Network Security Engineer Salary and Job Description

Even before the digital age, securing confidential information was important. As soon as scribes could create written documents, it became essential to secure those documents—or else they could fall into the wrong hands. The field of information security grew as more organized groups developed, and then it exploded with the dawn of the digital age.

The interconnectedness of modern technology, such as electronic devices and cloud computing, means that an organization’s whole way of working needs to be protected against data and information breaches. Otherwise, just as an organization’s physical assets, such as written documents, could be stolen and used for divisive purposes in the past, so too can an organization’s digital assets in the present. Protecting that network is exactly what network security engineers aim to do.

Degree completion programs in computer science, computer engineering, and cybersecurity—such as an online Bachelor of Science (BS) in Information and Cybersecurity Technology (ICT) —can prepare students for in-demand careers in technology and data security, such as network security engineering.

Job Description of a Network Security Engineer

A network security engineer implements and maintains an organization’s security protocols and defenses against cyberattacks. They protect online systems and data that enable people to continue with their work with reduced likelihood of breaches and attacks on sensitive, often confidential data.

Network security engineers can work in many environments, such as government agencies, financial institutions, schools, healthcare facilities (hospitals), and private companies.

Main Responsibilities and Daily Duties

Due to an increasing need to protect information and data, network security engineers are integral across industries. Their responsibilities include the following:

• Monitoring the Network Daily: Investigating incident logs and ensuring that everything is up and running
• Conducting System Audits: Spot-checking and reviewing the defenses and protocols in place, updating the security measures as necessary
• Pressure-Testing Security Measures: Preparing for threats by simulating attacks to identify and mitigate system vulnerabilities
• Managing Incidents: Reducing harm from real-time attacks by acting quickly to restore security
• Maintaining Security Equipment and Services: Storing and maintaining hardware in cool, dry places and managing protective software accounts
• Enforcing the Security Policy: As a part of the larger technology team, communicating and promoting a cohesive policy across the organization to limit risk
• Complying With Regulations: Ensuring that the network and security measures around it comply with regulations for data security and privacy

Network Security Engineer Salary and Job Outlook

The reason a network security engineer’s salary would be competitive is clear. The stakes are high for organizations that use interconnected digital systems to progress toward their goals—these days, that’s about every organization. With a weak network, an organization would be opening itself up to malicious attacks that carry financial, personal, and regulatory ramifications.

As of May 2024, the median annual salary for a network security engineer was about $97,420, according to Payscale. The low end of that spectrum is a salary of about $67,000 and the higher end is about $139,000.

Although the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) doesn’t provide salary and job outlook information for network security engineers, it shows that many roles in the same field earn median salaries of over $95,000, such as information security analysts, network and computer systems administrators, and computer network architects. These roles have favorable job outlooks, as well, with growth percentages higher than average, suggesting that cybersecurity as a whole is a field with a strong outlook.

How to Become a Network Security Engineer

To begin a career as a network security engineer, take these three important steps:

1. Earn a bachelor’s degree in a related field.
2. Earn professional certifications.
3. Seek roles in the industries of your choice.

Degree programs in computer science and computer engineering help you enter this field, and concentrations in related areas of network security, such as cybersecurity, support a highly sought-after area of expertise. These programs can also prepare you for key certifications that can amplify your impact in the market. These include the following:

• CompTIA Security+
• Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)
• Amazon Web Services (AWS)
• Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)

Gain Necessary Skills

Through education and certification courses, you can strengthen current skills and gain new ones to land a network security role. Essential skills include the following:

• Employing Technical Knowledge: Owning and navigating email and web security, firewalls, local area networks (LANs), virtual private networks (VPNs), and more
• Communicating Technical Concepts and Policies: Making technical jargon understandable to leaders and colleagues
• Harnessing a Growth Mindset: Adapting regularly as new threats and security measures arise
• Fostering Attention to Detail: Balancing a big-picture view of the whole system with consistent close monitoring of a running network

Start Your Career in Network Security

As the digital landscape continues to be where organizations function—sharing documents, data, and systems to collaborate with colleagues and partners—protecting it will only become more important.

Consider an education like the online BS in ICT with a Cybersecurity concentration degree completion program at East Carolina University®. The degree teaches advanced cybersecurity principles, cyber threat intelligence, and cryptography, as well as more subjects that can help prospective professionals land cybersecurity roles, such as network security engineers.

Find out more about how you can harness ECU’s online BS in ICT for a career in network security.

Recommended Readings

Cybersecurity vs. Information Technology: What’s the Difference?

Is Cybersecurity a Good Career? Pathways for Graduates

Training and Development Specialist Career Overview

Sources:

IBM, “What Does a Network Security Engineer Do?”

Indeed, What Does a Network Security Engineer Do: A Comprehensive Guide

Payscale, Average Network Security Engineer Salary

TechTarget, “Network Security”

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Computer Network Architects

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Information Security Analysts

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Network and Computer Systems Administrators