Information security director vs information technology security manager

The differences between information security directors and information technology security managers 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 director and an information technology security manager. Additionally, an information security director has an average salary of $141,813, which is higher than the $124,792 average annual salary of an information technology security manager.

The top three skills for an information security director include cloud security, risk management and incident response. The most important skills for an information technology security manager are NIST, risk management, and project management.

Information security director vs information technology security manager overview

	Information Security Director	Information Technology Security Manager
Yearly salary	$141,813	$124,792
Hourly rate	$68.18	$60.00
Growth rate	32%	32%
Number of jobs	109,450	120,463
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 65%	Bachelor's Degree, 63%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	6	6

What does an information security director do?

An information security director is an executive professional who is responsible for implementing, designing, managing, and allocating all the security measures using technology in an organization. Information security directors are required to observe security vulnerabilities and threats as well as develop strategies to handle security incidents. They must participate in the deployment of security technologies and implement security policies and procedures. Information security directors must also implement education programs on user awareness and security compliance.

What does an information technology security manager do?

An information technology security manager is responsible for maintaining the safety and security of the organization's network systems to prevent unauthorized access and illegal dissemination of information from the database. Information technology security managers resolve technical issues, configure network updates, and upgrade system infrastructures to enhance optimal performance and navigation. They also install applications, inspect security breaches, and fix faulty servers to avoid system downtimes and operational delays. An information technology security manager must have excellent technical and communication skills, especially in writing reports for system findings and design networks according to business requirements.

Information security director vs information technology security manager salary

Information security directors and information technology security managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Information Security Director	Information Technology Security Manager
Average salary	$141,813	$124,792
Salary range	Between $99,000 And $201,000	Between $91,000 And $170,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	Chegg	PayPal
Best paying industry	Real Estate	Hospitality

Differences between information security director and information technology security manager education

There are a few differences between an information security director and an information technology security manager in terms of educational background:

	Information Security Director	Information Technology Security Manager
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 65%	Bachelor's Degree, 63%
Most common major	Business	Computer Science
Most common college	Stanford University	Stanford University

Information security director vs information technology security manager demographics

Here are the differences between information security directors' and information technology security managers' demographics:

	Information Security Director	Information Technology Security Manager
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 87.1% Female, 12.9%	Male, 83.4% Female, 16.6%
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%

Differences between information security director and information technology security manager duties and responsibilities

Information security director example responsibilities.

Design and lead implementation of extensive business-wide customer data encryption effort.
Lead projects to include standards and policy development, business strategy formulation, infrastructure implementation and process re-engineering.
Manage the conversion to a hybrid NAS/disk/tape CommVault base backup environment resulting in decreasing backup windows and improving recovery objectives.
Complete regular network scans and submit the results to the ISO.
Second step are to compile the data against the HIPAA guidelines and assess areas of success and improvements.
Develop a certification program for information security management system in accordance with the ISO 27000 and HITRUST CSF security standards frameworks.

Information technology security manager example responsibilities.

Manage and represent RMFMC when dealing with patients and employees regarding matters of breach of privacy and / or HIPAA violations.
Manage CoBIT compliance and control self-assessment program to identify control deficiencies.
Manage the conversion to a hybrid NAS/disk/tape CommVault base backup environment resulting in decreasing backup windows and improving recovery objectives.
Create and implement security controls (encryption, inventory management), policies and procedures to ensure HIPAA compliance.
Maintain the operation in conformity with ITIL standards and practices.
Assist NASA in its compliance with relevant security standards, including NIST and FISMA.

Information security director vs information technology security manager skills

Common information security director skills

Cloud Security, 6%
Risk Management, 6%
Incident Response, 5%
NIST, 5%
Risk Assessments, 4%
Infrastructure, 4%

Common information technology security manager skills

NIST, 7%
Risk Management, 6%
Project Management, 6%
Risk Assessments, 4%
Incident Response, 4%
ISO, 4%

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Information Security Director vs Information Technology Security Manager

Updated January 8, 2025

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