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The differences between information security analysts 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 analyst and an information assurance engineer. Additionally, an information security analyst has an average salary of $98,144, which is higher than the $89,291 average annual salary of an information assurance engineer.
The top three skills for an information security analyst include incident response, risk assessments and windows. The most important skills for an information assurance engineer are RMF, DOD, and IAM.
| Information Security Analyst | Information Assurance Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $98,144 | $89,291 |
| Hourly rate | $47.18 | $42.93 |
| Growth rate | 32% | 32% |
| Number of jobs | 112,818 | 104,421 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
An information security analyst is an individual who is responsible for carrying out security measures to protect the computer network and systems of an organization. Information security analysts erect firewalls and encrypt data transmissions to protect the organization's data from being inappropriately accessed or used. They must be aware of reports on computer viruses and should share this information with the management or customer. Information security analysts are also required to conduct training for all the organization's employees regarding computer security and information safeguarding.
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 analysts and information assurance engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Information Security Analyst | Information Assurance Engineer | |
| Average salary | $98,144 | $89,291 |
| Salary range | Between $71,000 And $135,000 | Between $67,000 And $117,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Santa Clara, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Oregon |
| Best paying company | The Walt Disney Company | Parsons |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Professional |
There are a few differences between an information security analyst and an information assurance engineer in terms of educational background:
| Information Security Analyst | Information Assurance Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | Business | Information Technology |
| Most common college | Stanford University | - |
Here are the differences between information security analysts' and information assurance engineers' demographics:
| Information Security Analyst | Information Assurance Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 72.9% Female, 27.1% | 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% |