5 Highest Paying Cybersecurity Jobs

There’s no better time to be working in the cybersecurity field. Whether you’re an industry veteran looking for a new professional focus, or a cybersecurity graduate just starting out, there is ample opportunity for building your career and growing your salary.

The need for a skilled cybersecurity workforce has been growing steadily for decades, and an increase in cyberattacks plus rapid market expansion means that demand is far outstripping the supply of trained workers. Jobs are plentiful and salaries are high, tempting even professionals from other industries to ponder a career shift.

One look at the list of cybersecurity job postings reveals just how broad the field is. There is need in nearly every industry, and cyber professionals can pursue a variety of career paths. Finding the right one for you depends on your strengths, experience, and education, but the good news is that cybersecurity jobs at every level pay higher than the national average for their counterparts in other industries.

Here’s a look at five high-paying jobs in cybersecurity to help you plan your next big career move.

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5 Highest Paying Cybersecurity Jobs

1. Chief Information Security Officer
   You’ll love this job if:
   You’re a natural leader who likes to know how all parts of a cybersecurity infrastructure work together.
   What you’ll do:
   A chief information security officer, or CISO, is responsible for maintaining the security of information technology and computer systems for any company. CISOs are a part of the leadership team that collaborates with other officers, business managers, and IT managers to effectively monitor and maintain the security of their organization’s computers, websites, applications, networks, and databases.
   How much you can earn: According to Salary.com, the annual salary is $238,428.
   Find out about how to become a CISO.
2. Penetration tester
   You’ll love this job if:
   You’re a nimble, creative thinker with the excellent organizational ability.
   What you’ll do:
   Penetration testing is the process of simulating cyberattacks to identify weak spots in an organization’s technology infrastructure and then proposing solutions to strengthen them. Penetration testing helps organizations fine-tune their procedures and is an important way for companies that handle sensitive health or financial data to stay compliant with regulations.
   How much you can earn: According to ZipRecruiter, the annual salary is $114,810.
   Learn more about becoming a penetration tester.
3. Cybersecurity Operations Engineer
   You’ll love this job if:
   You’re a highly technical team player who is interested in researching, developing, and testing software.
   What you’ll do:
   Cybersecurity operations engineers make sure data, personal information, and software are protected against all cyber threats. While many members of IT teams help fix a cyberattack after it has occurred, cybersecurity operations engineers work to prevent threats before they become incidents.
   How much you can earn: According to Salary.com, the annual salary is $148,322 .
   Read more about the role of cyber security engineers.
4. Cybercrime Investigator
   You’ll love this job if:
   You like solving complex problems and finding solutions.
   What you’ll do:
   A cybercrime investigator is a uniquely trained investigator who works with police teams once a cyberattack has been committed to collect evidence to help solve the crime. These special investigators analyze computer systems and networks, recover data that was destroyed or damaged, gather evidence and computer network information, prepare reports, and train law enforcement on cyber-related issues.
   How much you can earn: According to Indeed.com, the annual salary is $139,513.
   Read more about the role of cyber security engineers.
5. Incident Response Analyst
   You’ll love this job if:
   You like keeping systems working smoothly and fixing systems that don’t.
   What you’ll do:
   An incident response analyst’s main goal is to protect their organization’s network and computer systems. They work with the cybersecurity and information technology teams to repair damage when a crisis occurs. Incident response analysts are also responsible for finding new and better ways to protect the organization’s system and are constantly researching new ideas and ways to prevent cyberattacks from occurring.
   How much you can earn: According to ZipRecruiter, the annual salary is $128,870.
   Find out how to become an incident response analyst.