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The differences between information security administrators 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 security administrator and a security engineer. Additionally, a security engineer has an average salary of $104,524, 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 a security engineer are java, cloud security, and infrastructure.
| Information Security Administrator | Security Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $81,604 | $104,524 |
| Hourly rate | $39.23 | $50.25 |
| Growth rate | 32% | 32% |
| Number of jobs | 157,160 | 86,093 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| 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.
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 security administrators and security engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Information Security Administrator | Security Engineer | |
| Average salary | $81,604 | $104,524 |
| Salary range | Between $57,000 And $116,000 | Between $77,000 And $141,000 |
| Highest paying City | Roseville, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Nasdaq | ICE Mortgage Technology |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Technology |
There are a few differences between an information security administrator and a security engineer in terms of educational background:
| Information Security Administrator | Security Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Business | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between information security administrators' and security engineers' demographics:
| Information Security Administrator | Security Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 62.7% Female, 37.3% | 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% |