Information security analyst vs specialist

The differences between information security analysts and specialists 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 specialist takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an information security analyst has an average salary of $98,144, which is higher than the $58,013 average annual salary of a specialist.

The top three skills for an information security analyst include incident response, risk assessments and windows. The most important skills for a specialist are patients, customer service, and work ethic.

Information security analyst vs specialist overview

	Information Security Analyst	Specialist
Yearly salary	$98,144	$58,013
Hourly rate	$47.18	$27.89
Growth rate	32%	10%
Number of jobs	112,818	358,433
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 62%	Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	6	2

What does an information security analyst do?

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.

What does a specialist do?

Specialists are employees who are responsible for specific tasks or activities in the department they are assigned to. The actions or tasks they work on are related to their educational background or work experiences. They are usually highly skilled in specializations related to the work they are assigned to. Specialists are also highly trained on the competencies that are required of their specialty. As such, they are focused on the skills and competencies that are needed to enhance their experience in their specific field further.

Information security analyst vs specialist salary

Information security analysts and specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Information Security Analyst	Specialist
Average salary	$98,144	$58,013
Salary range	Between $71,000 And $135,000	Between $32,000 And $104,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Jersey City, NJ
Highest paying state	California	New Jersey
Best paying company	The Walt Disney Company	The Citadel
Best paying industry	Professional	-

Differences between information security analyst and specialist education

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

	Information Security Analyst	Specialist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 62%	Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Stanford University	Stanford University

Information security analyst vs specialist demographics

Here are the differences between information security analysts' and specialists' demographics:

	Information Security Analyst	Specialist
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 72.9% Female, 27.1%	Male, 47.5% Female, 52.5%
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, 11.4% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 10.5% White, 55.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	9%	11%

Differences between information security analyst and specialist duties and responsibilities

Information security analyst example responsibilities.

Manage IA personnel in the performance of IAVM tasks.
Lead maritime IP intrusion detection analysis special project providing models to identify Cyber terrorist's capabilities, methods, and strategies.
Manage and configure perimeter Cisco routers and switches.
Implement a manage endpoint encryption solution utilizing TrendMicro MobileArmor to secure university workstations against sensitive data loss.
Perform vulnerability assessment and remediation of systems to ensure compliance to policies, regulations and controls (HIPAA & NIST).
Monitor and analyze SIEM events to identify security issues for remediation.

Specialist example responsibilities.

Create, manage, and assist users with SharePoint sites.
Manage an on-site IRB and company good clinical practice (GCP) inspection.
Manage SharePoint sites by creating, editing, and customizing company sites, libraries and security.
Manage the building of accounts, assigning of static IP's, and scheduling of business class installations.
Convert servers from UNIX to Linux, all hardware diagnostics and repair including printers/plotters/desktops etc.
Follow safety procedures such as maintenance of all equipment (Telxon scanners, terminals and ladders).

Information security analyst vs specialist skills

Common information security analyst skills

Incident Response, 7%
Risk Assessments, 5%
Windows, 5%
SIEM, 4%
Data Loss Prevention, 4%
Network Security, 3%

Common specialist skills

Patients, 15%
Customer Service, 11%
Work Ethic, 5%
Patient Care, 4%
Exceptional Client, 4%
Troubleshoot, 4%

Information Security Analyst vs. similar jobs

Information Security Analyst related careers

Information Security Analyst related jobs

Information Security Analyst jobs by location

Zippia Careers
Computer and Mathematical Industry
Information Security Analyst
Information Security Analyst vs Specialist

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse computer and mathematical jobs