Network security analyst vs information security engineer

The differences between network security analysts and information security engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a network security analyst and an information security engineer. Additionally, an information security engineer has an average salary of $97,288, which is higher than the $81,623 average annual salary of a network security analyst.

The top three skills for a network security analyst include network security, windows and incident response. The most important skills for an information security engineer are infrastructure, incident response, and security tools.

Network security analyst vs information security engineer overview

	Network Security Analyst	Information Security Engineer
Yearly salary	$81,623	$97,288
Hourly rate	$39.24	$46.77
Growth rate	32%	32%
Number of jobs	82,954	120,257
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 62%	Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	6	6

What does a network security analyst do?

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.

What does an information security engineer do?

An information security engineer specializes in designing and developing systems to protect company and customer data from hackers or any cyber attacks. Their responsibilities revolve around coordinating with different departments to identify their needs, assess existing programs to identify any areas needing improvement, monitor network and system for any problems, and implement preventive measures for protection. Should there be any breaches, it is essential to resolve them right away and conduct an investigation to prevent it from happening again. Furthermore, it is necessary to assist employees in utilizing security systems to ensure smooth workflow.

Network security analyst vs information security engineer salary

Network security analysts and information security engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Network Security Analyst	Information Security Engineer
Average salary	$81,623	$97,288
Salary range	Between $61,000 And $108,000	Between $73,000 And $129,000
Highest paying City	San Jose, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	Bunge	The Citadel
Best paying industry	Professional	Technology

Differences between network security analyst and information security engineer education

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

	Network Security Analyst	Information Security Engineer
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 62%	Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Most common major	Computer Science	Computer Science
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Network security analyst vs information security engineer demographics

Here are the differences between network security analysts' and information security engineers' demographics:

	Network Security Analyst	Information Security Engineer
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 84.9% Female, 15.1%	Male, 88.3% Female, 11.7%
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, 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 network security analyst and information security engineer duties and responsibilities

Network security analyst example responsibilities.

Manage endpoint encryption, antivirus/anti-malware host IPS, process documentation, incident management.
Design and manage information systems security policy, implementation, and management for a globally distribute MPLS infrastructure.
Install and provide upkeep for Linux scanning, storage and group-relate web and network management servers.
Create shell scripts to generate list of all files directories ownership companywide on all UNIX and Linux systems.
Assist with NIST 800-171 compliance initiative.
Utilize ArcSight SIEM to create rules, filters and channels.

Information security engineer example responsibilities.

Lead the certification and accreditation efforts by implementing NIST 800-53 security controls in order to obtain FISMA compliance.
Implement a manage endpoint encryption solution utilizing TrendMicro MobileArmor to secure university workstations against sensitive data loss.
Ensure that security policies are properly implement using NIST guidelines and perform auditing of logs.
Conduct Java algorithm design reviews and resolve any design issues.
Automate manual queries and integration using WhiteHat API's with PERL and Java.
Update ACAS plugins weekly or when updates become available on the DISA provide website.

Network security analyst vs information security engineer skills

Common network security analyst skills

Network Security, 11%
Windows, 5%
Incident Response, 4%
Switches, 3%
Linux, 3%
Tcp Ip, 3%

Common information security engineer skills

Infrastructure, 7%
Incident Response, 6%
Security Tools, 5%
Network Security, 4%
SIEM, 4%
NIST, 4%

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Network Security Analyst vs Information Security Engineer

Updated January 8, 2025

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