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The differences between security systems specialists and information assurance 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 systems specialist and an information assurance engineer. Additionally, an information assurance engineer has an average salary of $89,291, which is higher than the $81,852 average annual salary of a security systems specialist.
The top three skills for a security systems specialist include DOD, technical support and project management. The most important skills for an information assurance engineer are RMF, DOD, and IAM.
| Security Systems Specialist | Information Assurance Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $81,852 | $89,291 |
| Hourly rate | $39.35 | $42.93 |
| Growth rate | 32% | 32% |
| Number of jobs | 117,676 | 104,421 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
Security systems specialists lead consultant and in-house teams in large-scale Linux server upgrades for multinational consulting firms to enhance system performance. These specialists develop excellent customer service through self-motivation and a team effort to improve customer retention and company reputation. They also update inventory asset databases with accurate records to enable better production decision making, analyze and resolve security faults, and perform periodic disaster recovery tests. Security systems specialists should have traits like communication skills, analytical skills, and ingenuity.
Information assurance engineers are responsible for protecting an organization's data. They act as a team of security specialists that use their skill in securely operating and keeping data to protect the organization's most essential asset. Their main role is to guarantee the quality, security, and retrievability of the organization's information. Also, they outline security systems that make certain the integrity, confidentiality, and accessibility of data. Additionally, they secure IT infrastructure, maintain hardware and software updated, establish security standards, and monitor threats like breaches.
Security systems specialists and information assurance engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Security Systems Specialist | Information Assurance Engineer | |
| Average salary | $81,852 | $89,291 |
| Salary range | Between $55,000 And $120,000 | Between $67,000 And $117,000 |
| Highest paying City | Hayward, CA | Santa Clara, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Oregon |
| Best paying company | Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc. | Parsons |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Professional |
There are a few differences between a security systems specialist and an information assurance engineer in terms of educational background:
| Security Systems Specialist | Information Assurance Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | Business | Information Technology |
| Most common college | California State University - Bakersfield | - |
Here are the differences between security systems specialists' and information assurance engineers' demographics:
| Security Systems Specialist | Information Assurance Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 80.8% Female, 19.2% | Male, 78.6% Female, 21.4% |
| 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% |