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The differences between cyber security specialists and network security engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a cyber security specialist, becoming a network security engineer takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a cyber security specialist has an average salary of $93,395, which is higher than the $88,322 average annual salary of a network security engineer.
The top three skills for a cyber security specialist include cyber security, incident response and NIST. The most important skills for a network security engineer are network security, windows, and cisco asa.
| Cyber Security Specialist | Network Security Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $93,395 | $88,322 |
| Hourly rate | $44.90 | $42.46 |
| Growth rate | 32% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 65,235 | 91,892 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 42 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
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.
A network security engineer is responsible for maintaining the safety and security of all the organization's network systems, conducting regular configuration and maintenance to avoid unauthorized access and suspicious activities that may pose risks for the company's integrity. Network security engineers manage security threats and strategize resolutions to mitigate the reoccurrence of security issues. They also develop security enhancement recommendations, update network infrastructure, and monitor system activities. A network security engineer should have excellent communication and technical skills, as well as a strong command of programming languages and system codes.
Cyber security specialists and network security engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Cyber Security Specialist | Network Security Engineer | |
| Average salary | $93,395 | $88,322 |
| Salary range | Between $69,000 And $125,000 | Between $64,000 And $120,000 |
| Highest paying City | Bellevue, WA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | BP America Inc | The Knot |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Retail |
There are a few differences between a cyber security specialist and a network security engineer in terms of educational background:
| Cyber Security Specialist | Network Security Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | North Carolina State University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between cyber security specialists' and network security engineers' demographics:
| Cyber Security Specialist | Network Security Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.2% Female, 16.8% | Male, 90.7% Female, 9.3% |
| 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, 8.0% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.7% Asian, 13.9% White, 61.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |