Head of security vs information security administrator

The differences between heads of security and information security administrators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a head of security has an average salary of $154,257, which is higher than the $81,604 average annual salary of an information security administrator.

The top three skills for a head of security include cloud security, security procedures and emergency situations. The most important skills for an information security administrator are incident response, security systems, and data loss prevention.

Head of security vs information security administrator overview

	Head Of Security	Information Security Administrator
Yearly salary	$154,257	$81,604
Hourly rate	$74.16	$39.23
Growth rate	3%	32%
Number of jobs	92,369	157,160
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 38%	Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Average age	43	42
Years of experience	-	6

What does a head of security do?

The head of security performs overall company security responsibilities, obligations, and duties, such as maintenance responsibilities, performance responsibilities, strategic development responsibilities, and direction responsibilities. They create protocols and policies needed to secure and protect sensitive information. Besides developing and implementing security procedures and protocols, the head of security also makes logistics to secure and protect copyrights, intellectual property, and many other related risks. Moreover, the head of security hires and recruits a professional talent that can build up the security.

What does an information security administrator do?

An Information Security Administrator focuses on the proper installation of surveillance systems in a building or residence. This person is responsible for ensuring the appropriate installment of CCTV cameras and other equipment necessary to protect a perimeter adequately. Their responsibilities include ensuring the protection of all surveillance equipment from tampering, theft, and damage and providing support for the owner to resolve problems with the system and provide troubleshooting.

Head of security vs information security administrator salary

Heads of security and information security administrators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Head Of Security	Information Security Administrator
Average salary	$154,257	$81,604
Salary range	Between $86,000 And $276,000	Between $57,000 And $116,000
Highest paying City	Washington, DC	Roseville, CA
Highest paying state	Connecticut	California
Best paying company	BitGo	Nasdaq
Best paying industry	-	Retail

Differences between head of security and information security administrator education

There are a few differences between a head of security and an information security administrator in terms of educational background:

	Head Of Security	Information Security Administrator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 38%	Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Business
Most common college	-	Stanford University

Head of security vs information security administrator demographics

Here are the differences between heads of security' and information security administrators' demographics:

	Head Of Security	Information Security Administrator
Average age	43	42
Gender ratio	Male, 93.6% Female, 6.4%	Male, 62.7% Female, 37.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.0% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 19.3% Asian, 6.1% White, 55.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6%	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	6%	9%

Differences between head of security and information security administrator duties and responsibilities

Head of security example responsibilities.

Monitor CCTV systems, tracking software, and patrols for potential security risks.
Monitor campus building activity via CCTV, key control access systems and officer patrol.
Supervise the escort and security (to and from the establishment) of celebrity, high-profile and VIP clientele.
Provide personnel VIP security and professional athlete
Dispatch patrol officers, monitor security system, fill out daily security reports, supervise a small group of security officers.
Provide security guidance to internal and external customers utilizing DOD and IC regulations.

Information security administrator example responsibilities.

Lead enterprise-wide virtualization effort, overseeing and completing vendor/hardware qualifications, architecture/design, installation, configuration, migration and documentation.
Work with auditors to gather the proper information for PCI and SOX audits and submit the information in timely require manner.
Create and conduct HIPAA training program for executive management and general staff.
Establish HIPAA policies and procedures and implement system measures to ensure compliance.
Interface with business managers, end-users and technical staff for provisioning of access.
Deploy new systems and network devices to include provisioning of access controls and monitoring.

Head of security vs information security administrator skills

Common head of security skills

Cloud Security, 34%
Security Procedures, 12%
Emergency Situations, 6%
IDS, 4%
Security Operations, 4%
Local Law Enforcement, 3%

Common information security administrator skills

Incident Response, 6%
Security Systems, 6%
Data Loss Prevention, 5%
Security Policies, 5%
Security Procedures, 4%
IDS, 4%

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Head Of Security
Head Of Security vs Information Security Administrator

Updated January 8, 2025

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