Discover how much you can earn in cyber security, from entry-level roles to senior positions like CISO. Explore salary ranges, top-paying locations, and the skills that can boost your earning potential in this high-demand field.
Cyber security is one of the most in-demand and fastest-growing fields in the UK. As threats from hackers become greater and more sophisticated, every company will need professionals with the right skills and experience to take on these tasks.
As a result, the earning potential for those with cyber security knowledge in the UK remains high. With demand for workers continuing to outstrip supply in 2025, this offers great opportunities, whether you’re looking to enter the field for the first time or take the next step up the career ladder.
Cyber security is a field that covers a wide array of different roles, all with varying requirements, responsibilities and benefits. As such, the amount you can expect to earn will depend on a number of factors, including your specific role, seniority and experience.
As a rough guide, the median salary for a cyber security professional in the UK, according to Glassdoor, is around £52,333 per year. This includes an average base salary of £45,149, with the rest made up of bonuses.
If you’re looking for your first cyber security position, a typical starting salary is in the region of £30,000 per year. However, some entry-level cyber security salaries in the sector offer very lucrative compensation packages of up to £42,000, highlighting just how appealing the industry can be.
Glassdoor figures show the typical salary for mid-level cyber security positions in the UK – for those with around five years of experience – to be £58,402 per year, with base salaries generally ranging from £37,000 to £72,000.
At the highest end of the scale, the average salary for cyber security senior managers is currently £77,248 per year, including around £10,000 in bonuses. However, for those at the very top end of the field, salaries of over £100,000 are not uncommon.
The above salary ranges cover the cyber security field in general, but specifics can vary depending on your role and responsibilities. There are a wide range of jobs within this sector, but here are a few of the most common titles you can expect to see when looking for a cyber security job in the UK and what their typical earnings are, according to Glassdoor.
Cyber security analyst – £40,796 per year: These positions typically involve monitoring networks and systems for threats, implementing security measures, and assessing and responding to alerts. These are frontline roles and often offer a great way into the cyber security sector, but more experienced professionals can expect to receive a cyber security analyst salary of upwards of £60,000.
Security engineer – £56,915 per year: Security engineers are often more experienced personnel and this is reflected in their higher average salaries. Workers in these roles build, test and maintain defences, develop and enforce security policies, and respond to any incidents. Security engineer salaries start at around £37,000, but can reach as much as £68,000 before bonuses.
Penetration tester – £52,488 per year: These roles play a key part in testing the effectiveness of defences. Professionals need a wide range of skills and the ability to think like hackers. Individuals in these roles can expect a penetration tester salary to range from around £37,000 for entry-level positions up to around £65,000 for experienced candidates.
Chief information security officer (CISO) – £176,797 per year: The most senior roles in the field, CISOs are in charge of a firm’s overall cyber security strategy, overseeing every aspect of the department. These positions demand a high level of experience – usually at least ten years in the industry – and their salaries reflect their skills and expertise, as they are usually the highest paying cyber security jobs.
While cyber security professionals are in high demand up and down the UK, there are a few
locations that are hotspots for the industry, where skilled professionals can expect to earn higher salaries. This is something you should keep in mind if you’re prepared to relocate for work.
The top-earning location for cyber security professionals in the UK is London. One recent survey suggested that in the capital, average salaries for professionals with between four and six years’ experience are between £62,500 and £76,500 in 2025. This compares to roughly between £50,000 and £65,000 for other regions of the UK.
Other UK hubs for cyber security professionals where earnings are higher than average include Manchester, Cambridge and Reading, which all have well-established and thriving tech sectors. The study found the lowest-earning parts of the UK are the south-west and Yorkshire.
There are several reasons why salaries vary, but strong demand in technology hubs such as London and Cambridge is one factor, as is the higher cost of living in these areas, which means employers need to offer higher salaries.
While your level of experience and location will play a key role in the salary you can expect to receive as a cyber security professional, there are a range of other things you can do to increase your chances of high compensation.
For example, having relevant industry qualifications can make you more attractive to employers and give you an advantage over other applicants. Certifications such as Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) or Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), for example, can significantly boost your earning potential.
Other elements that could make a difference include:
Building up your skillsets with certain programming languages, expanding your specialist certification and engaging with networking events can all help increase your cyber security salary as you progress in your career.
You can find cyber security jobs across all sectors. However, those that are most in-demand – and therefore with the potential for the best salaries – are in industries dealing with highly sensitive data. For example, finance, healthcare and government are all fields that can be very lucrative due to the highly confidential data they hold.
To learn more about cyber security roles in the UK or get started on your search, the best place to begin is on a dedicated jobs board, like CyberSecurityJobsite.com. Once there, you’ll be able to see all of the open positions right now, including apprenticeships, internships and graduate roles.
Moreover, by uploading your CV, recruiters can view your credentials and reach out to you directly if your skills and experiences match what they’re looking for.
Browse our full range of cyber security jobs to find the next step in your career.
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