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The differences between information security officers and information 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 officer and an information security manager. Additionally, an information security officer has an average salary of $135,040, which is higher than the $126,447 average annual salary of an information security manager.
The top three skills for an information security officer include risk management, risk assessments and incident response. The most important skills for an information security manager are risk management, NIST, and infrastructure.
| Information Security Officer | Information Security Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $135,040 | $126,447 |
| Hourly rate | $64.92 | $60.79 |
| Growth rate | 32% | 32% |
| Number of jobs | 145,907 | 115,414 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
Information security officers are responsible for planning and implementing policies to safeguard an organization's computer network and data from different types of security breaches. Their duties typically include identifying computer network vulnerabilities, developing and executing a plan to secure and protect the network, and tracking computer network usage to ensure adherence to security policies. In addition, information security officers are also expected to conduct penetration tests to look for flaws and work closely with the IT and management departments to improve security.
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.
Information security officers and information security managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Information Security Officer | Information Security Manager | |
| Average salary | $135,040 | $126,447 |
| Salary range | Between $95,000 And $190,000 | Between $91,000 And $175,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Twilio | eBay |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Media |
There are a few differences between an information security officer and an information security manager in terms of educational background:
| Information Security Officer | Information Security Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between information security officers' and information security managers' demographics:
| Information Security Officer | Information Security Manager | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 85.9% Female, 14.1% | Male, 85.8% Female, 14.2% |
| 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% |