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The differences between cyber security specialists and information security managers 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 specialist and an information security manager. Additionally, an information security manager has an average salary of $126,447, which is higher than the $93,395 average annual salary of a cyber security specialist.
The top three skills for a cyber security specialist include cyber security, incident response and NIST. The most important skills for an information security manager are risk management, NIST, and infrastructure.
| Cyber Security Specialist | Information Security Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $93,395 | $126,447 |
| Hourly rate | $44.90 | $60.79 |
| Growth rate | 32% | 32% |
| Number of jobs | 65,235 | 115,414 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
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.
An information security manager is primarily in charge of overseeing the security systems established to protect a company's data from hackers or cyber-attacks. Their responsibilities revolve around monitoring networks for any security breaches, designing and developing new security systems, and improving existing ones when necessary. They may also perform research and analysis to determine company needs, provide instructional materials, and produce progress reports. Furthermore, as an information security manager, it is essential to provide technical support to employees, all while adhering to the company's policies and regulations.
Cyber security specialists and information security managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Cyber Security Specialist | Information Security Manager | |
| Average salary | $93,395 | $126,447 |
| Salary range | Between $69,000 And $125,000 | Between $91,000 And $175,000 |
| Highest paying City | Bellevue, WA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | BP America Inc | eBay |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Media |
There are a few differences between a cyber security specialist and an information security manager in terms of educational background:
| Cyber Security Specialist | Information Security Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Business |
| Most common college | North Carolina State University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between cyber security specialists' and information security managers' demographics:
| Cyber Security Specialist | Information Security Manager | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.2% Female, 16.8% | Male, 85.8% Female, 14.2% |
| 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% |