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The differences between information security consultants and security 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 consultant and a security engineer. Additionally, a security engineer has an average salary of $104,524, which is higher than the $103,316 average annual salary of an information security consultant.
The top three skills for an information security consultant include risk assessments, risk management and SQL. The most important skills for a security engineer are java, cloud security, and infrastructure.
| Information Security Consultant | Security Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $103,316 | $104,524 |
| Hourly rate | $49.67 | $50.25 |
| Growth rate | 32% | 32% |
| Number of jobs | 113,409 | 86,093 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
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.
Security engineers are responsible for developing and overseeing data and security software to help prevent data breaches, leaks, and taps related to cybercrime. Other duties and responsibilities include developing new systems to help protect computer networks and assets, configuring firewalls, and conducting penetration testing to pinpoint vulnerabilities. Additionally, security engineers are responsible for investigating attacks and help prevent cybersecurity threat. They are also responsible for creating new processes for authorization, encryption algorithms, and authentication, and analyzing current security policies.
Information security consultants and security engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Information Security Consultant | Security Engineer | |
| Average salary | $103,316 | $104,524 |
| Salary range | Between $76,000 And $138,000 | Between $77,000 And $141,000 |
| Highest paying City | Carson City, NV | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Pennsylvania | California |
| Best paying company | eBay | ICE Mortgage Technology |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between an information security consultant and a security engineer in terms of educational background:
| Information Security Consultant | Security Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between information security consultants' and security engineers' demographics:
| Information Security Consultant | Security Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 71.0% Female, 29.0% | Male, 86.4% Female, 13.6% |
| 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, 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% |