Cyber Security Salary Guide

In our digital age, it’s no surprise that cyber security is a concern for businesses and consumers alike. Issues such as data breaches and threatening malware give rise to a need for protection of our personal and company data. This is where cyber security professionals come in.

Cyber security professionals work to create and improve security measures to protect companies’ computer networks and systems.

Common job roles in the cyber security field include network and computer systems administrators, computer network architects and information security analysts. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual wages for the roles covered in this guide ranged from $76,220 for computer network support specialists to $134,050 for computer network architects in May 2025, with information security analysts at $129,180.

Cybersecurity Salaries at a Glance

The table below compares national pay for the occupations in this guide, using BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics for May 2025. BLS does not publish separate wage estimates for digital forensics analysts or intelligence analysts. O*NET reports wage data for digital forensics analysts under computer occupations, all other, and for intelligence analysts under detectives and criminal investigators, so those broader BLS occupations are shown.

Cybersecurity Salaries by Job Title

Job roles in cyber security vary in function, and pay varies with them. Here are descriptions of some job roles in the cyber security field and the median annual wage BLS reports for each.

Network and Computer Systems Administrators

Network and computer systems administrators work with the hardware and software of computers and computer systems. They are employed by companies to install, configure and maintain both virtual and physical servers, operating systems, local area networks (LAN), wide area networks (WAN) and data communications networks.

Individuals in this profession manage a range of tasks. They maintain the integrity of an organization’s computer networks and computing environments. This includes all computer hardware, systems and applications software. A network and computer systems administrator manages any data gathered and stored by the organization.

Other duties that network and computer systems administrators perform include managing email applications and virus protection software. Individuals who perform network and computer systems administrative duties can hold various job titles. Job titles reported to O*NET for this occupation include:

• LAN Administrator
• LAN Specialist
• Network Administrator
• Network Analyst
• Network Coordinator
• Network Engineer
• Network Manager
• Network Specialist
• Systems Engineer

According to BLS, network and computer systems administrators had a median annual wage of $99,130 in May 2025.

Computer Network Architects

Computer network architects design and implement computer and information networks. These networks usually include local area networks (LAN), wide area networks (WAN), data communication networks, extranets and intranets.

Individuals in this profession develop and design networks and make recommendations on network security measures that need to be implemented. These measures might include the use of firewalls, conducting network security audits or implementing automated security investigations. They ensure that all networks perform optimally, that the organization makes efficient use of their computing resources and conduct capacity planning for the organization’s computing needs.

Individuals who perform computer network architecture duties can hold various job titles. Job titles reported to O*NET for this occupation include:

• Computer Network Technologist
• Network Analyst
• Network Consultant
• Network Systems Consultant
• Networking Systems Engineer
• Solutions Architect
• System Programmer
• Systems Engineer
• WAN Engineer (Wide Area Network Engineer)
• Wireless Network Engineer

According to BLS, computer network architects had a median annual wage of $134,050 in May 2025.

Information Security Analysts

Information security analysts work to keep computer networks and information secure from deliberate or accidental modification or destruction. They also place and maintain systems in order to protect confidential information.

An information security analyst assesses an organization’s computer and information systems to identify vulnerabilities and security risks. They also create potential plans to address any such risks within the organization’s computer and information systems. Information security analysts might need to address any digital security breaches and viruses along with keeping virus protection systems up to date.

Individuals who perform information security analysis duties can hold various job titles. Job titles reported to O*NET for this occupation include:

• Information Security Officer
• Information Security Specialist
• Information Systems Security Analyst
• Information Systems Security Officer (ISSO)
• Information Technology Security Analyst (IT Security Analyst)
• Network Security Analyst
• Security Analyst
• Systems Analyst

According to BLS, information security analysts had a median annual wage of $129,180 in May 2025.

Cyber Security Salary by Experience

The BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) data used in this guide reports pay for each occupation as a whole, not by years of experience. The three groupings below are this guide’s own illustrative way of organizing the roles it covers. They are not an O*NET or BLS career-stage classification, and the wages quoted for each role cover everyone in that occupation, at all levels of experience. O*NET does report the preparation each occupation typically needs, shown as a Job Zone, and pay varies widely within each occupation, as the percentile ranges in the table above show.

Entry Level

This guide groups network and computer systems administrators and computer network support specialists here. Computer network support specialists have the lowest median wage among the roles in this guide, and network and computer systems administrators fall in the lower half. These wages cover all workers in each occupation, not only people starting out.

O*NET places network and computer systems administrators in Job Zone Three, meaning most jobs in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience or an associate’s degree. According to BLS, network and computer systems administrators had a median annual wage of $99,130 in May 2025.

Computer network support specialists had a median annual wage of $76,220 in May 2025, according to BLS. O*NET places this occupation in Job Zone Four: most of these jobs require a four-year bachelor’s degree, but some do not.

Mid Level

This guide groups information security analysts and intelligence analysts here. Both are Job Zone Four occupations, and the wages below cover workers at every level of experience.

O*NET places information security analysts in Job Zone Four: most of these jobs require a four-year bachelor’s degree, but some do not, and a considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge or experience is needed. Information security analysts had a median annual wage of $129,180 in May 2025, according to BLS.

Intelligence analysts collect and assess information from many sources, such as police databases, surveillance, intelligence networks and geographic information systems. O*NET places intelligence analysts in Job Zone Four: most of these jobs require a four-year bachelor’s degree, but some do not, and workers usually need several years of work experience, on-the-job training or vocational training. O*NET reports their wage data under detectives and criminal investigators, which had a median annual wage of $93,790 in May 2025, according to BLS.

Advanced

This guide groups computer network architects and digital forensics analysts here. Both are Job Zone Four occupations, and the wages below cover workers at every level of experience.

O*NET places computer network architects in Job Zone Four: most of these jobs require a four-year bachelor’s degree, but some do not, and a considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge or experience is needed. According to BLS, computer network architects had a median annual wage of $134,050 in May 2025, the highest among the roles in this guide.

Digital forensics analysts conduct investigations on computer-based crimes, gathering evidence such as digital media and logs associated with cyber intrusion incidents. This career requires specialized knowledge of computer-related activity related to criminal, fraud, counterintelligence, or law enforcement investigations. O*NET places the occupation in Job Zone Four, where most jobs require a four-year bachelor’s degree, and reports its wage data under computer occupations, all other. That broader BLS occupation had a median annual wage of $116,580 in May 2025.

Salary by Industry

The salary range for individuals working in cyber security varies by sector and industry. For each occupation, the tables below show the five industries that employ the most workers and the median annual wage in each, from BLS national industry-specific estimates for May 2025. Each industry name links to its BLS data page. Industries are shown at the NAICS sector level, except for detectives and criminal investigators, where BLS’s more detailed government categories are shown. BLS does not publish industry estimates for digital forensics analysts as a separate occupation.

Network and Computer Systems Administrators