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The differences between senior security analysts and network security engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a senior security analyst, becoming a network security engineer takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a senior security analyst has an average salary of $103,571, which is higher than the $88,322 average annual salary of a network security engineer.
The top three skills for a senior security analyst include NIST, incident response and cloud security. The most important skills for a network security engineer are network security, windows, and cisco asa.
| Senior Security Analyst | Network Security Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $103,571 | $88,322 |
| Hourly rate | $49.79 | $42.46 |
| Growth rate | 32% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 61,108 | 91,892 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 42 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
A senior security analyst is a digital professional who creates and implements firewalls and software systems to protect data and prevent attacks on private data. Senior security analysts aim to identify weaknesses in a network's security system and prevent breaches from occurring. Within larger organizations, senior security analysts are required to work with professionals who specialize in networking, information technology (IT), and computer system. They must also design security protocols and systems to better protect their customers and user data.
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 security analysts and network security engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Security Analyst | Network Security Engineer | |
| Average salary | $103,571 | $88,322 |
| Salary range | Between $79,000 And $135,000 | Between $64,000 And $120,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Coinbase | The Knot |
| Best paying industry | Government | Retail |
There are a few differences between a senior security analyst and a network security engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Security Analyst | Network Security Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Business | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between senior security analysts' and network security engineers' demographics:
| Senior Security Analyst | Network Security Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 76.5% Female, 23.5% | Male, 90.7% Female, 9.3% |
| 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, 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% |