Careers In Cybersecurity: Let’s Talk Salary Expectations
When you’re just getting started in cybersecurity, you probably have a ton of questions about salary. One is likely to be if you’ll earn more money than you do now–and the answer is “eventually.”
Cybersecurity can open up the doors to a lucrative career and as women we’re often discouraged from pursuing six-figure salaries and beyond. In fact, we are still being paid less for equal work in the modern job market. In 2020, women earned just 84% of what men did.
But we know that when women have more money, there is a massive ripple effect. So, we say–go get yours. When targeting lucrative career paths, don’t let anyone undermine you or try to steer you away from conversations about income. You deserve to be paid well and earn more money, full stop. There are companies out there recruiting and hiring people to step into a career in cybersecurity–why not you?
In this blog post about cybersecurity salary expectations, we’ll look at:
Typical salary ranges for careers in cybersecurity
How online tools can help you map out your career
The value of transferable skills when entering a new industry
How you might feel about targeting a high-paying career
Typical Salary Ranges for Cybersecurity Careers
Six-figure salaries are not uncommon in cybersecurity jobs, but we know–you want details. Potential pay rates vary widely depending on the title, location, experience, education, and transferable skills.
Now for the good stuff. Let’s take a little peek at typical salary ranges for common cybersecurity roles. For example, according to Salary.com, an entry-level cybersecurity analyst in the U.S. typically earns between $67,991 and $81,493, whereas the average salary for someone working in information systems and cybersecurity would range from $102,875 and $126,019.
As you move up, so would your salary. Boom. The average salary of a cybersecurity manager in the U.S. typically ranges from $150,000-$250,000. What if you kick absolute ass and make it all the way to the top? A chief information security officer (CISO) in the U.S. can earn a total compensation package of around a million big ones.
You’ll feel more confident about jumping in the more you learn, so research will be your friend. Probably coffee, too. You can dig around for more specific salary information in job postings on LinkedIn, on job boards, review sites, and on websites of companies you’ve flagged as interesting.
While many companies don’t share salary ranges in their postings, more are being required to by law, and some embrace more transparency—which means you get the goods right up front in the posting. Yes!
How to Map Out A High-Paying Career in Cybersecurity
What if you’re just getting started in cybersecurity and aren’t sure how to break in or move up? Come on, you’ve done scarier things. First, jump at any opportunity to learn about the industry from pros already working in it. These contacts can be golden.
(Incidentally, 38% of cybersecurity professionals found their roles through networking with industry contacts, according to a recent survey. Ahem. Just throwing that out there).
Online tools can be super helpful when looking for average pay levels, industry demand, and top certifications in different cybersecurity roles. Even better, some help you map out different career paths to better understand how you can angle your way to your dream job (the job you should target today to make sure you can get to the one you want tomorrow).
For example, using the CyberSeek Cybersecurity Career Pathway, you can see there are tens of thousands of job openings in the U.S. for entry-level cybersecurity specialists. You can then map out how this job could lead to a mid-level role as a cybersecurity analyst, then a more advanced role as a cybersecurity architect.
Don’t Underestimate Your Worth: The Value of Transferable Skills
You may be surprised at how many skills you’ve acquired in your career that will serve you in cybersecurity. Why do transferable skills matter when looking at potential salary levels? They’re part of the package you bring to the table before you’ve even set foot in a new career in cybersecurity.
The field of cybersecurity not only has room for professionals with varied backgrounds, but it also counts workforce diversity as integral to its success. Knowing how much you’ll bring to a role can help you compete and negotiate when offers come in.
Here are some skills and experience easily transferable to cybersecurity:
Stakeholder engagement
Reporting skills
Risk management
Project management
Crisis or incident management
Working independently or as part of a distributed team
Communication skills
Business acumen
Legal background
Analytical and problem-solving skills
Supervisory or management skills
Relationship building
Keep an iron grip on your worth when exploring opportunities, even when you feel imposter syndrome lurking. You’ve got a slew of powerful competencies you’ll bring to the job on day one. They can help you solve challenges and create solutions that others with a one-track, textbook background won’t be able to come up with.
Is It Wrong to Focus on Money?
Oh, sis. This stuff runs deep. You’ve probably absorbed an absolute truckload of messaging about women, money, and what we’re entitled to (or not). You may even feel guilty when you earn more money or worry you don’t belong in high-paying jobs.
Let’s remember what happens when women can access stable and robust incomes. They increase their independence, lift up their communities, and clear a path for more women to come behind them and do the same. (Rising tides and all that).
Plus, the industry needs you. Our digital society will be more secure when diverse, talented individuals with varied skills and experiences build the solutions and hold the proverbial keys.
Aiming high doesn’t hurt anyone whose opinion matters. The right people want to see you win. With help, you can step into the high-paying career you’ve always seen yourself in.
Ready to make the most of your career with a strategic approach to joining a new field? Become an Insider today and join other ambitious, unapologetic women in kicking off an exciting new cybersecurity career.
