Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between security architects and senior security engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a security architect and a senior security engineer. Additionally, a security architect has an average salary of $128,636, which is higher than the $122,480 average annual salary of a senior security engineer.
The top three skills for a security architect include cloud security, architecture and cloud. The most important skills for a senior security engineer are cloud security, java, and linux.
| Security Architect | Senior Security Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $128,636 | $122,480 |
| Hourly rate | $61.84 | $58.88 |
| Growth rate | 32% | 32% |
| Number of jobs | 127,619 | 69,850 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A security architect specializes in designing and establishing security systems and measures to protect a company and its clients from hackers or cyber-attacks. Their responsibilities revolve around reviewing existing security systems to determine areas needing improvement, implementing upgrades, and devising strategies to identify a company's information technology needs. A security architect may also provide instructional materials to employees on utilizing the security systems, respond to inquiries and concerns, and perform maintenance tests as needed. Furthermore, should there be any incidents of breaches, it is essential to conduct a thorough investigation to prevent it from happening again.
A senior security engineer is responsible for maintaining the safety and security of the organization's systems and network database to prevent unauthorized access and avoid data breaches. Senior security engineers inspect the efficiency of networks, perform system configuration, and increase the optimal performance of complex systems. They also implement policies and procedures for compliance with the proper utilization of information directories. They also conduct regular maintenance of networks, create update reports, and resolve glitches and security threats.
Security architects and senior security engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Security Architect | Senior Security Engineer | |
| Average salary | $128,636 | $122,480 |
| Salary range | Between $92,000 And $179,000 | Between $90,000 And $164,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Pennsylvania | California |
| Best paying company | The Knot | Roku |
| Best paying industry | - | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a security architect and a senior security engineer in terms of educational background:
| Security Architect | Senior Security Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between security architects' and senior security engineers' demographics:
| Security Architect | Senior Security Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.5% Female, 9.5% | Male, 91.2% Female, 8.8% |
| 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, 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% |