Network security administrator vs information technology administrator

The differences between network security administrators and information technology administrators 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 security administrator and an information technology administrator. Additionally, a network security administrator has an average salary of $82,247, which is higher than the $73,195 average annual salary of an information technology administrator.

The top three skills for a network security administrator include network security, troubleshoot and switches. The most important skills for an information technology administrator are customer service, troubleshoot, and linux.

Network security administrator vs information technology administrator overview

	Network Security Administrator	Information Technology Administrator
Yearly salary	$82,247	$73,195
Hourly rate	$39.54	$35.19
Growth rate	5%	5%
Number of jobs	130,342	159,499
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 62%	Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	2	2

What does a network security administrator do?

A Network Security Administrator works to ensure the security of the network systems and data in a company. They are responsible for developing and implementing security programs and protocols, establishing security guidelines, monitoring the networks, keeping an eye for any suspicious activities, or performing interventions to protect networks and data. They also respond to distress and investigates breaches to prevent them from happening again. In some companies, a Network Security Administrator is also in charge of managing network security staff, supervising their performance for an efficient workflow.

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.

Network security administrator vs information technology administrator salary

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

	Network Security Administrator	Information Technology Administrator
Average salary	$82,247	$73,195
Salary range	Between $59,000 And $113,000	Between $50,000 And $105,000
Highest paying City	Washington, DC	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	Portland General Electric	Databricks
Best paying industry	Finance	Finance

Differences between network security administrator and information technology administrator education

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

	Network Security Administrator	Information Technology Administrator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 62%	Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Most common major	Computer Science	Computer Science
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	Stanford University

Network security administrator vs information technology administrator demographics

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

	Network Security Administrator	Information Technology Administrator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 87.1% Female, 12.9%	Male, 81.6% Female, 18.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.4% Asian, 11.8% White, 61.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%	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%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

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

Network security administrator example responsibilities.

Manage, configure, and verify available IP addresses.
Install, configure and manage virtual servers in a VMWare environment.
Monitor traffic/mail issues for IronPort and manage the VMWare network system, minimizing problems and maintaining smooth work flow.
Lead architecture and design sessions with customers; initiate technical meetings with customer engineers to further engage and identify additional opportunities.
Install and configure Cisco routers and switches for internet connectivity and establishing an enterprise network.
Perform weekly internal and external systems and configurations vulnerability assessments of all network firewalls, switches and routers.

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.

Network security administrator vs information technology administrator skills

Common network security administrator skills

Network Security, 8%
Troubleshoot, 6%
Switches, 6%
IDS, 4%
Security Policies, 4%
Routers, 4%

Common information technology administrator skills

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

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Network Security Administrator vs Information Technology Administrator

Updated January 8, 2025

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