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The differences between software developers and cyber security analysts can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a software developer, becoming a cyber security analyst takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a cyber security analyst has an average salary of $88,422, which is higher than the $87,521 average annual salary of a software developer.
The top three skills for a software developer include java, python and C++. The most important skills for a cyber security analyst are incident response, windows, and SIEM.
| Software Developer | Cyber Security Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $87,521 | $88,422 |
| Hourly rate | $42.08 | $42.51 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 32% |
| Number of jobs | 294,329 | 64,387 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 39 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
A software developer is responsible for designing application systems to support the user and business' needs. Duties of a software developer include testing software codes, performing diagnostic programs and troubleshooting, interpreting system data and establishing efficient parameters, and ensuring the compatibility of the systems. A software developer must have an excellent knowledge of computer programs and programming languages to understand its complexities, especially on detecting system defects and malfunctions. A software developer must have strong attention to detail, communication, and decision-making skills to coordinate with the team and also work independently under minimal supervision.
A cybersecurity analyst is responsible for planning and carrying out security measures to protect a company's computer networks and systems. They constantly keep tabs on threats and monitor their organization's networks for any security breaches. Their tasks involve installing computer programs or software and encryption, reporting breaches or weak spots, exploring new IT trends, educating the company's information security team on security. They also do simulate security attacks to find possible network and system vulnerabilities.
Software developers and cyber security analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Software Developer | Cyber Security Analyst | |
| Average salary | $87,521 | $88,422 |
| Salary range | Between $67,000 And $113,000 | Between $66,000 And $117,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Los Angeles, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Oregon |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | Neighborly |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a software developer and a cyber security analyst in terms of educational background:
| Software Developer | Cyber Security Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Information Systems |
| Most common college | Harvard University | California State University - Bakersfield |
Here are the differences between software developers' and cyber security analysts' demographics:
| Software Developer | Cyber Security Analyst | |
| Average age | 39 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 79.3% Female, 20.7% | Male, 78.5% Female, 21.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.5% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 29.9% White, 52.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | 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 | 8% | 9% |