Cybersecurity Analyst Salary Guide: How Much Can You Make?

As more and more companies are beginning to understand the importance of cybersecurity, the demand for cybersecurity analysts has risen accordingly. And for that reason, working as a cybersecurity analyst can be a lucrative career. 

There are, however, a range of factors that will determine how much you can actually demand in the job market. In this article, we take a look at the various factors at play when it comes to your salary as a cybersecurity analyst and the ways in which you can increase your earning potential. 

How Much Does a Cybersecurity Analyst Make on Average?

The average salary of cybersecurity analysts in the US is $82,609, according to Glassdoor. But as we’re going to see, the salary for cybersecurity jobs can vary significantly based on your industry, company, level of education, and experience. 

Cybersecurity Analyst Salary – By Experience 

Perhaps the biggest determinant of the salary of security analysts is the number of years they’ve accrued in the job market. Let’s now take a look at the annual salary of cybersecurity analysts based on their experience. 

Internship

According to Glassdoor, the national average salary for cybersecurity interns in the United States is $54,982. The pay for interns in the field ranges from $34,000 to $90,000, but you’re most likely to make in the range of $43,000 to $71,000.

Entry-Level

This is a cybersecurity position for analysts who are just entering the cybersecurity industry. The average salary for entry-level cybersecurity analysts is $73,454, according to Glassdoor. Cybersecurity analysts in the 75th percentile make around $80,000 a year.

Mid-Level

A mid-level cybersecurity analyst is one who has between five and nine years of experience in the cybersecurity industry. The average salary of mid-level cyber security analysts is $89,413, according to Glassdoor.

Senior Level

According to Glassdoor, senior career security specialists earn $113,244 a year on average in the United States. These are security analysts who have over ten years of experience in the industry. 

Cybersecurity Analyst Salary – By Industry

Cybersecurity salaries tend to vary based on industry. Here’s a look at how analysts are paid in some of the most popular industries. 

Tech

Tech companies tend to offer the highest wages for cybersecurity analysts. At Google, for example, the average pay for cybersecurity analysts is $160,461, which is significantly higher than the industry average.

Healthcare

Cybersecurity analysts can play a key role in helping maintain secure healthcare records and protect medical data from cyber threats. HCA Healthcare, a large healthcare facilities operator in the USA, currently offers $69,100 for the information security analyst role. That’s on the lower end of the salary you would make as a cybersecurity analyst in the healthcare space. A senior cybersecurity analyst at GE Healthcare makes as much as $131,363 on average.

Government

From the local to the federal level, government cybersecurity analysts are in high demand. Cybersecurity professionals in these roles are expected to have hands-on experience in threat intelligence, large-scale security systems, and creating regulatory frameworks for cyber systems. The United States Federal Government pays cybersecurity analysts $98,469 per year on average. The average base salary for an information technology auditor role is $87,335.

Finance

Salaries in the finance industry come close to rivaling those in tech. The average salary for security analysts at Goldman Sachs is $111,232. Salaries for security roles at the company range from $102,000 to $122,000.

Cybersecurity Analyst Salary – By Popular Companies 

Here’s a look at how much you can make as a cybersecurity analyst at some of the larger companies that hire for this role.  

Booz Allen Hamilton

According to Glassdoor, the average salary for a cyber analyst at Booz Allen Hamilton, the information tech consulting firm, is $88,330.

Deloitte

Cybersecurity analysts at Deloitte, the management consulting company, make $73,193 on average, according to Indeed.

Cisco

The average annual salary for an information security analyst at Cisco, the digital communications company, is $107,031, according to Indeed.

Microsoft

Security analysts at Microsoft, the tech behemoth, make $142,414 on average per year. However, it’s important to note that the average base pay is $113,000 and the remaining is additional pay.

Cybersecurity Analyst Salary – By Location

Your salary as a cybersecurity analyst will vary significantly depending on where you’re located. Let’s see where the salaries fall for a few different countries. 

USA

Here’s a graph that depicts how salaries for information security analysts varies from state to state in the USA. The lighter-colored regions are the ones that are closer to the lower end of the salary range for security analysts. Montana, for example, has an average salary of $60,920. The darker regions are those where the salary is on the higher end. New York pays its security analysts $113,650 per year on average, which makes it one of the highest-paying states for the role.

UK

The average base salary for cyber security analysts in the London area is £46,465, which amounts to about $54,000. Here’s a snapshot of the salaries being offered by companies hiring cybersecurity analysts in the United Kingdom.

China

Cybersecurity analysts in the Shanghai region make an average of 412,826 CNY per year. That comes out to about $56,500.

Spain

Cybersecurity analysts in Madrid make €30,115, or $30,000 USD on average per year. That number increases marginally to €32,853, or $32,500, in Barcelona.

India

Cybersecurity analysts in India make an annual salary of 500,000 INR ($6,000) per year.

Brazil

The average salary of cybersecurity analysts in Brazil is BRL 195,195, about $38,000.

South Africa

Cybersecurity analysts in South Africa make 240,826 ZAR per year on average, about $13,000

Cybersecurity Salary – By Education 

Cybersecurity is a field that you can enter even if you don’t have a degree. However, your educational background can have an effect on how much you make, especially in the early stages of your career. Let’s take a look at how much cybersecurity analysts’ salaries vary based on their education. 

No Degree

As the graph below indicates, cybersecurity analysts who don’t possess a degree make between $61,000 and $65,000 on average annually.

Bachelor’s Degree

If you have a bachelor’s degree under your belt, then you will likely make between $65,500 and $67,500 as a cybersecurity analyst. 

Master’s Degree

There seems to be only a marginal bump in salary from earning a master’s degree. Cybersecurity analysts who have one make between $65,500 and $68,500 on average. 

How To Boost Your Cybersecurity Salary

Here are a few things you can do to maximize your earning potential in a cybersecurity analyst role. 

Expand Your Skillset

You will increase your value as a cybersecurity analyst the more you broaden your skillset. You can do so in a few different ways. Cybersecurity bootcamps are a great way to quickly pick up new skills in the field. You can also work on your own cybersecurity projects, which has the added benefit of contributing to your portfolio. 

Choose the Right Industry and Location

As you’ve already seen, salaries in this field vary greatly depending on the industry that you work in and where you’re located. If you do have the freedom to do so, consider relocating to an area where salaries are higher with a high volume of companies in high-paying industries. 

Gain More Experience

This is one that applies to just about any job. You can’t rush gaining experience, but sticking around in the game longer will mean that companies trust you more and will be more likely to entrust you with higher-paying cybersecurity positions.  

Related Read: How To Get Into Cybersecurity With No Experience

Pursue a Relevant Certification

You can pick up a cyber security certification if you want to learn how to use specific security tools or gain key technical skills. There are all kinds of certifications available, so make sure that you pick one that suits your interests. 

Ask for a Salary Review

Negotiating a higher salary doesn’t need to be an awkward process. Companies are often willing to review an employee’s salary as long as their performance has been up to standards. So make sure that you have that conversation with your manager or HR department if you believe you’re due a salary bump. 

Cybersecurity Analyst Salary FAQs

We’ve got the answers to your most frequently asked questions. 

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