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The differences between information security administrators and information assurance 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 security administrator and an information assurance engineer. Additionally, an information assurance engineer has an average salary of $89,291, which is higher than the $81,604 average annual salary of an information security administrator.
The top three skills for an information security administrator include incident response, security systems and data loss prevention. The most important skills for an information assurance engineer are RMF, DOD, and IAM.
| Information Security Administrator | Information Assurance Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $81,604 | $89,291 |
| Hourly rate | $39.23 | $42.93 |
| Growth rate | 32% | 32% |
| Number of jobs | 157,160 | 104,421 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
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.
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.
Information security administrators and information assurance engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Information Security Administrator | Information Assurance Engineer | |
| Average salary | $81,604 | $89,291 |
| Salary range | Between $57,000 And $116,000 | Between $67,000 And $117,000 |
| Highest paying City | Roseville, CA | Santa Clara, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Oregon |
| Best paying company | Nasdaq | Parsons |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Professional |
There are a few differences between an information security administrator and an information assurance engineer in terms of educational background:
| Information Security Administrator | Information Assurance Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | Business | Information Technology |
| Most common college | Stanford University | - |
Here are the differences between information security administrators' and information assurance engineers' demographics:
| Information Security Administrator | Information Assurance Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 62.7% Female, 37.3% | Male, 78.6% Female, 21.4% |
| 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% |