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The differences between security managers and security architects 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 architect takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a security architect has an average salary of $128,636, which is higher than the $111,171 average annual salary of a security manager.
The top three skills for a security manager include cloud security, security operations and security management. The most important skills for a security architect are cloud security, architecture, and cloud.
| Security Manager | Security Architect | |
| Yearly salary | $111,171 | $128,636 |
| Hourly rate | $53.45 | $61.84 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 32% |
| Number of jobs | 51,717 | 127,619 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 47 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
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 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.
Security managers and security architects have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Security Manager | Security Architect | |
| Average salary | $111,171 | $128,636 |
| Salary range | Between $74,000 And $166,000 | Between $92,000 And $179,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Pennsylvania |
| Best paying company | Meta | The Knot |
| Best paying industry | Technology | - |
There are a few differences between a security manager and a security architect in terms of educational background:
| Security Manager | Security Architect | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Computer Science |
| Most common college | California State University - Bakersfield | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between security managers' and security architects' demographics:
| Security Manager | Security Architect | |
| Average age | 47 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.7% Female, 16.3% | Male, 90.5% Female, 9.5% |
| 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, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 9.6% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 9% |