Network security analyst vs senior security engineer

The differences between network security analysts and senior 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 a senior security engineer. Additionally, a senior security engineer has an average salary of $122,480, 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 a senior security engineer are cloud security, java, and linux.

Network security analyst vs senior security engineer overview

	Network Security Analyst	Senior Security Engineer
Yearly salary	$81,623	$122,480
Hourly rate	$39.24	$58.88
Growth rate	32%	32%
Number of jobs	82,954	69,850
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 62%	Bachelor's Degree, 63%
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 a senior security engineer do?

A senior security engineer is responsible for maintaining the safety and security of the organization's systems and network database to prevent unauthorized access and avoid data breaches. Senior security engineers inspect the efficiency of networks, perform system configuration, and increase the optimal performance of complex systems. They also implement policies and procedures for compliance with the proper utilization of information directories. They also conduct regular maintenance of networks, create update reports, and resolve glitches and security threats.

Network security analyst vs senior security engineer salary

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

	Network Security Analyst	Senior Security Engineer
Average salary	$81,623	$122,480
Salary range	Between $61,000 And $108,000	Between $90,000 And $164,000
Highest paying City	San Jose, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	Bunge	Roku
Best paying industry	Professional	Manufacturing

Differences between network security analyst and senior security engineer education

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

	Network Security Analyst	Senior Security Engineer
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 62%	Bachelor's Degree, 63%
Most common major	Computer Science	Computer Science
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Network security analyst vs senior security engineer demographics

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

	Network Security Analyst	Senior Security Engineer
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 84.9% Female, 15.1%	Male, 91.2% Female, 8.8%
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 senior 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.

Senior security engineer example responsibilities.

Manage logistics of moving necessary equipment for test across country to newly designed/built NSA certify test facility.
Assess cloud providers and products to meet NIST 800-53 for accreditation of applications operating in the cloud.
Involve in migrating JBOSS /Fat java applications to RHEL6 upgrade.
Conduct vulnerability scans using NESSUS to scan the CMS QIO network infrastructure.
Install and maintain security infrastructure, including IPS/IDS, log management, and SIEM systems.
Design and implement a plan to upgrade the ACAS infrastructure to include MDA's remote sites.

Network security analyst vs senior security engineer skills

Common network security analyst skills

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

Common senior security engineer skills

Cloud Security, 8%
Java, 8%
Linux, 5%
Windows, 5%
Incident Response, 4%
Security Engineering, 4%

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Network Security Analyst vs Senior Security Engineer

Updated January 8, 2025

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