Five High-Paying Jobs for Information Assurance and Security

High-Paying Careers in the Information Assurance and Security Field

• Chief Information Security Officer
• Security Architect
• Security Engineer
• Security Manager
• Security Director

A majority of companies and government agencies store knowledge, data, and other confidential documents on some sort of digital program and this is why Information Assurance and Security is so important. There are cyber attackers who are hiding behind the cloak of their computer screens attempting to tap into these confidential files in order to steal money, secrets, or other valuable information. This is why there is a field that goes by the name of Information Assurance and Security.

Professionals in the field of Insurance Assurance and Security are responsible for both managing and protecting digital information and data. The assurance side of the field focuses most on ensuring that data is authentic and available whereas the security side focuses on protection of information to prevent destruction, access, and use by unauthorized individuals. Here are 5 of the top-paying jobs in the Information Security and Assurance fields.

Chief Information Security Officer

Chief Information Security Officers are corporate executives who are in charge of overseeing the operations of IT security departments. Because they are C-level executives, CISO's need to have many years of experience working in information security as well as an advanced degree.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, chief officers overall make an average of $194,350 per year, although this is strongly dependent on the industry and the organization that the professional works for. Chief Information Security Officers specifically make an average of $222,320 per year.

Security Architect

Anyone who has a passion for both computer science and building might be able to put both of their skills to the test working as a security architect. Architects might not be designing something they would be building with their hands but their primary task is to build and maintain computer networks and security infrastructure where they work.

Since they work with networks, servers, and other frameworks, architects must be skilled in many different technical areas includes ISO 27001 27002, operating systems used by businesses, security control features, and COBIT frameworks. As a management-level professional working under the supervision of the CISO, architects average $101,210 per year (according to the BLS).

Security Engineer

While a security engineer is not a management-level employee, they earn a sizable salary as a mid-level professional who will help to build and maintain IT security suites and other solutions. Engineers work on both the assurance and the security sides of Information Assurance and Security.

It's common for an engineer to configure new firewalls and test them regularly to see if it is easy to break through. The engineer will also investigate incident reports and report the findings to their manager. On average, the BLS reports security engineers makes $92,600 per year.

Security Manager

A security manager is more policy focused than design focused. The function of the manager within a security department is to act as a leader who will shape and modify the organization's IT security policy when needed. They work on strategies, look for new tools to implement, and help to ensure the whole organization understands the importance of IT security.

Computer and information systems managers will typically hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Demand in the field is projected to grow by 12 percent from 2016 to 2026, which is much higher than the national average. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, managers within this field earn an average of $135,800.

Security Director

Security directors are senior employees who report to Chief Information Security Officers. Their goal is to manage the implementation of security measures that are relevant to the IT department. They will also manage budgets and allocate resources to implement or complete security campaigns, compliance tasks, or training programs. Directors can also work as strategists.

Related Resource: The 25 Best Master's in Information Assurance and Security Programs Online for 2018

Employment within the field of Information Assurance and Security is only projected to grow in the next decade. Anyone who wants to work with securing IT security systems or assuring data should enter a degree program now to prepare for the Information Assurance and Security field.