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The differences between network infrastructure engineers and network security engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a network infrastructure engineer and a network security engineer. Additionally, a network security engineer has an average salary of $88,322, which is higher than the $82,895 average annual salary of a network infrastructure engineer.
The top three skills for a network infrastructure engineer include network infrastructure, switches and cloud. The most important skills for a network security engineer are network security, windows, and cisco asa.
| Network Infrastructure Engineer | Network Security Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $82,895 | $88,322 |
| Hourly rate | $39.85 | $42.46 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 67,606 | 91,892 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A network infrastructure engineer designs, deploy, and secures the network of the organization. In this position, you will be required to perform site surveys and audits, ensure the company's network site meets set standards, ensure the networks function with minimum downtime, come up with strategies that help minimize operational costs, and helps the organization streamline the operations by ensuring the different systems work effectively.
A network security engineer is responsible for maintaining the safety and security of all the organization's network systems, conducting regular configuration and maintenance to avoid unauthorized access and suspicious activities that may pose risks for the company's integrity. Network security engineers manage security threats and strategize resolutions to mitigate the reoccurrence of security issues. They also develop security enhancement recommendations, update network infrastructure, and monitor system activities. A network security engineer should have excellent communication and technical skills, as well as a strong command of programming languages and system codes.
Network infrastructure engineers and network security engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Network Infrastructure Engineer | Network Security Engineer | |
| Average salary | $82,895 | $88,322 |
| Salary range | Between $57,000 And $119,000 | Between $64,000 And $120,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | The Knot |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Retail |
There are a few differences between a network infrastructure engineer and a network security engineer in terms of educational background:
| Network Infrastructure Engineer | Network Security Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between network infrastructure engineers' and network security engineers' demographics:
| Network Infrastructure Engineer | Network Security Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.4% Female, 7.6% | Male, 90.7% Female, 9.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.4% Asian, 12.0% White, 61.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 8.0% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.7% Asian, 13.9% White, 61.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |