SubscribeSubscribe Now
  • Home
  • News
  • Fortune 500
  • Tech
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
We have independently evaluated the products and services below. We may earn affiliate revenue from links in the content.
Right Arrow Button IconLeft Arrow Button Iconeducation
Right Arrow Button IconLeft Arrow Button IconCareer Hub
Right Arrow Button IconHere’s 5 of the highest-paying cybersecurity jobs

5 of the highest-paying cybersecurity jobs right now

By
Rich GrisetRich Griset
Rich GrisetRich Griset
and
Jasmine SuarezJasmine Suarez
Jasmine SuarezJasmine Suarez
By
Rich GrisetRich Griset
Rich GrisetRich Griset
and
Jasmine SuarezJasmine Suarez
Jasmine SuarezJasmine Suarez
September 26, 2022 at 5:59 PM UTC
Despite layoffs in the tech field, cybersecurity jobs remain in high demand.
Despite layoffs in the tech field, cybersecurity jobs remain in high demand.

The field of cybersecurity is seeing incredible demand. Cybersecurity Ventures, a researcher and publisher that covers the international cyber economy, estimates that there are currently 3.5 million unfilled cybersecurity jobs globally, and that “the disparity between demand and supply will remain through at least 2025.”

With many cybersecurity jobs paying six-figure salaries—and some roles offering pay packages of nearly $1 million for top C-suite cyber talent—cybersecurity is an in-demand and well-paying field. Here are six of the highest-paying cybersecurity jobs.

Advertisement

Master’s in Cybersecurity Online From UC Berkeley

Earn a Master’s in Cybersecurity Online in Just 20 Months

The UC Berkeley School of Information’s online Master of Information and Cybersecurity prepares students to become leaders in cybersecurity. No GRE/GMAT required.

Learn More
Master’s in Cybersecurity Online From UC Berkeley
Learn More
  • GRE RequiredNo
  • Part TimeYes
Job titleAverage salary
Chief Information Security Officer$244,096
Director of Information Security$192,605
Cybersecurity Architect$147,757
Cybersecurity Engineer$150,000
Application Security Engineer138,180
Highest paying cybersecurity jobs

1. Chief Information Security Officer

Average salary:$244,096 per year

Salary range: $192,085 to $304,391

Highest-paying cities for cybersecurity managers: Menlo Park, California ($188,788), Sunnyvale, California ($186,068), Livermore, California ($185,972), according to ZipRecruiter

Job description: A chief information security officer (CISO) is a C-suite executive who oversees the entirety of a company’s security operation. A CISO works to avoid security threats and reduce data breach risks by developing, implementing, and enforcing policies and procedures to protect an organization’s data. 

Jerry Perullo, a professor of the practice in Georgia Tech’s School of Cybersecurity and Privacy and a former CISO, says the role “really sets the priorities for cybersecurity risk management at a company. They build a program. They hire and manage talent. And they assess different cyber threats that are out there and figure out which ones are important to the company.”

Education: Earning a bachelor’s degree in a related discipline is a good starter, and additional education is often expected. Master’s and sometimes doctorate degrees in more focused fields are sometimes necessary for this role, according to Cybersecurity Guide. 

2. Director of Information Security

Average salary:$192,605 year year

Salary range: $154,082 to $229,357

Highest-paying cities for directors of information security: San Francisco, California ($221,043), Phoenix, Arizona ($214,014), San Antonio, Texas ($205,255), according to Indeed

Job description: Like a CISO, the director of information security is a top-level role at an organization that works to ensure the safety of its information assets. A director of information security oversees the day-to-day operations of an organization’s security apparatus, including responding to cybersecurity attacks, performing risk assessments and maintaining security controls. “They’re looking for signs of potential attacks,” explains Perullo. “They’re reacting to those and investigating. And if they find that there’s some kind of incident, then they’re figuring out what needs to be done to contain the incident. And then, they might be learning from that and engineering new processes to detect similar activity in the future.”

Education: ZipRecruiter recommends a bachelor’s degree in computer science, database administration, or IT security, and states that larger firms seek candidates with more advanced degrees in IT or computer-related subjects.

3. Cybersecurity Architect

Average salary:$147,757 per year

Salary range: $94,555 to $230,982, according to Indeed

Highest-paying cities for cybersecurity architects: San Francisco, California ($192,146), Denver, Colorado ($191,451), New York City, New York ($179,122), according to Indeed

Job description: A cybersecurity architect works to plan, design, test, implement, and maintain an organization’s computer and network security infrastructures. This role must anticipate an organization’s weaknesses, thinking like a hacker while conducting ethical hacks, vulnerability assessments, and penetration tests.

Education: In addition to a bachelor’s in cybersecurity or computer science, Cybersecurity Guide recommends a master’s degree in cybersecurity or a related field as this is a management-level role.

4. Cybersecurity Engineer

Average salary: $150,000 per year

Salary range: $122,000 to $188,000

High demand cities for cybersecurity engineers: Washington, D.C. ($111,676), New York, N.Y. ($115,836), and Dallas, Texas ($112,714), according to Monster

Job description: A cybersecurity engineer works to identify and nullify threats to an organization’s network and computer systems. In the event of a cyberattack, a cybersecurity engineer will enact security procedures to safeguard data. “The cybersecurity engineer usually collaborates with other teams, like the infrastructure teams architecture team. to make sure that we engineer and develop security,” says Dalal Alharthi, an assistant professor of cybersecurity at the University of Arizona’s College of Applied Science & Technology.

Education: According to Cybersecurity Guide, these roles usually require a bachelor’s in cybersecurity or a closely related field like mathematics or computer science. More senior or management-oriented roles may require a master’s.

5. Application Security Engineer

Average salary: $138,180 per year

Salary range: $92,456 to $206,498, according to Indeed

Highest-paying cities for application security engineers: San Francisco, California ($208,826), Los Angeles, California ($167,610), Dallas, Texas ($164,938), according to Indeed

Job description: Application security engineers make sure that an organization’s applications run correctly and securely. Working alongside development teams, application security engineers create security control measures through the software development lifestyle and endeavor to pinpoint and mitigate security vulnerabilities. “It’s a security assurance function, meaning it’s proactive, it’s trying to find a response to the problem,” Perullo says. “They’re checking behind [app developers], checking up on their code, and seeing if there were any mistakes made that can lead to a security vulnerability.”

Education: Employers may require a bachelor’s degree in a related field for this role, such as computer science or information systems. According to ZipRecruiter, many employers require a master’s degree for their application security engineers. Proficiency in several programming languages is needed for this role.

Is a cybersecurity job worth it?

Despite the recent major layoffs in the tech field over the past two years, cybersecurity jobs remain in high demand. Workers with extensive cybersecurity backgrounds are seeing “near-zero” unemployment, according to Cybersecurity Ventures. The shortage in cybersecurity workers means that IT workers are having to “shoulder a security burden.”

Still, cybersecurity jobs can be stressful. In a recent survey conducted by cybersecurity company Deep Instinct, 55% of security professionals said that their stress level had increased over the previous year, with limited staffing and resources being the main cause. Some 51% reported that they may leave their jobs over the next year because of the threats and stress caused by generative AI.

The takeaway

Cybersecurity is an in-demand and well-paying field with roughly 3.5 million unfilled jobs globally. Many jobs pay six-figures, and some top talent receive nearly $1 million in compensation. Still, cybersecurity jobs can be stressful, and generative AI has only increased that stress. To ascend to higher positions in this field, a bachelor’s and a master’s in cybersecurity or a related field is generally recommended.

Perullo recommends that those looking to increase their job prospects create virtual environments online through Amazon Web Services and experiment with different types of cybersecurity attacks.

“People really look for signs of self-education, of scrappiness,” Perullo says. with the advent of so much open-source software, cloud computing, there’s really no excuse why a career candidate can’t, for free, online, pick up a lot of skills.”

See how the schools you’re considering fared in Fortune’s rankings of the best master’s degree programs in data science (in-person and online), nursing, computer science, cybersecurity, psychology, public health, and business analytics, as well as the doctorate in education programs MBA programs (part-time, executive, full-time, and online).

Read more

  • Looking into learning more about cybersecurity? Check out our ranking of the best masters in cybersecurity programs.
  • Our list of affordable online masters in cybersecurity programs can help you find the school that best fits your budget.
  • Achieve your goal of becoming an expert in data science by choosing from our list of the best masters in data science programs.
  • Interested in computer science? Here’s our ranking of the best online computer science masters programs.
  • Cybersecurity is essential in the modern workforce, and one of the best cybersecurity bootcamps can help you hone that skill.
  • Advertisement

    Hawai‘i Pacific University MS in Cybersecurity

    Certification prep available

    The online MS in Cybersecurity program from Hawai‘i Pacific University prepares students to defend their organization from data breaches, strengthen their résumé by taking key certification exams, and advance their career as responsible leaders in cybersecurity.

    Learn More
    Hawai‘i Pacific University MS in Cybersecurity
    Learn More

    About the Contributors

    Rich Griset
    By Rich GrisetEducation Expert
    LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

    Rich Griset has in-depth expertise in business, transportation, real estate, housing, education, and retail. Based in Richmond, Va., Rich's reporting has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, New York Daily News, and Love + Radio. 

    See full bio
    Jasmine Suarez
    Reviewed By Jasmine SuarezSenior Staff Editor
    LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

    Jasmine Suarez was a senior editor at Fortune where she leads coverage for careers, education and finance. In the past, she’s worked for Business Insider, Adweek, Red Ventures, McGraw-Hill, Pearson, and more. 

    See full bio

    Top Articles

    alt text
    10 free data analytics courses you can take onlineByRich GrisetApril 18, 2024
    alt text
    2024 real estate school review: AceableAgentByPreston ForeJune 24, 2024
    alt text
    Computer science careers are growing at faster rates than the national average. Here’s some of the paths the field may open up ByPreston ForeFebruary 9, 2024
    Advertisement

    Online Syracuse University M.S. in Cybersecurity

    Earn a Syracuse Univ. M.S. in Cybersecurity in 15 Months

    Syracuse University’s online M.S. in Cybersecurity prepares students to effectively combat cybercrime. No GRE currently required, but a master’s degree is preferred.

    Learn More
    Online Syracuse University M.S. in Cybersecurity
    Learn More
    Rankings
    • 100 Best Companies
    • Fortune 500
    • Global 500
    • Fortune 500 Europe
    • Most Powerful Women
    • Future 50
    • World’s Most Admired Companies
    • See All Rankings
    Sections
    • Finance
    • Leadership
    • Success
    • Tech
    • Asia
    • Europe
    • Environment
    • Fortune Crypto
    • Health
    • Retail
    • Lifestyle
    • Politics
    • Newsletters
    • Magazine
    • Features
    • Commentary
    • Mpw
    • Ceo Initiative
    • Conferences
    • Personal Finance
    • Education
    Customer Support
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Customer Service Portal
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms Of Use
    • Single Issues For Purchase
    • International Print
    Commercial Services
    • Advertising
    • Fortune Brand Studio
    • Fortune Analytics
    • Fortune Conferences
    • Business Development
    About Us
    • About Us
    • Editorial Calendar
    • Press Center
    • Work At Fortune
    • Diversity And Inclusion
    • Terms And Conditions
    • Site Map

    © 2025 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
    FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.