Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between network 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 a network engineer, becoming a security engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a security engineer has an average salary of $104,524, which is higher than the $83,557 average annual salary of a network engineer.
The top three skills for a network engineer include switches, troubleshoot and network infrastructure. The most important skills for a security engineer are java, cloud security, and infrastructure.
| Network Engineer | Security Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $83,557 | $104,524 |
| Hourly rate | $40.17 | $50.25 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 32% |
| Number of jobs | 72,346 | 86,093 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
A network engineer is responsible for managing a network system, monitoring its performance, and upgrading its features to optimize performance and boost efficiency. Network engineers also create new systems, designing them based on clients' specifications and business needs. They also check network defects, perform troubleshooting, improve data security systems, and install security updates. A network engineer must have excellent knowledge of the technology industry, as well as a broad understanding of system codes, programming languages, and network configurations.
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.
Network engineers and security engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Network Engineer | Security Engineer | |
| Average salary | $83,557 | $104,524 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $111,000 | Between $77,000 And $141,000 |
| Highest paying City | Menlo Park, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | ICE Mortgage Technology |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a network engineer and a security engineer in terms of educational background:
| Network Engineer | Security Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Computer Science |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between network engineers' and security engineers' demographics:
| Network Engineer | Security Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4% | Male, 86.4% Female, 13.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.6% Asian, 13.7% White, 61.5% 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% |