Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between information security consultants and senior 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 senior security engineer. Additionally, a senior security engineer has an average salary of $122,480, 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 senior security engineer are cloud security, java, and linux.
| Information Security Consultant | Senior Security Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $103,316 | $122,480 |
| Hourly rate | $49.67 | $58.88 |
| Growth rate | 32% | 32% |
| Number of jobs | 113,409 | 69,850 |
| 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.
A senior security engineer is responsible for maintaining the safety and security of the organization's systems and network database to prevent unauthorized access and avoid data breaches. Senior security engineers inspect the efficiency of networks, perform system configuration, and increase the optimal performance of complex systems. They also implement policies and procedures for compliance with the proper utilization of information directories. They also conduct regular maintenance of networks, create update reports, and resolve glitches and security threats.
Information security consultants and senior security engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Information Security Consultant | Senior Security Engineer | |
| Average salary | $103,316 | $122,480 |
| Salary range | Between $76,000 And $138,000 | Between $90,000 And $164,000 |
| Highest paying City | Carson City, NV | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Pennsylvania | California |
| Best paying company | eBay | Roku |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between an information security consultant and a senior security engineer in terms of educational background:
| Information Security Consultant | Senior 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 senior security engineers' demographics:
| Information Security Consultant | Senior Security Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 71.0% Female, 29.0% | Male, 91.2% Female, 8.8% |
| 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% |