Cybersecurity Engineer Salary.
Across 81 U.S. cities.
$125,000
estimated national base salary
$92,000 to $160,000. Last updated September 2026.
Orbyt prices 34 titles at this same figure, including Cybersecurity Engineer, IT Security Analyst, and Smart Contract Auditor. Orbyt does not hold title-level wage data that would separate them.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $129,180 for Information Security Analysts (SOC 15-1212) across the United States, based on 190,650 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$75,090
25th percentile
$97,810
Median
$129,180
75th percentile
$163,500
90th percentile
$199,850
Workers surveyed
190,650
What BLS published in each release
May 2024 release
$124,910
May 2025 release
$129,180
These are two separate published estimates, not a time series. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not encourage the use of OEWS data for time-series analysis. Differences between releases reflect changes in occupational classification, survey methodology, and the three-year pooled sample as well as any change in pay, so the two figures should not be read as a rate of wage growth.
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Information Security Analysts (SOC 15-1212) rather than Cybersecurity Engineer specifically. The national range at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 15-1212Highest Paying
$174,000
San Francisco, CA
Best Purchasing Power
$131,000
Fargo, ND
Lowest Paying
$100,000
Charleston, WV
The salary figures on this page are computed estimates, not observed wages. Each one is a national role baseline scaled by a Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parity cost-of-living multiplier (2025 index) and rounded to the nearest $1,000. No published wage percentile is consulted and no wage survey response enters the calculation, so an Orbyt estimate must not be cited as a Bureau of Labor Statistics figure or as measured pay. The published wage data Orbyt holds is Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, and Department of Labor H-1B Labor Condition Application filings, which record a filed minimum visa base wage rather than market pay. Where BLS publishes a wage for the occupation a role maps to, it is shown on that role's page as a separate benchmark, labelled with its occupation code, metro area and the number of employed workers it covers. Last updated September 2026. This role maps to BLS occupation code 15-1212. Full methodology.
Orbyt estimates the average Cybersecurity Engineer salary in the United States at $125,000 in 2026, within a range of $92,000 to $160,000. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page. This figure is not specific to this title: Orbyt prices 34 titles at the same estimate. San Francisco is the highest of the 81 cities at $174,000, while Fargo offers the best purchasing power after cost-of-living adjustments. Specialization in offensive security, incident response, or zero-trust architecture drives the widest pay variation.
Cybersecurity Engineer salary by city.
Skills that increase Cybersecurity Engineer pay.
The premiums below are Orbyt's modelled scenarios for Cybersecurity Engineers, not effects measured from job postings: each is a fixed percentage applied to the estimated base. At the top premium that works out to $25,000 a year.
≈ +$25,000 per year
≈ +$18,750 per year
≈ +$13,750 per year
≈ +$12,500 per year
≈ +$11,250 per year
≈ +$10,000 per year
≈ +$10,000 per year
≈ +$8,750 per year
What you should know.
Specialization in offensive security, incident response, or zero-trust architecture drives the widest pay variation. Engineers with OSCP or CISSP certifications and experience in regulated industries like healthcare or finance consistently earn at the top of the band. Talent scarcity keeps salaries climbing 8 to 12% annually.
Security analysts begin at $85,000 to $105,000, moving to cybersecurity engineer at $120,000 to $210,000 in three to five years. Senior security architects earn $220,000 to $280,000, while CISO roles at mid-size firms command $280,000 to $400,000 plus equity.
Annual bonuses of 10 to 20% are typical, with retention bonuses common due to high turnover risk. Many employers offer $5,000 to $10,000 yearly for training, certifications, and conference attendance as part of the package.
Total compensation breakdown.
Salary by company size
Remote salary adjustment
Remote Cybersecurity Engineers typically earn $113,000 (10% less than on-site). This reflects location-adjusted pay policies at companies using geographic salary bands. Some companies pay flat national rates regardless of location.
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Common questions about Cybersecurity Engineer pay.
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