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The differences between information security officers 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 officer and a senior security engineer. Additionally, an information security officer has an average salary of $135,040, which is higher than the $122,480 average annual salary of a senior security engineer.
The top three skills for an information security officer include risk management, risk assessments and incident response. The most important skills for a senior security engineer are cloud security, java, and linux.
| Information Security Officer | Senior Security Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $135,040 | $122,480 |
| Hourly rate | $64.92 | $58.88 |
| Growth rate | 32% | 32% |
| Number of jobs | 145,907 | 69,850 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| 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.
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 officers and senior security engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Information Security Officer | Senior Security Engineer | |
| Average salary | $135,040 | $122,480 |
| Salary range | Between $95,000 And $190,000 | Between $90,000 And $164,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Twilio | Roku |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between an information security officer and a senior security engineer in terms of educational background:
| Information Security Officer | Senior Security Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Business | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between information security officers' and senior security engineers' demographics:
| Information Security Officer | Senior Security Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 85.9% Female, 14.1% | 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% |