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The differences between security systems specialists and information systems security officers 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 systems security officer. Additionally, an information systems security officer has an average salary of $90,730, 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 systems security officer are RMF, DOD, and ISSO.
| Security Systems Specialist | Information Systems Security Officer | |
| Yearly salary | $81,852 | $90,730 |
| Hourly rate | $39.35 | $43.62 |
| Growth rate | 32% | 32% |
| Number of jobs | 117,676 | 202,299 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| 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.
An information systems security officer's role is to perform preventive measures to protect a company's data and systems from hackers or cyber-attacks. Their responsibilities revolve around assessing the existing security measures to identify any vulnerabilities or inconsistencies, recommending and implementing changes to improve security systems, and developing new strategies and programs for data protection. There are also instances when an information systems security officer must manage and maintain information in databases, train new employees, and create new security policies, all while adhering to the company's vision and mission.
Security systems specialists and information systems security officers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Security Systems Specialist | Information Systems Security Officer | |
| Average salary | $81,852 | $90,730 |
| Salary range | Between $55,000 And $120,000 | Between $68,000 And $120,000 |
| Highest paying City | Hayward, CA | Palmdale, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| 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 systems security officer in terms of educational background:
| Security Systems Specialist | Information Systems Security Officer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Business | Computer Information Systems |
| Most common college | California State University - Bakersfield | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between security systems specialists' and information systems security officers' demographics:
| Security Systems Specialist | Information Systems Security Officer | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 80.8% Female, 19.2% | Male, 78.3% Female, 21.7% |
| 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% |