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The differences between senior network architects and network security engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a senior network architect and a network security engineer. Additionally, a senior network architect has an average salary of $114,322, which is higher than the $88,322 average annual salary of a network security engineer.
The top three skills for a senior network architect include cloud, azure and OSPF. The most important skills for a network security engineer are network security, windows, and cisco asa.
| Senior Network Architect | Network Security Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $114,322 | $88,322 |
| Hourly rate | $54.96 | $42.46 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 95,327 | 91,892 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A senior network architect specializes in designing and establishing networks and systems in a company. It is their responsibility to determine the network and communication needs of a company, conduct research and analysis, gather and analyze data from various operations, develop strategies to optimize operations, and oversee procedures from planning to execution, ensuring accuracy and smooth workflow. Moreover, as a senior network architect, they must lead and serve as a role model to junior architects, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
A network security engineer is responsible for maintaining the safety and security of all the organization's network systems, conducting regular configuration and maintenance to avoid unauthorized access and suspicious activities that may pose risks for the company's integrity. Network security engineers manage security threats and strategize resolutions to mitigate the reoccurrence of security issues. They also develop security enhancement recommendations, update network infrastructure, and monitor system activities. A network security engineer should have excellent communication and technical skills, as well as a strong command of programming languages and system codes.
Senior network architects and network security engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Network Architect | Network Security Engineer | |
| Average salary | $114,322 | $88,322 |
| Salary range | Between $82,000 And $158,000 | Between $64,000 And $120,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redwood City, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | NVIDIA | The Knot |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Retail |
There are a few differences between a senior network architect and a network security engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Network Architect | Network Security Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Computer Science |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between senior network architects' and network security engineers' demographics:
| Senior Network Architect | Network Security Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 96.5% Female, 3.5% | Male, 90.7% Female, 9.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.4% Asian, 10.9% White, 62.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 8.0% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.7% Asian, 13.9% White, 61.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |