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The differences between personnel security specialists and senior 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 a senior security consultant. Additionally, a senior security consultant has an average salary of $120,769, 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 senior security consultant are cloud security, infrastructure, and governance.
| Personnel Security Specialist | Senior Security Consultant | |
| Yearly salary | $78,967 | $120,769 |
| Hourly rate | $37.96 | $58.06 |
| Growth rate | 32% | 32% |
| Number of jobs | 52,507 | 66,226 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| 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 senior security consultant is an information technology (IT) expert specializing in establishing security protocols and systems to protect a company's data and network. Their responsibilities revolve around performing internal research and analysis to identify the strengths and weaknesses of current IT security systems, recommending solutions to problem areas, and suggesting new tools and techniques to improve data security. Furthermore, as a senior security consultant, it is essential to monitor the company's systems and networks and promptly respond to any breaches, conducting corrective and preventive measures to prevent it from ever happening again.
Personnel security specialists and senior security consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Personnel Security Specialist | Senior Security Consultant | |
| Average salary | $78,967 | $120,769 |
| Salary range | Between $49,000 And $124,000 | Between $91,000 And $159,000 |
| Highest paying City | Palo Alto, CA | Sacramento, CA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Nevada |
| Best paying company | Palantir | Amazon |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a personnel security specialist and a senior security consultant in terms of educational background:
| Personnel Security Specialist | Senior Security Consultant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Business |
| Most common college | California State University - Bakersfield | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between personnel security specialists' and senior security consultants' demographics:
| Personnel Security Specialist | Senior Security Consultant | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 39.7% Female, 60.3% | Male, 86.1% Female, 13.9% |
| 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% |