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The differences between directors of information technology security and information security officers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a director of information technology security and an information security officer. Additionally, an information security officer has an average salary of $135,040, which is higher than the $128,305 average annual salary of a director of information technology security.
The top three skills for a director of information technology security include NIST, risk management and risk assessments. The most important skills for an information security officer are risk management, risk assessments, and incident response.
| Director Of Information Technology Security | Information Security Officer | |
| Yearly salary | $128,305 | $135,040 |
| Hourly rate | $61.69 | $64.92 |
| Growth rate | 32% | 32% |
| Number of jobs | 119,913 | 145,907 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A director of information technology security is responsible for managing and maintaining the safety and security of the information systems of an organization and ensuring that the servers provide the highest support to maximize the staff's productivity and efficiency. Directors of information technology security handle the budget and resource allocation for technical solutions development and improving networks' infrastructure. They also evaluate technology recommendations that would generate more opportunities for revenues, profit growth, and business partnerships.
Information security officers are responsible for planning and implementing policies to safeguard an organization's computer network and data from different types of security breaches. Their duties typically include identifying computer network vulnerabilities, developing and executing a plan to secure and protect the network, and tracking computer network usage to ensure adherence to security policies. In addition, information security officers are also expected to conduct penetration tests to look for flaws and work closely with the IT and management departments to improve security.
Directors of information technology security and information security officers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Director Of Information Technology Security | Information Security Officer | |
| Average salary | $128,305 | $135,040 |
| Salary range | Between $90,000 And $181,000 | Between $95,000 And $190,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Capgemini | Twilio |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Professional |
There are a few differences between a director of information technology security and an information security officer in terms of educational background:
| Director Of Information Technology Security | Information Security Officer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Carnegie Mellon University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between directors of information technology security' and information security officers' demographics:
| Director Of Information Technology Security | Information Security Officer | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.4% Female, 9.6% | Male, 85.9% Female, 14.1% |
| 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% |