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The differences between information systems engineers and security engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become an information systems engineer, becoming a security engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an information systems engineer has an average salary of $104,903, which is higher than the $104,524 average annual salary of a security engineer.
The top three skills for an information systems engineer include system security, NIST and RMF. The most important skills for a security engineer are java, cloud security, and infrastructure.
| Information Systems Engineer | Security Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $104,903 | $104,524 |
| Hourly rate | $50.43 | $50.25 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 32% |
| Number of jobs | 248,183 | 86,093 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
An information systems engineer is responsible for designing and creating network systems and databases to process information that would support business functions and operations. Information systems engineers maintain the stability and navigation of networks to ensure their security and prevent unauthorized access and illegal data dissemination. They may also modify the features and improve the infrastructure of the existing database for optimization. An information systems engineer must have excellent technical skills, as well as a strong command of programming languages to write codes and test controls.
Security engineers are responsible for developing and overseeing data and security software to help prevent data breaches, leaks, and taps related to cybercrime. Other duties and responsibilities include developing new systems to help protect computer networks and assets, configuring firewalls, and conducting penetration testing to pinpoint vulnerabilities. Additionally, security engineers are responsible for investigating attacks and help prevent cybersecurity threat. They are also responsible for creating new processes for authorization, encryption algorithms, and authentication, and analyzing current security policies.
Information systems engineers and security engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Information Systems Engineer | Security Engineer | |
| Average salary | $104,903 | $104,524 |
| Salary range | Between $78,000 And $139,000 | Between $77,000 And $141,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Safeway | ICE Mortgage Technology |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between an information systems engineer and a security engineer in terms of educational background:
| Information Systems Engineer | Security Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between information systems engineers' and security engineers' demographics:
| Information Systems Engineer | Security Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.5% Female, 18.5% | Male, 86.4% Female, 13.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 12.4% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | 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% |