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The differences between security managers and security directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a security manager and a security director. Additionally, a security director has an average salary of $114,844, 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 director are oversight, security operations, and customer service.
| Security Manager | Security Director | |
| Yearly salary | $111,171 | $114,844 |
| Hourly rate | $53.45 | $55.21 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 51,717 | 51,781 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
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 director is responsible for maintaining the safety and security of the organization's assets, as well as the welfare of employees within the company's premises. Security directors enforce security protocols and policies and conducting training and programs to employees for safety and emergency drills. They also investigate suspicious activities in the organization by checking surveillance equipment and coordinating with law enforcement personnel. They review incident reports, develop security process improvements, and handle budgets and allocate resources for security operations.
Security managers and security directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Security Manager | Security Director | |
| Average salary | $111,171 | $114,844 |
| Salary range | Between $74,000 And $166,000 | Between $73,000 And $178,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Meta | Conning |
| Best paying industry | Technology | - |
There are a few differences between a security manager and a security director in terms of educational background:
| Security Manager | Security Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | California State University - Bakersfield | California State University - Bakersfield |
Here are the differences between security managers' and security directors' demographics:
| Security Manager | Security Director | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.7% Female, 16.3% | Male, 90.7% Female, 9.3% |
| 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, 7.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 13.0% Asian, 7.9% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |