Computer security specialist vs security engineer

The differences between computer security specialists and security engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a computer security specialist and a security engineer. Additionally, a security engineer has an average salary of $104,524, which is higher than the $100,909 average annual salary of a computer security specialist.

The top three skills for a computer security specialist include ACAS, FISMA and DOD. The most important skills for a security engineer are java, cloud security, and infrastructure.

Computer security specialist vs security engineer overview

	Computer Security Specialist	Security Engineer
Yearly salary	$100,909	$104,524
Hourly rate	$48.51	$50.25
Growth rate	32%	32%
Number of jobs	70,181	86,093
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Bachelor's Degree, 63%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	6	6

Computer security specialist vs security engineer salary

Computer security specialists and security engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Computer Security Specialist	Security Engineer
Average salary	$100,909	$104,524
Salary range	Between $72,000 And $141,000	Between $77,000 And $141,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	Washington	California
Best paying company	Microsoft	ICE Mortgage Technology
Best paying industry	Professional	Technology

Differences between computer security specialist and security engineer education

There are a few differences between a computer security specialist and a security engineer in terms of educational background:

	Computer Security Specialist	Security Engineer
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Bachelor's Degree, 63%
Most common major	Computer Science	Computer Science
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Computer security specialist vs security engineer demographics

Here are the differences between computer security specialists' and security engineers' demographics:

	Computer Security Specialist	Security Engineer
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 75.7% Female, 24.3%	Male, 86.4% Female, 13.6%
Race ratio	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%	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	9%	9%

Differences between computer security specialist and security engineer duties and responsibilities

Computer security specialist example responsibilities.

Review and manage the security and information assurance capabilities of database applications, database structure and architecture.
Perform monthly IA evaluation of systems per DISA STIG guidance using approve DoD & DISA tools.
Conduct audits, analyze system security incidents, and recommend remediation efforts to meet DoD standards.
Evaluate, implement, and maintain encryption standards.
Perform data encryption testing for a proprietary encryption key that encrypt data at rest on platforms.
Perform Nessus vulnerability scans of critical enterprise servers and devices; report results to management.

Security engineer example responsibilities.

Provide SME level support in a manage PKI environment.
Achieve authority-to-operate (ATO) status ahead of schedule.
Hardened/Tune a manage fleet of Cisco ASA and IPS security appliances.
Create custom scripts using ruby and proprietary gems to automate testing and reporting.
Manage CND tools team standup of multiple ArcSight logger and connector appliances according to DISA STIG requirements.
Manage vendor relations for VPN connectivity.

Computer security specialist vs security engineer skills

Common computer security specialist skills

ACAS, 13%
FISMA, 11%
DOD, 10%
Security Policies, 10%
Linux, 7%
Incident Response, 7%

Common security engineer skills

Java, 9%
Cloud Security, 8%
Infrastructure, 8%
Application Security, 4%
Incident Response, 4%
Windows, 4%

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Computer Security Specialist vs Security Engineer

Updated January 8, 2025

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