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The differences between personnel security specialists and cyber security analysts can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a personnel security specialist and a cyber security analyst. Additionally, a cyber security analyst has an average salary of $88,422, which is higher than the $78,967 average annual salary of a personnel security specialist.
The top three skills for a personnel security specialist include SCI, JPAS and E-QIP. The most important skills for a cyber security analyst are incident response, windows, and SIEM.
| Personnel Security Specialist | Cyber Security Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $78,967 | $88,422 |
| Hourly rate | $37.96 | $42.51 |
| Growth rate | 32% | 32% |
| Number of jobs | 52,507 | 64,387 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A personnel security specialist is responsible for conducting background checks and collecting requirements for security clearance. Personnel security specialists write background check reports, coordinate with other institutions for further investigations, and determining the eligibility of candidates for clearance. They must have excellent communication and researching skills to identify and gather data suitable for employment purposes. A personnel security specialist verifies and processes information according to security procedures and protocols, providing accurate information and managing data disputes.
A cybersecurity analyst is responsible for planning and carrying out security measures to protect a company's computer networks and systems. They constantly keep tabs on threats and monitor their organization's networks for any security breaches. Their tasks involve installing computer programs or software and encryption, reporting breaches or weak spots, exploring new IT trends, educating the company's information security team on security. They also do simulate security attacks to find possible network and system vulnerabilities.
Personnel security specialists and cyber security analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Personnel Security Specialist | Cyber Security Analyst | |
| Average salary | $78,967 | $88,422 |
| Salary range | Between $49,000 And $124,000 | Between $66,000 And $117,000 |
| Highest paying City | Palo Alto, CA | Los Angeles, CA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Oregon |
| Best paying company | Palantir | Neighborly |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a personnel security specialist and a cyber security analyst in terms of educational background:
| Personnel Security Specialist | Cyber Security Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Computer Information Systems |
| Most common college | California State University - Bakersfield | California State University - Bakersfield |
Here are the differences between personnel security specialists' and cyber security analysts' demographics:
| Personnel Security Specialist | Cyber Security Analyst | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 39.7% Female, 60.3% | Male, 78.5% Female, 21.5% |
| 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% |