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The differences between information assurance engineers and senior 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 engineer and a senior security engineer. Additionally, a senior security engineer has an average salary of $122,480, 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 a senior security engineer are cloud security, java, and linux.
| Information Assurance Engineer | Senior Security Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $89,291 | $122,480 |
| Hourly rate | $42.93 | $58.88 |
| Growth rate | 32% | 32% |
| Number of jobs | 104,421 | 69,850 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| 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.
A senior security engineer is responsible for maintaining the safety and security of the organization's systems and network database to prevent unauthorized access and avoid data breaches. Senior security engineers inspect the efficiency of networks, perform system configuration, and increase the optimal performance of complex systems. They also implement policies and procedures for compliance with the proper utilization of information directories. They also conduct regular maintenance of networks, create update reports, and resolve glitches and security threats.
Information assurance engineers and senior security engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Information Assurance Engineer | Senior Security Engineer | |
| Average salary | $89,291 | $122,480 |
| Salary range | Between $67,000 And $117,000 | Between $90,000 And $164,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Clara, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | California |
| Best paying company | Parsons | Roku |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between an information assurance engineer and a senior security engineer in terms of educational background:
| Information Assurance Engineer | Senior Security Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Information Technology | Computer Science |
| Most common college | - | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between information assurance engineers' and senior security engineers' demographics:
| Information Assurance Engineer | Senior Security Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 78.6% Female, 21.4% | Male, 91.2% Female, 8.8% |
| 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% |