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The differences between senior systems security engineers and information 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 senior systems security engineer and an information security officer. Additionally, an information security officer has an average salary of $135,040, which is higher than the $112,486 average annual salary of a senior systems security engineer.
The top three skills for a senior systems security engineer include DOD, security engineering and RMF. The most important skills for an information security officer are risk management, risk assessments, and incident response.
| Senior Systems Security Engineer | Information Security Officer | |
| Yearly salary | $112,486 | $135,040 |
| Hourly rate | $54.08 | $64.92 |
| Growth rate | 32% | 32% |
| Number of jobs | 136,367 | 145,907 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A senior systems security engineer maintains the safety and security of an organization's computer systems and network databases to safeguard them from unauthorized access and data breaches. The professional is also responsible for performing system configuration, ensuring the efficiency of computer networks, and increasing the optimal performance of complex systems. The core skills that a senior systems security engineer should possess include strong problem-solving and analytical skills and a keen eye for details. The education requirements for the position include a college or bachelor's degree in the field of computer systems security, computer science, and information technology.
Information security officers are responsible for planning and implementing policies to safeguard an organization's computer network and data from different types of security breaches. Their duties typically include identifying computer network vulnerabilities, developing and executing a plan to secure and protect the network, and tracking computer network usage to ensure adherence to security policies. In addition, information security officers are also expected to conduct penetration tests to look for flaws and work closely with the IT and management departments to improve security.
Senior systems security engineers and information security officers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Systems Security Engineer | Information Security Officer | |
| Average salary | $112,486 | $135,040 |
| Salary range | Between $83,000 And $151,000 | Between $95,000 And $190,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Credit Karma | Twilio |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Professional |
There are a few differences between a senior systems security engineer and an information security officer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Systems Security Engineer | Information Security Officer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Business |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between senior systems security engineers' and information security officers' demographics:
| Senior Systems Security Engineer | Information Security Officer | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 86.0% Female, 14.0% | Male, 85.9% Female, 14.1% |
| 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% |