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The differences between cyber security engineers and senior 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 cyber security engineer and a senior security engineer. Additionally, a senior security engineer has an average salary of $122,480, which is higher than the $99,492 average annual salary of a cyber security engineer.
The top three skills for a cyber security engineer include cyber security, python and linux. The most important skills for a senior security engineer are cloud security, java, and linux.
| Cyber Security Engineer | Senior Security Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $99,492 | $122,480 |
| Hourly rate | $47.83 | $58.88 |
| Growth rate | 32% | 32% |
| Number of jobs | 73,419 | 69,850 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A cyber security engineer specializes in designing and establishing security measures to protect a company's network and data from hackers or cyber attacks. Their responsibilities primarily revolve around planning and implementing cyber security systems, responding to any problems or concerns, handling security breaches and emergencies, and troubleshooting to identify any issues or vulnerabilities. Moreover, a cyber security engineer may perform clerical tasks such as producing progress reports and documentation, creating instructional materials for systems, managing schedules, and coordinating with department managers, all while adhering to the company's policies and regulations.
A senior security engineer is responsible for maintaining the safety and security of the organization's systems and network database to prevent unauthorized access and avoid data breaches. Senior security engineers inspect the efficiency of networks, perform system configuration, and increase the optimal performance of complex systems. They also implement policies and procedures for compliance with the proper utilization of information directories. They also conduct regular maintenance of networks, create update reports, and resolve glitches and security threats.
Cyber security engineers and senior security engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Cyber Security Engineer | Senior Security Engineer | |
| Average salary | $99,492 | $122,480 |
| Salary range | Between $75,000 And $131,000 | Between $90,000 And $164,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Dotdash | Roku |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a cyber security engineer and a senior security engineer in terms of educational background:
| Cyber Security Engineer | Senior Security Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between cyber security engineers' and senior security engineers' demographics:
| Cyber Security Engineer | Senior Security Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.8% Female, 16.2% | Male, 91.2% Female, 8.8% |
| 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% |