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The differences between security administrators and help desk 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 security administrator and a help desk administrator. Additionally, a security administrator has an average salary of $79,564, which is higher than the $49,798 average annual salary of a help desk administrator.
The top three skills for a security administrator include customer service, troubleshoot and security procedures. The most important skills for a help desk administrator are customer service, desk support, and troubleshoot.
| Security Administrator | Help Desk Administrator | |
| Yearly salary | $79,564 | $49,798 |
| Hourly rate | $38.25 | $23.94 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 99,222 | 130,180 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A security administrator is in charge of establishing and enforcing security measures over a company's information systems and networks. Their duties typically revolve around installing and maintaining security networks, analyzing existing systems to identify areas needing improvement, conducting regular maintenance checks and upgrades to optimize services and functions, and monitoring overall systems for any suspicious activities or breaches. Furthermore, as a security administrator, it is essential to develop information technology solutions in adherence to the company's policies and regulations, including its vision and mission.
Help desk administrator is responsible for handling activities related to system support for their company or organization. They are in charge of providing superb client experiences and working in resolving support issues in a professional and timely manner. One of their primary tasks includes providing login resets and passwords for end-users. In addition, they will also perform innovative systems and network repairs, as well as assist computer information responses as required. Moreover, they support complete equipment set-up, renewal, or termination of a user account, handle server, and domain account changes.
Security administrators and help desk administrators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Security Administrator | Help Desk Administrator | |
| Average salary | $79,564 | $49,798 |
| Salary range | Between $54,000 And $115,000 | Between $34,000 And $71,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | California | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Gap Inc. | Houlihan Lokey |
| Best paying industry | Government | Finance |
There are a few differences between a security administrator and a help desk administrator in terms of educational background:
| Security Administrator | Help Desk Administrator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | California State University - Bakersfield | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between security administrators' and help desk administrators' demographics:
| Security Administrator | Help Desk Administrator | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 58.1% Female, 41.9% | Male, 74.3% Female, 25.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% Asian, 8.7% White, 63.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.8% Asian, 8.8% White, 63.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |