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The differences between information security consultants and consultants 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 consultant, becoming a consultant takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an information security consultant has an average salary of $103,316, which is higher than the $78,912 average annual salary of a consultant.
The top three skills for an information security consultant include risk assessments, risk management and SQL. The most important skills for a consultant are customer service, strong analytical, and project management.
| Information Security Consultant | Consultant | |
| Yearly salary | $103,316 | $78,912 |
| Hourly rate | $49.67 | $37.94 |
| Growth rate | 32% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 113,409 | 171,733 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 42 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
Information Security Consultants are information technology (IT) professionals who are responsible for assessing computer and network systems to implement security solutions for the IT needs of an organization. These consultants must prevent unauthorized access to financial and personal information of the organization by assessing its existing infrastructures and systems for weaknesses. They must provide advice and recommendations on the best method to ensure security for their IT system. Information Security Consultants must also perform penetration testing and malware analysis to identify any network weaknesses.
Consultants are individuals who were tapped by a company or an organization to work on a specific activity, depending on their field of expertise. They act as guides for the organization in undertaking projects that are related to their field. Consultants would usually assist organizations in planning, often giving advice when the need arises. They would, at times, take the lead in activities that involve data gathering and interpretation of data gathering results so that they can provide solid recommendations on actions that the organization may undertake. They may also guide the organization in implementing any changes brought about by their consultancy and in evaluating the effectiveness of the changes.
Information security consultants and consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Information Security Consultant | Consultant | |
| Average salary | $103,316 | $78,912 |
| Salary range | Between $76,000 And $138,000 | Between $58,000 And $107,000 |
| Highest paying City | Carson City, NV | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Pennsylvania | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | eBay | L.E.K. Consulting |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between an information security consultant and a consultant in terms of educational background:
| Information Security Consultant | Consultant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between information security consultants' and consultants' demographics:
| Information Security Consultant | Consultant | |
| Average age | 42 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 71.0% Female, 29.0% | Male, 58.4% Female, 41.6% |
| 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, 7.8% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 13.8% White, 65.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 12% |