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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.
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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:
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:
If you choose the cyber security engineer position to apply for your next job, you must conform to the following eligibility criteria:
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.
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:
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)
Your cyber security engineer salary will vary depending on the company you work for. Top tech companies offer lucrative cyber security engine engineer salaries.
The following table will help you compare the average cyber security engineer base salaries of FAANG+ companies.
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 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.
You must demonstrate the following soft skills in the interview process to bag a higher cyber security engineer salary:
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:
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.
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