Information technology administrator vs information security administrator

The differences between information technology administrators and information security administrators 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 technology administrator, becoming an information security administrator takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an information security administrator has an average salary of $81,604, which is higher than the $73,195 average annual salary of an information technology administrator.

The top three skills for an information technology administrator include customer service, troubleshoot and linux. The most important skills for an information security administrator are incident response, security systems, and data loss prevention.

Information technology administrator vs information security administrator overview

	Information Technology Administrator	Information Security Administrator
Yearly salary	$73,195	$81,604
Hourly rate	$35.19	$39.23
Growth rate	5%	32%
Number of jobs	159,499	157,160
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 56%	Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Average age	43	42
Years of experience	2	6

What does an information technology administrator do?

An Information Technology (IT) administrator is an individual responsible for managing the day-to-day operation of an organization's IT systems and ensuring that the systems are running effectively. IT administrators must conduct consistent analyses of the computer system and install updates when needed. They are required to assess the organization's security programs and run the system for viruses and spyware. IT administrators also extend support to the organization's end-users and train them on desktop applications.

What does an information security administrator do?

An Information Security Administrator focuses on the proper installation of surveillance systems in a building or residence. This person is responsible for ensuring the appropriate installment of CCTV cameras and other equipment necessary to protect a perimeter adequately. Their responsibilities include ensuring the protection of all surveillance equipment from tampering, theft, and damage and providing support for the owner to resolve problems with the system and provide troubleshooting.

Information technology administrator vs information security administrator salary

Information technology administrators and information security administrators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Information Technology Administrator	Information Security Administrator
Average salary	$73,195	$81,604
Salary range	Between $50,000 And $105,000	Between $57,000 And $116,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Roseville, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	Databricks	Nasdaq
Best paying industry	Finance	Retail

Differences between information technology administrator and information security administrator education

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

	Information Technology Administrator	Information Security Administrator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 56%	Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Most common major	Computer Science	Business
Most common college	Stanford University	Stanford University

Information technology administrator vs information security administrator demographics

Here are the differences between information technology administrators' and information security administrators' demographics:

	Information Technology Administrator	Information Security Administrator
Average age	43	42
Gender ratio	Male, 81.6% Female, 18.4%	Male, 62.7% Female, 37.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.7% Asian, 9.8% White, 63.0% 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%

Differences between information technology administrator and information security administrator duties and responsibilities

Information technology administrator example responsibilities.

Define, document and project manage the implementation and configuration changes to HRIS applications.
Manage the migration from ADP to Lawson software; adapt HRIS to fit organizational needs.
Manage PC trainers and develop high quality internal instructor-le courses.
Manage host peripheral hardware including disk files and space utilization.
Manage and maintain corporate telecommunications and LAN; recommend repairs as needed.
Manage administration for SharePoint websites including account creation or modifying existing user accounts and site settings.

Information security administrator example responsibilities.

Lead enterprise-wide virtualization effort, overseeing and completing vendor/hardware qualifications, architecture/design, installation, configuration, migration and documentation.
Work with auditors to gather the proper information for PCI and SOX audits and submit the information in timely require manner.
Create and conduct HIPAA training program for executive management and general staff.
Establish HIPAA policies and procedures and implement system measures to ensure compliance.
Interface with business managers, end-users and technical staff for provisioning of access.
Deploy new systems and network devices to include provisioning of access controls and monitoring.

Information technology administrator vs information security administrator skills

Common information technology administrator skills

Customer Service, 10%
Troubleshoot, 6%
Linux, 5%
Database, 4%
VMware, 4%
Windows Server, 4%

Common information security administrator skills

Incident Response, 6%
Security Systems, 6%
Data Loss Prevention, 5%
Security Policies, 5%
Security Procedures, 4%
IDS, 4%

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Information Technology Administrator vs Information Security Administrator

Updated January 8, 2025

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