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The differences between information assurance analysts and 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 an information assurance analyst and a security engineer. Additionally, a security engineer has an average salary of $104,524, which is higher than the $77,184 average annual salary of an information assurance analyst.
The top three skills for an information assurance analyst include RMF, DOD and ACAS. The most important skills for a security engineer are java, cloud security, and infrastructure.
| Information Assurance Analyst | Security Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $77,184 | $104,524 |
| Hourly rate | $37.11 | $50.25 |
| Growth rate | 32% | 32% |
| Number of jobs | 104,926 | 86,093 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
Information assurance analysts are professionals who are responsible for conducting vulnerability management activities to assess potential threats. These analysts are required to establish information technology (IT) programs that protect member information from internal and external data loss. They need to develop security policies and procedures so that they can achieve ISO certification. They must also monitor and maintain networks while conducting a full range of security-related analysis to evaluate suspicious activities. Information assurance analysts must also review logs and interview personnel to determine the level of investigation or disciplinary actions.
Security engineers are responsible for developing and overseeing data and security software to help prevent data breaches, leaks, and taps related to cybercrime. Other duties and responsibilities include developing new systems to help protect computer networks and assets, configuring firewalls, and conducting penetration testing to pinpoint vulnerabilities. Additionally, security engineers are responsible for investigating attacks and help prevent cybersecurity threat. They are also responsible for creating new processes for authorization, encryption algorithms, and authentication, and analyzing current security policies.
Information assurance analysts and security engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Information Assurance Analyst | Security Engineer | |
| Average salary | $77,184 | $104,524 |
| Salary range | Between $55,000 And $108,000 | Between $77,000 And $141,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Pennsylvania | California |
| Best paying company | Apptio | ICE Mortgage Technology |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Technology |
There are a few differences between an information assurance analyst and a security engineer in terms of educational background:
| Information Assurance Analyst | Security Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Computer Information Systems | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between information assurance analysts' and security engineers' demographics:
| Information Assurance Analyst | Security Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 72.3% Female, 27.7% | Male, 86.4% Female, 13.6% |
| 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% |