Cybersecurity salaries, 2026
What security roles actually pay, from 1,302 live job postings that publish a salary range. Each role counts once, at the midpoint of its posted range (USD base pay). We only show a number with at least 5 roles behind it.
Median security role
$161k
Middle half earns
$133k–$193k
Roles with pay posted
1,302
Median pay by specialty
| Specialty | Median | Middle 50% 🔒 | Roles | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application Security | $201k | 84 | See roles → | |
| AI Security | $190k | 40 | See roles → | |
| Security Leadership | $183k | 142 | See roles → | |
| Network Security | $182k | 30 | See roles → | |
| Cloud Security | $178k | 128 | See roles → | |
| Identity & Access Management | $177k | 22 | See roles → | |
| Hardware & Embedded Security | $176k | 15 | See roles → | |
| Security Research | $172k | 39 | See roles → | |
| Security Architecture | $166k | 34 | See roles → | |
| Detection & Response | $162k | 125 | See roles → | |
| GRC & Compliance | $160k | 158 | See roles → | |
| Red Team / Offensive | $151k | 55 | See roles → | |
| Security Engineering | $146k | 489 | See roles → | |
| Incident Response / DFIR | $143k | 31 | See roles → | |
| Threat Intelligence | $132k | 30 | See roles → |
By level and city
🔒 MembersPay by level, by city, and every specialty × level
Know your number before the recruiter call. Members see the full breakdown, with ranges and sample sizes.