Cyber Security Engineer Salary in the US

Cyber security engineer salary packages are among the most competitive. Every business seeks cyber security professionals who can assist in protecting businesses and their data from online threats. The number of cyber breaches in the US is growing by 27% per year. The role of cybersecurity professionals is crucial, especially when a single digital violation can lead to massive financial loss.

As a cyber security engineer, you must be adept at searching for vulnerabilities within a company's digital systems while creating protocols for protecting the companies' information from malicious attacks. 

If you want to work in cyber security and are curious about where your professional path might take you, this article will provide you with information on cyber security engineer salary, roles and responsibilities, eligibility, levels, top skills, and much more.

If you are preparing for a tech interview, check out our technical interview checklist, interview questions page, and salary negotiation e-book to get interview-ready!

Having trained over 10,000 software engineers, we know what it takes to crack the toughest tech interviews. Our alums consistently land offers from FAANG+ companies. The highest ever offer received by an IK alum is a whopping $1.267 Million!

At IK, you get the unique opportunity to learn from expert instructors who are hiring managers and tech leads at Google, Facebook, Apple, and other top Silicon Valley tech companies.

Want to nail your next tech interview? Sign up for our FREE Webinar.

This article will discuss the cyber security engineer salary package based on experience, company, location, key skills, and eligibility criteria.  

Here's what we'll cover:

• What Does a Security Engineer Do?
• What Makes You Eligible for a Cyber Security Engineer Position?
• Average Security Engineer Salary in the US
• Average Security Engineer Salary by Levels
• Cyber Security Engineer Salary — Which US City Pays the Most?
• Comparison of Cyber Security Engineer Salary at FAANG+ Companies
• Factors That Affect Cyber Security Engineer Salary
• FAQs on Cyber Security Engineer Salary

What Does a Security Engineer Do?

You must understand the role and responsibilities before moving on to the cyber security engineer salary packages. As a part of a cyber security team that continually strives to secure networks, applications, and systems against online threats, your basic duties will include: 

• Creating multiple layers of steady protection for the company's sensitive data and resources.
• Planning, managing, implementing, and upgrading security infrastructure.
• You must ensure that adequate security protocols are followed to secure organizational data.
• You should be adept at identifying network and security vulnerabilities and troubleshooting them.
• You must work with the SOC team that includes security analysts, pen testers, consultants, and compliance analysts to respond to security breaches.
• You will have to associate with the company's appropriate departments in the course of security duties.

What Makes You Eligible for a Cyber Security Engineer Position?

If you choose the cyber security engineer position to apply for your next job, you must conform to the following eligibility criteria:

• You must have a bachelor's degree in CS, Statistics, Analytics, Information Technology, or a related field.
• Your master's or doctoral degree in CS, Statistics, Analytics, Information Technology, or a related field can give you an upper hand in the competition.
• You should possess a major that provides a robust background in programming, ethics, and statistics.

Average Security Engineer Salary in the US

The average cyber security engineer salary is $101,548 in the US, while the average cloud security engineer salary is $136,485. (Source: glassdor.com)

The demand for cyber security engineers is on an exponential rise. You must apply for the position as the requirement for qualified individuals is only likely to increase and will lead to stiff competition.

According to the US Bureau of Labor, there is an expected rise of 31% between 2019 to 2029 in the job opportunities in the cyber security department. The statistics also reveal that the unemployment ratio in the field is nearly zero. 

Average Security Engineer Salary by Levels

You should know the various levels in the security engineering department. Security analysis is an entry-level cyber security position requiring just a bachelor's degree in CS or a related field. The following table has the average cyber security engineer salary by levels:

(Source: payscale.com)

Your experience plays a major role in deciding your security engineer level. You can secure approximately $77,735 as an entry-level cyber security engineer salary with less than a year’s experience. 

In contrast, an early career position in cyber security with 1-4 years of experience offers an average compensation of $84,121. The average cyber security engineer salary based on experience level is as follows:

• 1 year of experience- $78k/yr
• 1-4 years experience- $84k/yr
• 5-9 years experience - $104k/yr
• 10-19 years experience- $118k/yr
• 20+ years experience- $125k/yr

Cyber Security Engineer Salary — Which US City Pays the Most?

The company’s location will influence your cyber security engineer’s salary. While some cities in the US offer higher pay for the same company, some have a comparatively lower average salary.

For instance, there is a vast difference in the cyber security engineer salary in Washington, DC, i.e., $142k, and the average salary in New York, which is $78,611. The following table has information on the average cyber security engineer salary based on the location.

(Source: payscale.com)

Comparison of Cyber Security Engineer Salary at FAANG+ Companies

Your cyber security engineer salary will vary depending on the company you work for. Top tech companies offer lucrative cyber security engine engineer salaries.

• Apple security engineer has a yearly pay of $178,795 on average in the US. This salary is 46% above the national average.
• The average cloud security engineer Imperva salary in the US is $134,605 p.a, which is 14% above the national average.
• The average base salary for a cyber security engineer at Google is $132,000 p.a. You will also be eligible for a $25,000 per annum bonus on average. The average stock grant at Google is $33,000.
• The Facebook cyber security engineer is next on the list and has an average base compensation of $129,041. If you get a security engineer job at Facebook, you will also get an average cash bonus of $15,953/year and $55,613 as the average stock grant.  

The following table will help you compare the average cyber security engineer base salaries of FAANG+ companies. 

Factors That Affect Cyber Security Engineer Salary 

You must know that several factors determine your cyber security engineer’s salary. The major contributors to determining your cyber security engineer salary are as follows: 

• Your years of experience can contribute to a salary hike, as shown in the previous section. 
• The next important factor that affects salary is your education. If you have a higher degree in relevant subjects, you will have greater chances of getting higher pay.
• Your relevant industry skills can uplevel your cyber security engineer salary. The following section enumerates the top skills to help you negotiate a higher salary. 
• The company and its location have an essential role in deciding your cyber security engineer’s salary.

Top Skills That Can Help Elevate Your Cyber Security Engineer Salary 

Your skills are correlated to pay, as cyber security positions are skill-intensive. You require a high degree of professional training and expertise to be a part of a security engineering team. The following hard/analytical and soft skills can help you succeed in the field and elevate your cyber security engineer salary.

• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, C/C++, Java, Go, and Ruby is a huge advantage.
• Your expertise in networking, including routing protocols, subnetting (VoIP), DNS, VPN, encryption techniques, and network security technologies like firewalls,s is a must for the industry. 
• Extensive knowledge of database platforms to completely understand how data is structured and disseminated. 
• Professional experience in operating systems and an understanding of their vulnerabilities and idiosyncrasies.
• Security Risk Management
• Security Policies and Procedures
• Security Testing and Auditing 
• IT Security & Infrastructure
• Cloud Computing
• Project Management
• Microsoft Active Directory
• Systems Engineering
• Security Intrusion Detection
• Splunk
• Web Applications

You must demonstrate the following soft skills in the interview process to bag a higher cyber security engineer salary: 

• Communication skills will help you explain complex ideas simply to non-specialists and experts
• Problem-solving skills 
• Learning capacity to adopt newer technologies and apply them against new threats quickly

Your cyber security certifications are important for advancing your career and help you attain higher positions with higher salaries. Here is a list of top recommendations for certifications: 

• Security+ by CompTIA 
• Certified Informations System Security Professional (CISSP) by ISC2 
• CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP+) 
• SysAdmin, Networking, and Security (SANS) Institute provides over 35 technical certifications.
• Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) Certification by the EC Council
• IBM cybersecurity analyst professional certificate

FAQs on Cyber Security Engineer Salary

Q1. What is the highest cyber security engineer salary in the US?

The highest security engineer salary in the US is for the Chief Information Security Officer position, and it amounts to $166,357 /yr. (Source: payscale.com)

Q2. How much is the average cash bonus in addition to the cyber security engineer salary?

The national average cash bonus for a cyber security engineer position is $5,000/yr in addition to the cyber security engineer salary.

Q3. Which country pays the highest cyber security engineer salary?

Luxembourg is by far the best country for cyber security jobs as it offers the highest salaries, while Singapore has the highest job opportunities available for cybersecurity professionals. 

Q4. Do cyber security engineer positions require coding?

If you are applying for an entry-level cyber security position, you might not require coding skills. However, coding is important for mid-level and upper-level cyber security engineer jobs.

Q5. How can I earn a good cyber security engineer salary without experience?

You can earn an excellent cyber security engineer salary as an analyst in top firms if you possess a relevant educational background and tweak your profile with IT training courses and certifications. You must keep up with the latest technologies and learn them to expand your skill-set. You should also learn to negotiate your cyber security engineer salary. 

Ace Your Next Security Engineer Interview

If you need help with your prep, join Interview Kickstart’s Security Engineering Interview Course — the first-of-its-kind, domain-specific tech interview prep program designed and taught by FAANG+ instructors. Click here to learn more about the program. 

IK is the gold standard in tech interview prep. Our programs include a comprehensive curriculum, unmatched teaching methods, FAANG+ instructors, and career coaching to help you nail your next tech interview. 

Sign up for our FREE webinar to uplevel your career!

‍