Network security engineer vs network administrator

The differences between network security engineers and network 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 a network administrator. Additionally, a network security engineer has an average salary of $88,322, which is higher than the $71,357 average annual salary of a network administrator.

The top three skills for a network security engineer include network security, windows and cisco asa. The most important skills for a network administrator are switches, windows server, and troubleshoot.

Network security engineer vs network administrator overview

	Network Security Engineer	Network Administrator
Yearly salary	$88,322	$71,357
Hourly rate	$42.46	$34.31
Growth rate	5%	5%
Number of jobs	91,892	106,886
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 66%	Bachelor's Degree, 55%
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 a network administrator do?

A network administrator is responsible for managing an organization's computer systems, ensuring its smooth operations and highest efficiency. Network administrators' duties include inspecting network malfunctions, troubleshooting unresponsive programs, improving system processes, analyzing client's specifications, upgrading existing applications, coordinating with the technology department, and creating a report of network issues resolutions. A network administrator should display a strong command of programming languages. Extensive knowledge in the technology industry and analytical and problem-solving skills to manage network problems immediately is also necessary.

Network security engineer vs network administrator salary

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

	Network Security Engineer	Network Administrator
Average salary	$88,322	$71,357
Salary range	Between $64,000 And $120,000	Between $56,000 And $90,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	California	Washington
Best paying company	The Knot	Google
Best paying industry	Retail	Finance

Differences between network security engineer and network administrator education

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

	Network Security Engineer	Network Administrator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 66%	Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Most common major	Computer Science	Computer Science
Most common college	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Network security engineer vs network administrator demographics

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

	Network Security Engineer	Network Administrator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 90.7% Female, 9.3%	Male, 88.6% Female, 11.4%
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, 8.8% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 9.6% White, 63.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between network security engineer and network 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.

Network administrator example responsibilities.

Lead and manage desktop standards project.
Manage backups using EMC Networker and Avamar.
Manage Solarwinds to monitor servers and networks for all locations.
Manage all provisioning and technical issues for new customer IP blocks.
Deploy and manage storage (windows file servers and NetApp NAS).
Manage all technology: Novell, Microsoft, Cisco, email, library, labs, dorms, programs

Network security engineer vs network administrator skills

Common network security engineer skills

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

Common network administrator skills

Switches, 7%
Windows Server, 6%
Troubleshoot, 5%
Network Hardware, 5%
Routers, 4%
Lan Wan, 4%

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Network Security Engineer vs Network Administrator

Updated January 8, 2025

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