Cybersecurity

At a Career Crossroad? Cybersecurity vs. Software Engineering

Written byKarin Kelley
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Updated onJuly 9, 2024

Are you considering a career in cybersecurity? Do you want to know how it compares to software engineering? This guide is for you!

Cybersecurity and software engineering are two of the most popular tech careers today. Despite overlapping areas, these fields have different objectives: Software engineering focuses on developing innovative software programs, whereas cybersecurity is about safeguarding those programs from potential threats.

The demand for skilled professionals in these fields has increased with the evolving digital landscape, opening doors to multiple career paths and specializations.

This guide discusses cybersecurity vs. software engineering, exploring the main differences, job types, and key skills required in each field.

If you think a cybersecurity career is your next jam, we recommend taking a cybersecurity bootcamp. More details later…

What is Cybersecurity?

Cybersecurity refers to defending networks, hardware, software, and data from malicious elements attempting to gain unauthorized access. It shields systems from cyber threats such as data breaches, distributed denial of service (DDoS), phishing, malware, ransomware, DNS poisoning attacks, and crypto-jacking.

Also Read: What is Incident Response in Cybersecurity?

Types of Cybersecurity Jobs

Cybersecurity is a field with diverse jobs and roles. Specializations include critical infrastructure security, application and network security, penetration testing, and security analysis.

For example, as a cybersecurity analyst, you monitor networks, investigate security breaches, develop defensive strategies, and assist users in installing security products and procedures. As a network security engineer, you configure and administer security-related infrastructure. You stress-test networks and put in place measures to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data.

Here are some top cybersecurity job types:

Threat/Warning Analyst
Red/Blue/Purple Team
Cyber Defense Incident Responder
Cybersecurity Analyst/Engineer
OSINT Investigator
Technical Director
Cloud Security Analyst
Intrusion Detection / SOC Analyst
Security Awareness Officer
Vulnerability analyst
Application Pentester
Security Assessment Consultant
DevSecOps Engineer
Media Exploitation Analyst
Cyber Crime Investigator

What Responsibilities are Included in a Cybersecurity Job

Cybersecurity jobs comprise multiple responsibilities in a diverse setting. Let us take a look at some of them.

Collect and analyze data from multiple applications and log sources
Conduct threat hunting, security incident investigation, and vulnerability assessment
Create and manage manual and automated incident response processes, such as investigation, containment, remedy, and recovery
Perform detailed network and endpoint data analysis to identify and alleviate potential risks
Incorporate threat intelligence sources in detection, enrichment, and mitigation technologies
Install, configure, and manage network security architectures such as data loss prevention, firewalls, and intrusion detection and protection

Also Read: Best Online Cybersecurity Certificate Programs

What is Software Engineering?

Software engineering involves developing software applications by designing, writing, and testing the code. It also includes implementing measures to maintain and manage the applications. Software engineering is a systematic approach to employing suitable tools and technologies to deliver a bug-free application and tracking its performance to improve and update it.

Types of Software Engineering Jobs

Software engineering jobs are diverse in their goals and the projects they handle. For example, you may design software for video games and manage their efficient update and release. Meanwhile, you can work as a quality assurance tester for various projects, such as FMCG software, mobile platforms, automotive electronics, e-commerce applications, biological testing instruments, advanced scanning techniques for infrastructure, etc.

Here’s a list of different software jobs for you to choose from.

Front-end/Back-end/Full-stack Developer
Quality Assurance Tester
Big Data Engineer
Game Developer
Cloud Engineer
DevOps Engineer
Software Analyst
Data Engineer
Cloud Architect
Data Engineer
Cloud Architect

Responsibilities in Software Engineering Jobs

The typical responsibilities in software engineering jobs are:

Participate and manage software development life cycle
Understand the user requirements and design appropriate software solutions
Employing suitable testing methods to iron out the software bugs and deliver error-free software
Work on microservices architecture
Create clean, maintainable, and efficient code that adheres to coding standards
Conduct code reviews to ensure a high-quality output
Explore and adopt novel technologies to improve development processes

Also Read: What Is Cybersecurity Compliance? Definition, Importance, Types, and More

Cybersecurity vs. Software Engineering: Education

The educational qualifications required usually are common for software engineering and cybersecurity. They may include a graduate or a post-graduate degree in computer science, software engineering, or information technology. Post the degree, you can choose to gain certifications in the respective fields for further specialization.

For example, for software engineering, you can choose certifications aimed at various phases, tools, and platforms for software development, such as CIW Web Development Professional, AWS Certified Developer, Oracle Certified Master, and Microsoft Certified Azure Solutions Architect.

Meanwhile, you can choose certifications specific to cybersecurity if you wish to concentrate only on the relevant cybersecurity skills. Some of the key certifications include Certified Information Security Manager (CISM), Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), and Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), which will prepare you for the chief concepts and tools.

Cybersecurity vs. Software Engineering: Salaries

The financial rewards in cybersecurity and software engineering can vary depending on location, experience, and specific roles within each field. Generally, both fields offer competitive salaries and benefits.

However, cybersecurity professionals often command high salaries due to the critical nature of their work, which involves protecting sensitive information and systems. A US-based cybersecurity project manager earns an average annual salary of $77,117. As you climb to higher positions like cybersecurity analyst and cybersecurity architect, the pay will grow to $101,820 and $142,193, respectively.

On the other hand, software engineers, especially those with specialized skills or in high-demand areas like artificial intelligence or cloud computing, can also earn significant salaries. A junior software engineer in the US can earn an average salary of $77,677. For a senior software engineer, that figure can go up to about $146,734, while a software development manager earns $162,816 annually.

Ultimately, the financial rewards in either field can be lucrative, and the choice between them may depend more on your interests and career goals than on potential earnings.

Cybersecurity vs. Software Engineers: Career Paths

The typical career path for software engineers includes roles such as junior software engineer, software developer and tester, solutions architect, and software architect. Every senior role in each of these paths entails further management responsibilities. Some senior roles include senior software engineer, tech lead, team manager, technical architect, and chief technological officer.

Cybersecurity professionals may take quite a diverse path. They may begin as incident and intrusion analysts, cybercrime specialists, cybercrime analysts, or IT auditors. They may further grow in their careers as cybersecurity analysts, cybersecurity consultants, and penetration and vulnerability testers. The advanced-level roles include cybersecurity manager, cybersecurity architect, cybersecurity engineer, and director of cybersecurity.

Cybersecurity vs. Software Engineering: How To Get a Job

There are several key steps to follow in software engineering. As of 2023, nearly 41 percent of the software developers held a bachelor’s degree, while 23 percent had completed postgraduate studies. Therefore, trends suggest obtaining formal education is a good starting point.

The next step is building your portfolio through internships and entry-level positions – this is a great way to get hands-on experience and enhance your resume. Plus, pursuing professional certifications can help you develop specialized skills. Updating your resume and networking with peers online and in person is important. After a few years of experience, you can choose a specialization and advance to mid-level positions.

The initial steps in cybersecurity are similar to those in software engineering. Beginning with a relevant degree, online courses and certifications in various cybersecurity areas, such as security auditing, security systems architecture, and information security management, will

Both fields offer distinct paths and require dedication to education, practical experience, and networking.

Also Read: Top 10 Cybersecurity Trends for 2024

Which Career Option is Best for You?

Both software engineering and cybersecurity can be promising careers. But when deciding one over the other, consider the following factors.

Software engineering is more about creating new software and managing it. It requires you to be creative and technically sound to understand the multiple features you must integrate into the application. You must have a liking for working on projects that may be separate. One day, you may be working on an application for a website. On other days, you may be working on refurbishing the automotive electronics platforms. Either way, you must push the boundaries to devise new technologies for multiple uses.

However, any new application is as good as its weakest security measure. Cybersecurity is your call if you want to make the digital world safer. Cybersecurity offers insight into the psyche of cybercriminals, and you have to use your software skills to develop, implement, and manage protective measures against cyber threats.

Apart from routine security monitoring, you must keep reading, learning, and exploring new technologies. You must assess how to improve the existing measures and be on your toes to prevent any breach from becoming a major security incident.

Gain Essential Skills for a Successful Cybersecurity Career

Are you more interested in a cybersecurity career? If so, now is the time to start preparing. A high-quality cybersecurity program will equip you with everything you need to succeed.

The program covers essential concepts like the confidentiality, integrity, and availability (CIA) triad, task automation, virtual private networks (VPNs), wireless access points (WAPs), red team-blue team dynamics, and network systems. Learn from industry experts and strengthen your foundation in business continuity, data management, data privacy and security, digital forensics, identity management, incident management, and other key concepts. Get practical knowledge using tools like Burp Suite, Nmap, Metasploit, Wireshark, and Python, and test your skills through Capstone projects.