Cyber security engineer salaries in the UK and how to maximise your career potential

Cyber security engineers are among the most in-demand professionals in the UK, making this role an excellent choice for anyone considering a career in the sector. Whether you’re transitioning from an IT engineering position or entering cyber security for the first time, it offers stability, strong progression prospects and competitive pay. 

Engineers play a vital role in protecting systems and networks, which makes them indispensable to employers across multiple industries. With opportunities ranging from entry-level roles to senior leadership and salaries that reflect their importance, cyber security engineering is a career path with both purpose and high reward.

What does a cyber security engineer do?

Cyber security engineers are responsible for designing, building and maintaining the systems that protect an organisation’s digital infrastructure. Their role is critical in preventing costly data breaches, service disruptions and reputational damage caused by external hackers or malicious insiders. 

As threats grow more sophisticated, businesses rely on these engineers to stay one step ahead and ensure their defences are both proactive and resilient. This means that the tasks they’re involved with on a day-to-day basis can be varied, depending on the needs of the business. However, typical responsibilities include:

• Configuring firewalls, VPNs and intrusion detection systems
• Monitoring network traffic for suspicious activity
• Conducting vulnerability assessments and penetration tests
• Investigating and responding to incidents
• Implementing security upgrades and patches
• Collaborating on secure software and cloud architectures

Average cyber security engineer salaries in the UK

Cyber security engineering roles are generally well rewarded in the UK, with salaries above average for the sector. According to ITJobsWatch, the median salary for UK cyber security engineers in job adverts in 2025 is £65,000 – which marked an 8.33 per cent rise compared with the previous year. 

This data also shows that the salary gap depending on location is closing in this field. When jobs in London are excluded from the data, the median salary is £63,760 – an increase of more than 26 per cent year-on-year. This may reflect the fact that these positions are in growing demand in businesses all around the UK.

Salaries will naturally vary depending on the level of experience you have. Some illustrative ranges are:

• Entry-level / junior (0-2 years’ experience): Between £30,000 and £45,000
• Mid-level (3-7 years): £50,000 to £70,000
• Senior/specialist (7+ years): £70,000 plus, often exceeding £90,000 in London or niche sectors

Bonuses, benefits and additional earnings

In addition to base pay, many cyber security engineers receive bonuses tied to individual or company performance. These can range from five to 20 per cent of base salary, with top performers in senior roles earning more. Some employers also offer sign-on or retention bonuses in competitive markets. 

Beyond pay, common benefits include private healthcare, generous pension schemes, paid training leave and support for professional certifications such as CISSP or CEH. Engineers may also receive flexible working arrangements, tech allowances or share schemes. Contractors and consultants can command even higher day rates, especially in specialist areas like cloud or incident response.

Career progression and long-term earning potential

Cyber security engineering offers a clear path to seniority and higher pay. Many professionals begin as junior or associate engineers, progressing to mid-level roles before moving into positions such as senior engineer, security architect or lead incident responder. 

With experience and leadership skills, further promotion can lead to roles like head of cyber security or chief information security officer (CISO). Salaries at this level can exceed £100,000, especially in large enterprises or high-risk sectors. Along the way, specialists can also pivot into consulting, cloud security or governance, risk and compliance (GRC) to further expand their earning potential.

How salaries compare to other cyber security roles

Cyber security engineers often command higher pay than many other roles in the sector due to their hands‑on responsibility for system security and infrastructure integrity. Their direct impact on preventing breaches and safeguarding assets gives them higher leverage in salary negotiations.

Because engineers build, maintain and secure critical systems and infrastructure, as opposed to purely analysing or auditing data, they often receive higher compensation to match that level of responsibility.

Certifications that can increase your salary

Whether you’re starting out or advancing into a senior role, the right mix of skills and recognised industry certifications can significantly boost your earning potential as a cyber security engineer.

Entry-level candidates should consider:

• CompTIA Security+:  Ideal for building foundational knowledge of systems, threats and vulnerabilities.
• Cisco Certified CyberOps Associate: Focuses on security operations and incident handling basics.

For mid-level and experienced professionals, the following are in high demand:

• Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH): Validates skills in penetration testing and attack prevention.
• Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP): Recognised globally as a gold standard for strategic and senior-level roles.
• AWS Certified Security – Specialty: Perfect for engineers working in cloud-first environments.

With high demand, strong salaries and broad career paths, cyber security engineering offers long-term opportunity and stability. 

Ready to take the next step? Search the latest cyber security engineer jobs now on CyberSecurityJobsite.com