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The differences between security engineers and information security managers 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 engineer and an information security manager. Additionally, an information security manager has an average salary of $126,447, which is higher than the $104,524 average annual salary of a security engineer.
The top three skills for a security engineer include java, cloud security and infrastructure. The most important skills for an information security manager are risk management, NIST, and infrastructure.
| Security Engineer | Information Security Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $104,524 | $126,447 |
| Hourly rate | $50.25 | $60.79 |
| Growth rate | 32% | 32% |
| Number of jobs | 86,093 | 115,414 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
Security engineers are responsible for developing and overseeing data and security software to help prevent data breaches, leaks, and taps related to cybercrime. Other duties and responsibilities include developing new systems to help protect computer networks and assets, configuring firewalls, and conducting penetration testing to pinpoint vulnerabilities. Additionally, security engineers are responsible for investigating attacks and help prevent cybersecurity threat. They are also responsible for creating new processes for authorization, encryption algorithms, and authentication, and analyzing current security policies.
An information security manager is primarily in charge of overseeing the security systems established to protect a company's data from hackers or cyber-attacks. Their responsibilities revolve around monitoring networks for any security breaches, designing and developing new security systems, and improving existing ones when necessary. They may also perform research and analysis to determine company needs, provide instructional materials, and produce progress reports. Furthermore, as an information security manager, it is essential to provide technical support to employees, all while adhering to the company's policies and regulations.
Security engineers and information security managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Security Engineer | Information Security Manager | |
| Average salary | $104,524 | $126,447 |
| Salary range | Between $77,000 And $141,000 | Between $91,000 And $175,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | ICE Mortgage Technology | eBay |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Media |
There are a few differences between a security engineer and an information security manager in terms of educational background:
| Security Engineer | Information Security Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Business |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between security engineers' and information security managers' demographics:
| Security Engineer | Information Security Manager | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 86.4% Female, 13.6% | Male, 85.8% Female, 14.2% |
| 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% |