Network security engineer vs information technology administrator

The differences between network security engineers 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 engineer and an information technology administrator. Additionally, a network security engineer has an average salary of $88,322, which is higher than the $73,195 average annual salary of an information technology administrator.

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

Network security engineer vs information technology administrator overview

	Network Security Engineer	Information Technology Administrator
Yearly salary	$88,322	$73,195
Hourly rate	$42.46	$35.19
Growth rate	5%	5%
Number of jobs	91,892	159,499
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 66%	Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	2	2

What does a network security engineer do?

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.

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 engineer vs information technology administrator salary

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

	Network Security Engineer	Information Technology Administrator
Average salary	$88,322	$73,195
Salary range	Between $64,000 And $120,000	Between $50,000 And $105,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	The Knot	Databricks
Best paying industry	Retail	Finance

Differences between network security engineer and information technology administrator education

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

	Network Security Engineer	Information Technology Administrator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 66%	Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Most common major	Computer Science	Computer Science
Most common college	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	Stanford University

Network security engineer vs information technology administrator demographics

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

	Network Security Engineer	Information Technology Administrator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 90.7% Female, 9.3%	Male, 81.6% Female, 18.4%
Race ratio	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%	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 engineer and information technology administrator duties and responsibilities

Network security engineer example responsibilities.

Add and manage nodes in SolarWinds for monitoring purposes using SNMP v1/v2/v3.
Work with VMware NSX with deployment of greenfield environment and managing and troubleshooting issues with NSX.
Interact successfully with both program leads and DoD customer to ensure objectives are completed on time.
Experience in managing and troubleshooting Linux or Unix base operating systems.
Manage information technology security, including backups, firewalls, and routers.
Design and manage information systems security policy, implementation, and management for a globally distribute MPLS infrastructure.

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 engineer vs information technology administrator skills

Common network security engineer skills

Network Security, 10%
Windows, 5%
Cisco Asa, 4%
Switches, 4%
Linux, 4%
Troubleshoot, 3%

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 Engineer vs Information Technology Administrator

Updated January 8, 2025

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