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The differences between senior security analysts and security administrators 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 security administrator takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a senior security analyst has an average salary of $103,571, which is higher than the $79,564 average annual salary of a security administrator.
The top three skills for a senior security analyst include NIST, incident response and cloud security. The most important skills for a security administrator are customer service, troubleshoot, and security procedures.
| Senior Security Analyst | Security Administrator | |
| Yearly salary | $103,571 | $79,564 |
| Hourly rate | $49.79 | $38.25 |
| Growth rate | 32% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 61,108 | 99,222 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 54% |
| 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 security administrator is in charge of establishing and enforcing security measures over a company's information systems and networks. Their duties typically revolve around installing and maintaining security networks, analyzing existing systems to identify areas needing improvement, conducting regular maintenance checks and upgrades to optimize services and functions, and monitoring overall systems for any suspicious activities or breaches. Furthermore, as a security administrator, it is essential to develop information technology solutions in adherence to the company's policies and regulations, including its vision and mission.
Senior security analysts and security administrators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Security Analyst | Security Administrator | |
| Average salary | $103,571 | $79,564 |
| Salary range | Between $79,000 And $135,000 | Between $54,000 And $115,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Coinbase | Gap Inc. |
| Best paying industry | Government | Government |
There are a few differences between a senior security analyst and a security administrator in terms of educational background:
| Senior Security Analyst | Security Administrator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 54% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | California State University - Bakersfield |
Here are the differences between senior security analysts' and security administrators' demographics:
| Senior Security Analyst | Security Administrator | |
| Average age | 42 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 76.5% Female, 23.5% | Male, 58.1% Female, 41.9% |
| 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, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% Asian, 8.7% White, 63.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |