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The differences between information security analysts and software engineers 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 analyst, becoming a software engineer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a software engineer has an average salary of $100,260, which is higher than the $98,144 average annual salary of an information security analyst.
The top three skills for an information security analyst include incident response, risk assessments and windows. The most important skills for a software engineer are java, python, and software development.
| Information Security Analyst | Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $98,144 | $100,260 |
| Hourly rate | $47.18 | $48.20 |
| Growth rate | 32% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 112,818 | 339,938 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3.5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 42 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
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.
A software engineer is a computer science professional who is responsible for the development of information systems, designing and building computer systems software and applications software. They often prefer to call themselves as a software developer or computer programmer. They have substantial knowledge of programming languages, software development, and computer operating systems, and other technologies. They use these to turn a plan into a final output. They can create a design, test, and develop software based on the needs of their clients.
Information security analysts and software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Information Security Analyst | Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $98,144 | $100,260 |
| Salary range | Between $71,000 And $135,000 | Between $73,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Bruno, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | The Walt Disney Company | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Start-up |
There are a few differences between an information security analyst and a software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Information Security Analyst | Software Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Business | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between information security analysts' and software engineers' demographics:
| Information Security Analyst | Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 72.9% Female, 27.1% | Male, 78.0% Female, 22.0% |
| 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, 4.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 34.0% White, 48.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 8% |