Cyber Security vs Software Engineering: What Is The Better Choice?

Cyber Security and Software Engineering might belong in the same genre i.e. IT but they are very far apart, if you have just completed your high school, and you are thinking of going to a nice college, and if you are someone who had interest in IT from the beginning then these two options should and must have crossed your path and mind.

• Cyber Security
• Software Engineering

So, if you are looking to peruse any of the above fields then you are at the right place, as we are gonna explain everything very clearly.

What Is Cyber Security?

Ok so, what is cyber security? In simple terms, those who study cyber security protect the system and network from cyber threats, hackers, malwares and data breaches. 

They don’t just stop hackers from hacking Facebook, they protect international banking systems, cloud servers, secret government infrastructure, and even hospital’s health records.

Even in cyber security there are generally two types of people popularly known as:

Red – Team:

These guys attack networks and systems in order to check how vulnerable a system really is

Blue – Team:

These guys protect the networks and systems from any sort of outside and inside threat.

Cyber Security Job Responsibilities

So what does a day in the life look like?

• Monitoring systems for unusual activity.
• Conducting penetration testing basically ethical hacking that’s mostly conducted by the Red – Team. 
• They make sure your firewall is secure enough and your VPN is private enough.
• They create company-wide security policies, so everything stays secure and in complete order.
• Educating teams about phishing and secure password because people still use “password123”.

The whole concept of a cyber security expert is to protect and just protect.

Cyber Security Skills

Becoming a professional cyber security expert isn’t as simple as we are explaining this, lots and lots of practice and hard work is compulsory if you wanna become someone who is a pro at their job. 

• Knowledge of networking protocols like TCP/IP.
• Familiarity with encryption, firewalls, IDS/IPS tools.
• Ability to think like a hacker, not the black hoodie ones, but the ones who hack for the good of others.
• Problem-solving under pressure.
• Certifications like CompTIA Security+, CISSP, CEH, or even Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP).

Coding is optional, but if you learn python, it can really become a big boost in your career, but if you are going towards the Red – Team then coding is a must, especially python.

Cyber Security Job Outlook

As the years have passed technology has advanced, even from the bad perspective it has grown a lot, almost 2800+ cyber-attacks happen every minute globally.

• According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Cyber Security jobs will grow by 32% between now and 2032.
• It’s not just IT firms anymore — healthcare, finance, government, SaaS startups — everyone’s hiring.

You’ll be building yourself into someone that every industry will be thinking of hiring you.

Cyber Security Salary

Now here is the part that attracts everyone.

• Entry-Level Analyst: $60,000 – $85,000/year
• Mid-Level (Pen Tester, Security Consultant): $90,000 – $120,000/year
• Senior/Manager (CISO, Security Architect): $130,000 – $200,000+

Add cloud security or AI-based security to your resume, and you could be making a good 6 – figure in no time.

What Is Software Engineering?

These might be from the same genre but are totally different from each other, a software engineer is the developer of every app, every software, and every online feature – the browser you are using to read this blog at this very moment was also developed by a software engineer.

Every game, every app or heck even the backend systems of software is developed by them.

Software Engineer Job Responsibilities

When you become a software engineer these responsibilities will become a prominent and permanent part of your life:

• Writing, testing, and debugging code in languages like Python, Java, JavaScript, or C++.
• Collaborating with UI/UX teams to ensure the app will please everyone visibly.
• Using frameworks and APIs to speed up development.
• Deploying software, maintaining updates, and fixing bugs.
• Participating in Agile or Scrum teams (translation: lots of Zoom meetings).

They are building and making it better every day.