Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between security engineers and personnel security specialists 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 a personnel security specialist. Additionally, a security engineer has an average salary of $104,524, which is higher than the $78,967 average annual salary of a personnel security specialist.
The top three skills for a security engineer include java, cloud security and infrastructure. The most important skills for a personnel security specialist are SCI, JPAS, and E-QIP.
| Security Engineer | Personnel Security Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $104,524 | $78,967 |
| Hourly rate | $50.25 | $37.96 |
| Growth rate | 32% | 32% |
| Number of jobs | 86,093 | 52,507 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 56% |
| 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.
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.
Security engineers and personnel security specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Security Engineer | Personnel Security Specialist | |
| Average salary | $104,524 | $78,967 |
| Salary range | Between $77,000 And $141,000 | Between $49,000 And $124,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Palo Alto, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | ICE Mortgage Technology | Palantir |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a security engineer and a personnel security specialist in terms of educational background:
| Security Engineer | Personnel Security Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 56% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | California State University - Bakersfield |
Here are the differences between security engineers' and personnel security specialists' demographics:
| Security Engineer | Personnel Security Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 86.4% Female, 13.6% | Male, 39.7% Female, 60.3% |
| 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% |