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The differences between network security analysts and analysts can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a network security analyst, becoming an analyst takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a network security analyst has an average salary of $81,623, which is higher than the $73,007 average annual salary of an analyst.
The top three skills for a network security analyst include network security, windows and incident response. The most important skills for an analyst are customer service, troubleshoot, and data analysis.
| Network Security Analyst | Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $81,623 | $73,007 |
| Hourly rate | $39.24 | $35.10 |
| Growth rate | 32% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 82,954 | 253,138 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 42 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
Network security analysts are information technology (IT) professionals who are responsible for designing and implementing security measures to prevent suspicious or hostile activities on the computer and network systems for an organization. These analysts must install firewalls while working with the IT team to protect their systems against malicious attacks. They are required to perform forensic analysis on those malicious activities so that they can determine the source of the threats. Network security analysts must also communicate the state of information security to the stakeholders as well as suggesting ways to improve system security.
Analysts are employees or individual contributors with a vast experience in a particular field that help the organization address challenges. They help the organization improve processes, policies, and other operations protocol by studying the current processes in place and determining the effectiveness of those processes. They also research industry trends and data to make sound inferences and recommendations on what the company should do to improve their numbers. Analysts recommend business solutions and often help the organization roll out these solutions. They ensure that the proposed action plans are effective and produce the desired results.
Network security analysts and analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Network Security Analyst | Analyst | |
| Average salary | $81,623 | $73,007 |
| Salary range | Between $61,000 And $108,000 | Between $53,000 And $99,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Jose, CA | Jersey City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | California | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Bunge | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Technology |
There are a few differences between a network security analyst and an analyst in terms of educational background:
| Network Security Analyst | Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between network security analysts' and analysts' demographics:
| Network Security Analyst | Analyst | |
| Average age | 42 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 84.9% Female, 15.1% | Male, 52.4% Female, 47.6% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 7.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 8.5% Asian, 14.3% White, 65.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 12% |