Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between security managers and security administrators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a security manager, becoming a security administrator takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a security manager has an average salary of $111,171, which is higher than the $79,564 average annual salary of a security administrator.
The top three skills for a security manager include cloud security, security operations and security management. The most important skills for a security administrator are customer service, troubleshoot, and security procedures.
| Security Manager | Security Administrator | |
| Yearly salary | $111,171 | $79,564 |
| Hourly rate | $53.45 | $38.25 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 51,717 | 99,222 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 54% |
| Average age | 47 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
Security managers are responsible for creating a safe environment for everyone and implementing policies to prevent emergencies. They ensure the safety of employees and assets of the company as well as its facilities. Additionally, they evaluate and manage risks by implementing safety policies and training security staff in responding efficiently to emergencies. A security manager must exhibit excellent leadership, surveillance, and emergency response skills. A good security manager should also have a strong commitment to security rules and understand all hazards and threats to safety.
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.
Security managers and security administrators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Security Manager | Security Administrator | |
| Average salary | $111,171 | $79,564 |
| Salary range | Between $74,000 And $166,000 | Between $54,000 And $115,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Gap Inc. |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Government |
There are a few differences between a security manager and a security administrator in terms of educational background:
| Security Manager | Security Administrator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 54% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Business |
| Most common college | California State University - Bakersfield | California State University - Bakersfield |
Here are the differences between security managers' and security administrators' demographics:
| Security Manager | Security Administrator | |
| Average age | 47 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.7% Female, 16.3% | Male, 58.1% Female, 41.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.6% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.8% Asian, 8.1% White, 66.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 9% |