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The differences between security engineers 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 engineer and a senior security engineer. Additionally, a senior security engineer has an average salary of $122,480, 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 a senior security engineer are cloud security, java, and linux.
| Security Engineer | Senior Security Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $104,524 | $122,480 |
| Hourly rate | $50.25 | $58.88 |
| Growth rate | 32% | 32% |
| Number of jobs | 86,093 | 69,850 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| 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 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 engineers and senior security engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Security Engineer | Senior Security Engineer | |
| Average salary | $104,524 | $122,480 |
| Salary range | Between $77,000 And $141,000 | Between $90,000 And $164,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | ICE Mortgage Technology | Roku |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a security engineer and a senior security engineer in terms of educational background:
| Security Engineer | Senior Security Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | 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 engineers' and senior security engineers' demographics:
| Security Engineer | Senior Security Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 86.4% Female, 13.6% | 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% |