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The differences between information security engineers and network security engineers 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 engineer, becoming a network security engineer takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an information security engineer has an average salary of $97,288, which is higher than the $88,322 average annual salary of a network security engineer.
The top three skills for an information security engineer include infrastructure, incident response and security tools. The most important skills for a network security engineer are network security, windows, and cisco asa.
| Information Security Engineer | Network Security Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $97,288 | $88,322 |
| Hourly rate | $46.77 | $42.46 |
| Growth rate | 32% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 120,257 | 91,892 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 42 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
An information security engineer specializes in designing and developing systems to protect company and customer data from hackers or any cyber attacks. Their responsibilities revolve around coordinating with different departments to identify their needs, assess existing programs to identify any areas needing improvement, monitor network and system for any problems, and implement preventive measures for protection. Should there be any breaches, it is essential to resolve them right away and conduct an investigation to prevent it from happening again. Furthermore, it is necessary to assist employees in utilizing security systems to ensure smooth workflow.
A network security engineer is responsible for maintaining the safety and security of all the organization's network systems, conducting regular configuration and maintenance to avoid unauthorized access and suspicious activities that may pose risks for the company's integrity. Network security engineers manage security threats and strategize resolutions to mitigate the reoccurrence of security issues. They also develop security enhancement recommendations, update network infrastructure, and monitor system activities. A network security engineer should have excellent communication and technical skills, as well as a strong command of programming languages and system codes.
Information security engineers and network security engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Information Security Engineer | Network Security Engineer | |
| Average salary | $97,288 | $88,322 |
| Salary range | Between $73,000 And $129,000 | Between $64,000 And $120,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | The Knot |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Retail |
There are a few differences between an information security engineer and a network security engineer in terms of educational background:
| Information Security Engineer | Network Security Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between information security engineers' and network security engineers' demographics:
| Information Security Engineer | Network Security Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.3% Female, 11.7% | Male, 90.7% Female, 9.3% |
| 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, 8.0% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.7% Asian, 13.9% White, 61.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |