Information assurance engineer vs information technology security manager

The differences between information assurance engineers and information technology 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 technology security manager. Additionally, an information technology security manager has an average salary of $124,792, 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 technology security manager are NIST, risk management, and project management.

Information assurance engineer vs information technology security manager overview

	Information Assurance Engineer	Information Technology Security Manager
Yearly salary	$89,291	$124,792
Hourly rate	$42.93	$60.00
Growth rate	32%	32%
Number of jobs	104,421	120,463
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 60%	Bachelor's Degree, 63%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	6	6

What does an information assurance engineer do?

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.

What does an information technology security manager do?

An information technology security manager is responsible for maintaining the safety and security of the organization's network systems to prevent unauthorized access and illegal dissemination of information from the database. Information technology security managers resolve technical issues, configure network updates, and upgrade system infrastructures to enhance optimal performance and navigation. They also install applications, inspect security breaches, and fix faulty servers to avoid system downtimes and operational delays. An information technology security manager must have excellent technical and communication skills, especially in writing reports for system findings and design networks according to business requirements.

Information assurance engineer vs information technology security manager salary

Information assurance engineers and information technology security managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Information Assurance Engineer	Information Technology Security Manager
Average salary	$89,291	$124,792
Salary range	Between $67,000 And $117,000	Between $91,000 And $170,000
Highest paying City	Santa Clara, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	Oregon	California
Best paying company	Parsons	PayPal
Best paying industry	Professional	Hospitality

Differences between information assurance engineer and information technology security manager education

There are a few differences between an information assurance engineer and an information technology security manager in terms of educational background:

	Information Assurance Engineer	Information Technology Security Manager
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 60%	Bachelor's Degree, 63%
Most common major	Information Technology	Computer Science
Most common college	-	Stanford University

Information assurance engineer vs information technology security manager demographics

Here are the differences between information assurance engineers' and information technology security managers' demographics:

	Information Assurance Engineer	Information Technology Security Manager
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 78.6% Female, 21.4%	Male, 83.4% Female, 16.6%
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%

Differences between information assurance engineer and information technology security manager duties and responsibilities

Information assurance engineer example responsibilities.

Install, configure, and managing ACAS deployments to assess the current vulnerabilities and security posture for classify networks.
Implement a manage endpoint encryption solution utilizing TrendMicro MobileArmor to secure university workstations against sensitive data loss.
Review system security plans, risk assessments, and compliance with NIST minimal security controls.
Assess network against NIST SP 800-53 rev3 security controls.
Review of PowerBroker root user logs on SOX UNIX systems.
Automate regression scenarios and update existing regression suite (QTP).

Information technology security manager example responsibilities.

Manage and represent RMFMC when dealing with patients and employees regarding matters of breach of privacy and / or HIPAA violations.
Manage CoBIT compliance and control self-assessment program to identify control deficiencies.
Manage the conversion to a hybrid NAS/disk/tape CommVault base backup environment resulting in decreasing backup windows and improving recovery objectives.
Create and implement security controls (encryption, inventory management), policies and procedures to ensure HIPAA compliance.
Maintain the operation in conformity with ITIL standards and practices.
Assist NASA in its compliance with relevant security standards, including NIST and FISMA.

Information assurance engineer vs information technology security manager skills

Common information assurance engineer skills

RMF, 9%
DOD, 9%
IAM, 5%
Windows, 5%
ACAS, 5%
Assurance Support, 4%

Common information technology security manager skills

NIST, 7%
Risk Management, 6%
Project Management, 6%
Risk Assessments, 4%
Incident Response, 4%
ISO, 4%

Information Assurance Engineer vs. similar jobs

Information Assurance Engineer related careers

Information Assurance Engineer related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Computer and Mathematical Industry
Information Assurance Engineer
Information Assurance Engineer vs Information Technology Security Manager

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse computer and mathematical jobs