Cybersecurity is a growing field. Learn what you can expect to earn as a cybersecurity professional.
Cybersecurity professionals ensure that an organization鈥檚 data, devices, and networks are safe from cyberattacks and cybercriminals. As data and digital technologies become integral to the daily operations of businesses worldwide, so too does the importance of cybersecurity professionals capable of ensuring their protection.听
Cybersecurity is a growing field. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the number of job openings for information security analysts鈥攖he jobs category under which cybersecurity falls鈥攊s projected to increase by 33 percent between 2023 and 2033 []. That鈥檚 significantly higher than the national average, which the BLS pinned at just 4 percent for all occupations in the country during that same period.听
In many cases, that high demand translates to higher-than-average wages. In this article, you鈥檒l learn more about what you can expect to earn from five common cybersecurity jobs and common factors that can impact how much you鈥檒l earn. At the end, you鈥檒l find tips to improve your earning power and explore suggested courses to help you gain job-relevant skills today.
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Typically, cybersecurity jobs pay a higher-than-average salary. According to the US BLS, the median annual salary for all workers in the United States was $48,060 as of May 2023 []. By contrast, information security analysts earned a median annual salary of $120,360 during the same period, more than double that of the national median salary.听
As with other career paths, the amount you can expect to earn will vary depending on your role. At a glance, here鈥檚 the base pay you can expect to earn from five common cybersecurity jobs (other than information security analyst), according to Glassdoor:听
Cybersecurity analyst: $102,743 []
Cybersecurity engineer: $118,828 []
Information security manager: $147,101 []
Penetration tester: $112,433 []
Cybersecurity specialist: $124,714 []
Your pay may also vary based on other factors, such as where you work, how much previous work experience you have, and the educational degrees you possess. Below, we break down how much you can expect to earn from each of the five jobs listed above based on your experience and geographic location.听
Entry-level cybersecurity positions can be found throughout the cybersecurity field. While you may be able to land some of the above jobs without any prior work experience, some employers might prefer applicants with some previous experience. If you鈥檙e just starting out, consider expanding your search to include incident responder ($58,673 per year), security administrator ($83,235 per year), and source code auditor ($83,107 per year) [, , 闭.听
One of the most common factors impacting how much you can expect to earn from a cybersecurity job (or any job for that matter) is your previous work experience. Typically, the more experience you have in a role, the more you can expect employers to pay you to perform that job for them.听
Here鈥檚 the base annual salary you can expect to earn for the aforementioned cybersecurity positions based on varying levels of work experience, according to Glassdoor:听
0鈥1 years | 1鈥3 years | 4鈥6 years | 7鈥9 years | 10鈥14 years | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cybersecurity analyst [] | $88,941 | $96,822 | $104,013 | $109,885 | $121,796 |
Cybersecurity engineer [] | $93,714 | $105,907 | $116,347 | $126,688 | $141,708 |
Information security manager [] | $124,025 | $127,803 | $139,015 | $155,653 | $168.639 |
Penetration tester [] | $76,212 | $88,527 | $102,988 | $118,484 | $133,588 |
Cybersecurity specialist [] | $97,138 | $106,460 | $115,832 | $125,318 | $140,923 |
Where you work can have a big impact on how much you earn. Typically, individuals working in locations with a higher cost of living, such as a densely populated city, will make more than those who work in places with a lower cost of living. At a glance, here鈥檚 the base annual salary you could expect to earn from the above positions in different locations throughout the US.
Note: All salary information is taken from Glassdoor as of January 2025. Base salary does not include additional pay, such as commission, bonuses, tips, and profit sharing.听
Cybersecurity analyst | Cybersecurity engineer | Information security manager | Penetration tester | Cybersecurity specialist | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
New York, NY | $112,384 | $130,248 | $159,632 | $122,089 | $139,066 |
Los Angeles, CA | $108,109 | $124,359 | $157,333 | $124,586 | $138,933 |
Washington, DC | $110,008 | $132,816 | $151,504 | $119,902 | $132,007 |
Houston, TX | $103,292 | $115,239 | $132,315 | $107,082 | $122,370 |
Philadelphia, PA | $108,719 | $120,799 | $138,841 | $117,583 | $131,855 |
Minneapolis, MN | $112,510 | $119,779 | $145,102 | $128,389 | $131,048 |
Cincinnati, OH | $100,939 | $106,057 | $130,000 | $108,233 | $114,780 |
Saint Louis, MO | $105,325 | $117,735 | $142,429 | $113,056 | $125,877 |
Tulsa, OK | $98,353 | $103,416 | $126,092 | $102,691 | $115,380 |
Miami, FL | $94,647 | $108,719 | $139,392 | $98,713 | $116,983 |
Your earning potential isn鈥檛 set in stone. In fact, there are many proactive steps you can take to increase your overall salary range. Here are some tips on what to do to increase your salary as a cybersecurity professional:听
The more expansive your skill set, the more likely an employer will be willing to pay you more. Consider taking online courses or attending training programs to expand both your technical skills, such as working with different operating systems or with cloud computing, and your workplace skills, like communication, teamwork, and leadership.听
Cybersecurity certification may help you improve your earning potential. According to the US BLS, workers with a certification in 2023 earned a median weekly wage of $1,463 compared to a median weekly wage of $1,024 for those without certification []. Some common cybersecurity certifications include CompTIA Security+ certification, Certified Ethical Hacker certification (CEH), and GIAC Certified Incident Handler (GCIH) certification.听
Many cybersecurity positions require applicants to possess a bachelor鈥檚 degree in a related field, such as cybersecurity, computer science, or engineering. While it isn鈥檛 strictly necessary to have a degree to become a cybersecurity professional, in some cases, you may find that your lack of degree is holding you back from either being hired or promoted to a more senior position. If that鈥檚 the case, consider obtaining either an undergraduate or graduate degree to improve your earning potential and hireability.听
As a cybersecurity professional, you鈥檒l need to stay up-to-date on the latest technological and security developments. Learn new or hone your already existing job skills through 糖心vlog官网观看 today.听
In Google鈥檚 Cybersecurity Professional Certificate, you鈥檒l learn how to protect networks, devices, people, and data from unauthorized access and cyberattacks, identify common cybersecurity risks, and gain hands-on experience with Python, Linux, and SQL.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics. 鈥, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/information-security-analysts.htm#tab-6.鈥 Accessed January 13, 2025.听
US Bureau of Labor Statistics. 鈥, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/information-security-analysts.htm#tab-5.鈥 Accessed January 13, 2025.听
Glassdoor. 鈥, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/cyber-security-analyst-salary-SRCH_KO0,22.htm.鈥 Accessed January 13, 2025.
Glassdoor. 鈥, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/united-states-cyber-security-engineer-salary-SRCH_IL.0,13_IN1_KO14,37.htm.鈥 Accessed January 13, 2025.
Glassdoor. 鈥, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/united-states-information-security-manager-salary-SRCH_IL.0,13_IN1_KO14,42.htm.鈥 Accessed January 13, 2025.
Glassdoor. 鈥, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/united-states-penetration-tester-salary-SRCH_IL.0,13_IN1_KO14,32.htm.鈥 Accessed January 13, 2025.
Glassdoor. 鈥, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/united-states-cyber-security-specialist-salary-SRCH_IL.0,13_IN1_KO14,39.htm.鈥 Accessed January 13, 2025.
Glassdoor. 鈥, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/united-states-incident-responder-salary-SRCH_IL.0,13_IN1_KO14,32.htm.鈥 Accessed January 13, 2025.
Glassdoor. 鈥, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/united-states-security-administrator-salary-SRCH_IL.0,13_IN1_KO14,36.htm.鈥 Accessed January 13, 2025.
Glassdoor. 鈥, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/united-states-source-code-auditor-salary-SRCH_IL.0,13_IN1_KO14,33.htm.鈥 Accessed January 13, 2025.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics. 鈥, https://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat54.htm.鈥 Accessed January 13, 2025.
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