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The differences between network security specialists and network support engineers 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 specialist, becoming a network support engineer takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a network support engineer has an average salary of $86,406, which is higher than the $82,206 average annual salary of a network security specialist.
The top three skills for a network security specialist include network security, incident response and IDS. The most important skills for a network support engineer are switches, network support, and OSPF.
| Network Security Specialist | Network Support Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $82,206 | $86,406 |
| Hourly rate | $39.52 | $41.54 |
| Growth rate | 32% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 82,646 | 113,476 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 42 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
A Network Security Specialist is a person who oversees computer networks to find security threats or unauthorized users. Their responsibilities include: identifying compromised machines, creating briefs of security measures taken, identifying possible security risks, determining the proper procedure to address the risks, assessing software that security aid, and researching security devices to get proper information on installation, audit-related information, and disaster recovery plans.
A network support engineer is an information technology expert who designs and develops computer systems, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. Among their responsibilities include performing installations and upgrades, configuring networks, troubleshooting issues, gathering and analyzing data to identify areas needing improvement, and recommending strategies to optimize network operations. They must also provide technical support to staff, address issues and concerns, conduct inspections, and perform repairs. Moreover, a network support engineer must regularly monitor networks while implementing the company's security and safety standards.
Network security specialists and network support engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Network Security Specialist | Network Support Engineer | |
| Average salary | $82,206 | $86,406 |
| Salary range | Between $60,000 And $112,000 | Between $66,000 And $112,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sunnyvale, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | JPMorgan Chase & Co. | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a network security specialist and a network support engineer in terms of educational background:
| Network Security Specialist | Network Support Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between network security specialists' and network support engineers' demographics:
| Network Security Specialist | Network Support Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.6% Female, 16.4% | Male, 89.2% Female, 10.8% |
| 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, 8.0% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.7% Asian, 13.9% White, 61.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |