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The differences between information assurance engineers 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 an information assurance engineer and an information security manager. Additionally, an information security manager has an average salary of $126,447, which is higher than the $89,291 average annual salary of an information assurance engineer.
The top three skills for an information assurance engineer include RMF, DOD and IAM. The most important skills for an information security manager are risk management, NIST, and infrastructure.
| Information Assurance Engineer | Information Security Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $89,291 | $126,447 |
| Hourly rate | $42.93 | $60.79 |
| Growth rate | 32% | 32% |
| Number of jobs | 104,421 | 115,414 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
Information assurance engineers are responsible for protecting an organization's data. They act as a team of security specialists that use their skill in securely operating and keeping data to protect the organization's most essential asset. Their main role is to guarantee the quality, security, and retrievability of the organization's information. Also, they outline security systems that make certain the integrity, confidentiality, and accessibility of data. Additionally, they secure IT infrastructure, maintain hardware and software updated, establish security standards, and monitor threats like breaches.
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.
Information assurance engineers and information security managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Information Assurance Engineer | Information Security Manager | |
| Average salary | $89,291 | $126,447 |
| Salary range | Between $67,000 And $117,000 | Between $91,000 And $175,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Clara, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | California |
| Best paying company | Parsons | eBay |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Media |
There are a few differences between an information assurance engineer and an information security manager in terms of educational background:
| Information Assurance Engineer | Information Security Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Information Technology | Business |
| Most common college | - | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between information assurance engineers' and information security managers' demographics:
| Information Assurance Engineer | Information Security Manager | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 78.6% Female, 21.4% | 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% |