Information security administrator vs systems administrator

The differences between information security administrators and systems administrators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become an information security administrator, becoming a systems administrator takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an information security administrator has an average salary of $81,604, which is higher than the $77,156 average annual salary of a systems 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 systems administrator are linux, troubleshoot, and windows server.

Information security administrator vs systems administrator overview

	Information Security Administrator	Systems Administrator
Yearly salary	$81,604	$77,156
Hourly rate	$39.23	$37.09
Growth rate	32%	5%
Number of jobs	157,160	134,500
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Average age	42	43
Years of experience	6	2

What does an information security administrator do?

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.

What does a systems administrator do?

Systems administrators are employees who oversee information technology infrastructures in the office. They are skilled information technology professionals who are knowledgeable about the company's network systems and other technology-related infrastructures. They are responsible for installing, configuring, or updating network systems, software, and hardware. They also monitor the different systems and troubleshoot any issues that users may encounter. Systems administrators manage the access of users, ensure the security of the network, and address any challenges that users may have. They conduct repairs and routine maintenance to ensure that the systems in place are in the best shape.

Information security administrator vs systems administrator salary

Information security administrators and systems administrators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Information Security Administrator	Systems Administrator
Average salary	$81,604	$77,156
Salary range	Between $57,000 And $116,000	Between $59,000 And $100,000
Highest paying City	Roseville, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	Nasdaq	Meta
Best paying industry	Retail	Technology

Differences between information security administrator and systems administrator education

There are a few differences between an information security administrator and a systems administrator in terms of educational background:

	Information Security Administrator	Systems Administrator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Most common major	Business	Computer Science
Most common college	Stanford University	Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Information security administrator vs systems administrator demographics

Here are the differences between information security administrators' and systems administrators' demographics:

	Information Security Administrator	Systems Administrator
Average age	42	43
Gender ratio	Male, 62.7% Female, 37.3%	Male, 83.9% Female, 16.1%
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, 8.6% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 11.5% White, 62.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between information security administrator and systems administrator duties and responsibilities

Information security administrator example responsibilities.

Lead enterprise-wide virtualization effort, overseeing and completing vendor/hardware qualifications, architecture/design, installation, configuration, migration and documentation.
Work with auditors to gather the proper information for PCI and SOX audits and submit the information in timely require manner.
Create and conduct HIPAA training program for executive management and general staff.
Establish HIPAA policies and procedures and implement system measures to ensure compliance.
Interface with business managers, end-users and technical staff for provisioning of access.
Deploy new systems and network devices to include provisioning of access controls and monitoring.

Systems administrator example responsibilities.

Used Jenkins to automate most of the build relate tasks.
Manage windows file servers, messaging, and SQL databases.
Lead the project which integrate internal DNS into the corporate LDAP infrastructure for end user host management prior to deployment.
Lead business-critical information security initiatives involving encryption of customer data.
Authore and maintain shell and Perl scripts to automate administration tasks for infrastructure management.
Configure & manage all switches and servers responsible for providing WLAN connectivity and authentication services.

Information security administrator vs systems administrator skills

Common information security administrator skills

Incident Response, 6%
Security Systems, 6%
Data Loss Prevention, 5%
Security Policies, 5%
Security Procedures, 4%
IDS, 4%

Common systems administrator skills

Linux, 7%
Troubleshoot, 7%
Windows Server, 6%
Database, 5%
Technical Support, 4%
PowerShell, 3%

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Information Security Administrator vs Systems Administrator

Updated January 8, 2025

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