Information security manager vs security architect

The differences between information security managers and security architects 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 manager and a security architect. Additionally, a security architect has an average salary of $128,636, which is higher than the $126,447 average annual salary of an information security manager.

The top three skills for an information security manager include risk management, NIST and infrastructure. The most important skills for a security architect are cloud security, architecture, and cloud.

Information security manager vs security architect overview

	Information Security Manager	Security Architect
Yearly salary	$126,447	$128,636
Hourly rate	$60.79	$61.84
Growth rate	32%	32%
Number of jobs	115,414	127,619
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 62%	Bachelor's Degree, 62%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	6	6

What does an information security manager do?

An information security manager is primarily in charge of overseeing the security systems established to protect a company's data from hackers or cyber-attacks. Their responsibilities revolve around monitoring networks for any security breaches, designing and developing new security systems, and improving existing ones when necessary. They may also perform research and analysis to determine company needs, provide instructional materials, and produce progress reports. Furthermore, as an information security manager, it is essential to provide technical support to employees, all while adhering to the company's policies and regulations.

What does a security architect do?

A security architect specializes in designing and establishing security systems and measures to protect a company and its clients from hackers or cyber-attacks. Their responsibilities revolve around reviewing existing security systems to determine areas needing improvement, implementing upgrades, and devising strategies to identify a company's information technology needs. A security architect may also provide instructional materials to employees on utilizing the security systems, respond to inquiries and concerns, and perform maintenance tests as needed. Furthermore, should there be any incidents of breaches, it is essential to conduct a thorough investigation to prevent it from happening again.

Information security manager vs security architect salary

Information security managers and security architects have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Information Security Manager	Security Architect
Average salary	$126,447	$128,636
Salary range	Between $91,000 And $175,000	Between $92,000 And $179,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	California	Pennsylvania
Best paying company	eBay	The Knot
Best paying industry	Media	-

Differences between information security manager and security architect education

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

	Information Security Manager	Security Architect
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 62%	Bachelor's Degree, 62%
Most common major	Business	Computer Science
Most common college	Stanford University	Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Information security manager vs security architect demographics

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

	Information Security Manager	Security Architect
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 85.8% Female, 14.2%	Male, 90.5% Female, 9.5%
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 manager and security architect duties and responsibilities

Information security manager example responsibilities.

Develop goals and strategies to achieve company goals while improving upon current ITIL processes and procedures.
Provide direct leadership with managing corporate HIPAA Privacy/Security compliance initiatives.
Manage the administration of various encryption, authentication and public/private key management technologies and certificate/digital authority.
Manage the conversion to a hybrid NAS/disk/tape CommVault base backup environment resulting in decreasing backup windows and improving recovery objectives.
Conduct risk assessments and collaborate with leadership to provide recommendations regarding critical infrastructure and network security operations enhancements.
Coordinate penetration testing, address vulnerabilities, and analyze NIST 800-82 and ISO 27001 standards/gap analysis for SCADA and business networks.

Security architect example responsibilities.

Manage 4.1MM growth budget and 20MM operating budget in order to facilitate execution of priorities across the IAM landscape.
Manage annual penetration testing exercise and PCI compliance validation scanning program.
Lead multiple identity management projects integrating provisioning and roll management tools.
Manage GLBA security awareness and training program and annual information security awareness activities.
Implement a manage endpoint encryption solution utilizing TrendMicro MobileArmor to secure university workstations against sensitive data loss.
Develop criteria, assess, and validate security architectures models according to NIST 800-123 , 800-53 and ISO regulations and standards.

Information security manager vs security architect skills

Common information security manager skills

Risk Management, 7%
NIST, 7%
Infrastructure, 5%
Governance, 5%
Incident Response, 5%
Risk Assessments, 5%

Common security architect skills

Cloud Security, 12%
Architecture, 8%
Cloud, 7%
Infrastructure, 6%
Java, 5%
NIST, 4%

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Information Security Manager vs Security Architect

Updated January 8, 2025

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