Cyber Security Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 56% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | University of Chicago | North Carolina State University |
Here are the differences between computer programmers' and cyber security specialists' demographics:
| Computer Programmer | Cyber Security Specialist | |
| Average age | 47 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 70.2% Female, 29.8% | Male, 83.2% Female, 16.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 15.0% White, 66.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 9.6% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 9% |