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The differences between computer security specialists and specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a computer security specialist, becoming a specialist takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a computer security specialist has an average salary of $100,909, which is higher than the $58,013 average annual salary of a specialist.
The top three skills for a computer security specialist include ACAS, FISMA and DOD. The most important skills for a specialist are patients, customer service, and work ethic.
| Computer Security Specialist | Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $100,909 | $58,013 |
| Hourly rate | $48.51 | $27.89 |
| Growth rate | 32% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 70,181 | 358,433 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
Computer security specialists and specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Computer Security Specialist | Specialist | |
| Average salary | $100,909 | $58,013 |
| Salary range | Between $72,000 And $141,000 | Between $32,000 And $104,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Jersey City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Washington | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Professional | - |
There are a few differences between a computer security specialist and a specialist in terms of educational background:
| Computer Security Specialist | Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between computer security specialists' and specialists' demographics:
| Computer Security Specialist | Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 75.7% Female, 24.3% | Male, 47.5% Female, 52.5% |
| 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, 11.4% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 10.5% White, 55.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 11% |