Cyber Degrees

  • Degree Programs
    • Associate Degrees
    • Bachelor’s Degrees
    • Certificate Programs
    • Master’s Degrees
    • PhD Programs
  • Online Degrees
    • Online Associate Degrees
    • Online Bachelor’s Degrees
    • Online Certificate Programs
    • Online Master’s Degrees
    • Online PhD Programs
  • Rankings
    • Top Schools
    • Top 18 Online Bachelor’s Degrees
    • Top 20 Online Bachelor’s in IT Degrees
    • Top 30 Online Certificate Programs
    • Top 17 Online Computer Forensics Programs
    • Top 25 Online Master’s in Cyber Security Degrees
    • Top 20 Online Master’s in Information Assurance Programs
    • Top 22 Online Master’s in Information Technology Programs
  • Colleges by State
    • Alabama
    • Alaska
    • Arizona
    • Arkansas
    • California
    • Colorado
    • Connecticut
    • Delaware
    • Florida
    • Georgia
    • Hawaii
    • Idaho
    • Illinois
    • Indiana
    • Iowa
    • Kansas
    • Kentucky
    • Louisiana
    • Maine
    • Maryland
    • Massachusetts
    • Michigan
    • Minnesota
    • Mississippi
    • Missouri
    • Montana
    • Nebraska
    • Nevada
    • New Hampshire
    • New Jersey
    • New Mexico
    • New York
    • North Carolina
    • North Dakota
    • Ohio
    • Oklahoma
    • Oregon
    • Pennsylvania
    • Rhode Island
    • South Carolina
    • South Dakota
    • Tennessee
    • Texas
    • Utah
    • Vermont
    • Virginia
    • Washington
    • Washington, D.C.
    • West Virginia
    • Wisconsin
    • Wyoming
  • Career Paths
    • Chief InfoSec Officer
    • Cryptographer
    • Forensics Expert
    • Incident Responder
    • Penetration Tester
    • Security Administrator
    • Security Analyst
    • Security Architect
    • Security Auditor
    • Security Consultant
    • Security Director
    • Security Engineer
    • Security Manager
    • Security Software Developer
    • Security Specialist
    • Source Code Auditor
    • Vulnerability Assessor

Become a Security Administrator

What Does a Security Administrator Do?

The Short Version

A Security Administrator is basically the point man/woman for cyber security systems.

Although job descriptions vary widely, you will likely be responsible for installing, administering and troubleshooting your organization’s security solutions.

Security Administrator Responsibilities

Depending on the scope of your responsibilities, you could be asked to:

  • Defend systems against unauthorized access, modification and/or destruction
  • Perform vulnerability and networking scanning assessments
  • Monitor network traffic for unusual activity
  • Configure and support security tools such as firewalls, anti-virus software, patch management systems, etc.
  • Implement network security policies, application security, access control and corporate data safeguards
  • Analyze and establish security requirements for your networks
  • Train fellow employees in security awareness and procedures
  • Develop and update business continuity and disaster recovery protocols
  • Conduct security audits and make policy recommendations
  • Provide technical security advice

If you’re part of a small organization, you may find yourself taking on many of the same proactive security tasks as a Security Specialist or Security Analyst. You will typically report to a Security Manager.

AdvertisementFeatured Schools

School Name Level Program Learn More
Utica College Undergraduate Certificate Online Certificate in Cyber Security
* Associate degree required - 4 specializations available
request info
Utica College Bachelor Online Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity
* You must have 57 completed college credits, or an Associate degree, to apply. 4 specializations available.
request info
Champlain College Bachelor Online BS in Cybersecurity
* Industry ranked #1 cybersecurity program by SC Magazine
request info
Champlain College Bachelor Online BS in Computer Forensics & Digital Investigations
* Industry ranked #1 cybersecurity program by SC Magazine
request info
Arizona State University Bachelor Online Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (Networking & Security specialization)
* US News #2 in the nation for Online Bachelor's Degree Programs - Forbes Best Value College.
request info
Southern New Hampshire University Bachelor Online BS in Cyber Security
* Affordable tuition. Transfer up to 90 credits.
request info
Maryville University Bachelor Online Bachelor of Science in Cyber Security
* 3 specializations available
request info
Maryville University Bachelor Online Bachelor's in Management Information Systems request info
Capella University Bachelor Online Bachelor of Science in Information Technology - Information Assurance and Cybersecurity request info
Utica College Graduate Certificate Online Certificate in Cyber Security
* Bachelors degree required - 7 specializations available
request info
Utica College Master Online Master of Science in Cybersecurity
* 5 specializations available
request info
Arizona State University Master Online Master of Arts in EMHS - Cyber Security Policy and Management
* US News #1 in the nation for Innovation - Forbes Best Value College.
request info
Southern New Hampshire University Master Online MS in Cyber Security
* No GRE/GMAT. Flexible. Affordable. Achievable.
request info
Syracuse University Master Online Master of Science in Cybersecurity
* Complete in 15 months without relocating
request info
Maryville University Master Online Master of Science in Cyber Security
* Graduate in as few as 18 months
request info
Capella University Master Online Master of Science in Information Assurance and Cybersecurity
* 3 specializations available
request info
Georgetown University Master Online Master of Professional Studies in Technology Management request info
University of California - Berkeley Master Online Master of Information and Cybersecurity
* GRE/GMAT scores required for admittance
request info
Capella University Doctorate Online Doctor of Philosophy in Information Technology or Doctor of Information Technology - Information Assurance and Cybersecurity request info
University of California, Berkeley Short Course UC Berkeley Data Science for Executives - online short course request info
Harvard VPAL Short Course Cybersecurity: Managing Risk in the Information Age - online short course request info
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Short Course MIT Sloan Artificial Intelligence: Implications for Business Strategy online program request info
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Short Course MIT Sloan Blockchain Technologies: Business Innovation and Application online program request info
Saïd Business School, University of Oxford Short Course Oxford Fintech Programme: 10 weeks, online. Learn more. request info

Security Administrator Career Paths

Security Administrators often work their way up the ladder towards mid-level positions of responsibility, including:

  • Security Analyst
  • Security Auditor
  • Security Engineer
  • Security Consultant

From there, you can aim for leadership positions such as:

  • Security Manager
  • Security Architect
  • Security Director
  • CISO

Similar Jobs

The role of “Security Administrator” encompasses job titles such as:

  • Systems Security Administrator
  • Network Security Administrator
  • IT Security Administrator

Unsurprisingly, Network Security Administrators are primarily concerned with the security of a company’s networks.

Security Administrator Salaries

According to Payscale, the median salary for a Security Administrator is $65,478 per year (2018 figures). Overall, you can expect to take home a total pay of $42,806 – $95,771. This includes your base annual salary, bonuses, profit sharing, tips, commissions, overtime pay and other forms of cash earnings, as applicable.

Security Administrator Job Requirements

Degree Requirements

It’s hard to give you a definitive answer since the job of a Security Administrator in a giant corporation is going to be very different from a 10-person operation. Some employers will be happy to accept an associate’s degree and/or a lot of work experience; others will firmly require a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Cyber Security or a related field.

Don’t have a technical degree? Put your efforts into gaining work experience, training and certifications. You may also wish to assess whether a master’s degree with a concentration in IT security is worth the investment.

Work Experience

This will largely depend on the size of the company and your responsibility level. We’ve seen requirements range from 1-10 years of experience.

Hard Skills

Bone up on security fundamentals. In its survey of administrator job descriptions, IT-Pathways found that employers are looking for technical skills such as:

  • Knowledge of common L4-L7 protocols such as SSL, HTTP, DNS, SMTP and IPSec
  • Strong understanding of firewall technologies
  • Juniper/Cisco/Checkpoint
  • Packet Shaper, Load Balancer and Proxy Server knowledge
  • Intermediate to expert IDS/IPS knowledge

But this is just the start. You’ll also need a deep understanding of:

  • TCP/IP, computer networking, routing and switching
  • Network protocols and packet analysis tools
  • Windows, UNIX and Linux operating systems
  • Firewall and intrusion detection/prevention protocols

As always, check with your professors, colleagues and employers to see what hard skills are a “must have” for the job/field you’re interested in.

Soft Skills

Work on honing soft skills such as teaching, writing and communication. Part of your job will involve drafting security policies and training less technically-savvy colleagues in security procedures. Clearer explanations = less pain and frustration.

Certifications for Security Administrators

Security certifications look good on résumés, but they’re not always necessary for entry-level positions – check the job requirements. In addition, some of these certifications (e.g. CISSP) require a number of years of experience:

  • Security+: CompTIA’s popular base-level security certification
  • CCNA: Cisco Certified Network Associate – Routing and Switching
  • ECSA: EC-Council Certified Security Analyst
  • CISSP: Certified Information Systems Security Professional
  • CISM: Certified Information Security Manager
Note: Take a look at our Guide to Cyber Security Certifications for more information and advice.

School Rankings

  • Top Schools
  • Top 18 Online Cybersecurity Bachelors Degrees
  • Top 20 Online Bachelors in IT Degrees
  • Top 30 Online Certificate Programs
  • Top 17 Online Computer Forensics Programs
  • Top 25 Online Masters Degrees


Useful Resources

  • Moving From General IT Jobs Into Cyber
  • Free Online Cyber Security Courses (MOOCs)
  • A Quick Guide to Security Clearances
  • A Guide to Cyber Security Certifications
  • Government Cyber Security Careers
  • Internet Safety for College Students
  • The Big List of Cyber Security Resources

Copyright © 2013-2019 · CyberDegrees.org

  • About This Site
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use