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The differences between personnel security specialists and information security consultants 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 an information security consultant. Additionally, an information security consultant has an average salary of $103,316, 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 an information security consultant are risk assessments, risk management, and SQL.
| Personnel Security Specialist | Information Security Consultant | |
| Yearly salary | $78,967 | $103,316 |
| Hourly rate | $37.96 | $49.67 |
| Growth rate | 32% | 32% |
| Number of jobs | 52,507 | 113,409 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| 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.
Information Security Consultants are information technology (IT) professionals who are responsible for assessing computer and network systems to implement security solutions for the IT needs of an organization. These consultants must prevent unauthorized access to financial and personal information of the organization by assessing its existing infrastructures and systems for weaknesses. They must provide advice and recommendations on the best method to ensure security for their IT system. Information Security Consultants must also perform penetration testing and malware analysis to identify any network weaknesses.
Personnel security specialists and information security consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Personnel Security Specialist | Information Security Consultant | |
| Average salary | $78,967 | $103,316 |
| Salary range | Between $49,000 And $124,000 | Between $76,000 And $138,000 |
| Highest paying City | Palo Alto, CA | Carson City, NV |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Pennsylvania |
| Best paying company | Palantir | eBay |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between a personnel security specialist and an information security consultant in terms of educational background:
| Personnel Security Specialist | Information Security Consultant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Computer Science |
| Most common college | California State University - Bakersfield | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between personnel security specialists' and information security consultants' demographics:
| Personnel Security Specialist | Information Security Consultant | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 39.7% Female, 60.3% | Male, 71.0% Female, 29.0% |
| 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% |