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Computer security specialist salary
Average computer security specialist salary
$100,909
Understanding the Computer Security Specialist Salary
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Computer Security Specialist stands at $100,909 per year, translating to about $49 per hour. Factors such as location, experience, and the industry significantly influence these figures. For instance, states with high demand for cybersecurity professionals, like California and New York, often offer higher salaries.
In addition to geographic location, industry choice also impacts earning potential. Computer Security Specialists in finance and healthcare tend to earn more due to the sensitive nature of the data they protect. Job titles such as Information Security Manager or Network Security Engineer may command even higher salaries, reflecting the expertise required in these positions.
With the rise of cyber threats, the demand for skilled Computer Security Specialists is expected to grow, offering numerous job opportunities across various sectors. Investigating salary estimates from multiple sources can provide a clearer picture of what to expect in this field.
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Where can a Computer Security Specialist earn more?
Computer security specialist salary estimates from across the web
Average computer security specialist salary by state
The average computer security specialist salary in Washington, California, and Pennsylvania are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average computer security specialist salary states are Kansas, Minnesota, and Ohio.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for computer security specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pennsylvania | $111,610 | $53.66 |
| 2 | New York | $110,597 | $53.17 |
| 3 | Washington | $119,161 | $57.29 |
| 4 | Arizona | $106,601 | $51.25 |
| 5 | Nevada | $104,857 | $50.41 |
| 6 | Oregon | $107,396 | $51.63 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $95,411 | $45.87 |
| 8 | North Carolina | $94,759 | $45.56 |
| 9 | Utah | $110,374 | $53.06 |
| 10 | California | $118,988 | $57.21 |
| 11 | New Mexico | $95,933 | $46.12 |
| 12 | Wisconsin | $96,854 | $46.56 |
| 13 | Virginia | $96,935 | $46.60 |
| 14 | Texas | $93,450 | $44.93 |
| 15 | Wyoming | $87,604 | $42.12 |
| 16 | Illinois | $93,613 | $45.01 |
| 17 | Connecticut | $97,608 | $46.93 |
| 18 | Idaho | $94,459 | $45.41 |
| 19 | Delaware | $91,857 | $44.16 |
| 20 | New Jersey | $93,875 | $45.13 |
| 21 | Massachusetts | $100,175 | $48.16 |
| 22 | West Virginia | $91,725 | $44.10 |
| 23 | Montana | $90,218 | $43.37 |
| 24 | Michigan | $90,736 | $43.62 |
| 25 | Vermont | $89,470 | $43.01 |
| 26 | Maryland | $94,082 | $45.23 |
| 27 | District of Columbia | $88,996 | $42.79 |
| 28 | Alaska | $86,647 | $41.66 |
| 29 | Mississippi | $84,877 | $40.81 |
| 30 | North Dakota | $85,219 | $40.97 |
| 31 | Kentucky | $88,156 | $42.38 |
| 32 | Alabama | $84,427 | $40.59 |
| 33 | Georgia | $87,919 | $42.27 |
| 34 | Louisiana | $87,378 | $42.01 |
| 35 | Indiana | $85,551 | $41.13 |
| 36 | Iowa | $84,783 | $40.76 |
| 37 | Arkansas | $84,891 | $40.81 |
| 38 | Tennessee | $83,707 | $40.24 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $86,228 | $41.46 |
| 40 | Nebraska | $83,314 | $40.05 |
| 41 | Oklahoma | $84,532 | $40.64 |
| 42 | Maine | $85,502 | $41.11 |
| 43 | South Dakota | $83,160 | $39.98 |
| 44 | New Hampshire | $82,644 | $39.73 |
| 45 | Hawaii | $77,526 | $37.27 |
| 46 | Minnesota | $80,235 | $38.57 |
| 47 | Colorado | $85,808 | $41.25 |
| 48 | Ohio | $79,700 | $38.32 |
| 49 | Kansas | $82,500 | $39.66 |
| 50 | Missouri | $75,377 | $36.24 |
| 51 | Florida | $72,329 | $34.77 |
Highest paying cities for computer security specialists
The highest-paying cities for computer security specialists are San Francisco, CA, Bellevue, WA, and New York, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $129,855 | $62.43 |
| 2 | Bellevue, WA | $119,669 | $57.53 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $110,826 | $53.28 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $100,082 | $48.12 |
| 5 | Stamford, CT | $97,898 | $47.07 |
| 6 | McLean, VA | $97,473 | $46.86 |
| 7 | Chicago, IL | $94,111 | $45.25 |
| 8 | Jersey City, NJ | $93,995 | $45.19 |
| 9 | Frederick, MD | $93,913 | $45.15 |
| 10 | Richardson, TX | $93,796 | $45.09 |
| 11 | Charlotte, NC | $93,330 | $44.87 |
| 12 | Wilmington, DE | $91,977 | $44.22 |
| 13 | Farmington Hills, MI | $90,914 | $43.71 |
| 14 | Washington, DC | $89,018 | $42.80 |
| 15 | Alpharetta, GA | $88,069 | $42.34 |
| 16 | Lafayette, CO | $85,541 | $41.13 |
| 17 | Merrimack, NH | $82,926 | $39.87 |
| 18 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $77,659 | $37.34 |
| 19 | Saint Louis, MO | $76,088 | $36.58 |
| 20 | Miami, FL | $69,488 | $33.41 |
Computer security specialist salary details
A computer security specialist's salary ranges from $72,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $141,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a computer security specialist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $141,000 | $11,750 | $68 |
| 75th Percentile | $120,000 | $10,000 | $58 |
| Average | $100,909 | $8,409 | $49 |
| 25th Percentile | $84,000 | $7,000 | $40 |
| 10th Percentile | $72,000 | $6,000 | $35 |
Highest paying computer security specialist jobs
The highest paying types of computer security specialists are information security officer, information security manager, and information technology security manager.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Information Assurance Engineer | $89,291 | $7,441 | $42.93 | 104,421 |
| Securities Consultant | $92,092 | $7,674 | $44.27 | 27,296 |
| Security Engineer | $104,524 | $8,710 | $50.25 | 86,093 |
| Information Technology Security Manager | $124,792 | $10,399 | $60.00 | 120,463 |
| Information Systems Security Officer | $90,730 | $7,561 | $43.62 | 202,299 |
| SAP Security Consultant | $95,562 | $7,963 | $45.94 | 70,622 |
Top companies hiring computer security specialists now:
Which companies pay computer security specialists the most?
Computer security specialist salaries at Microsoft and Citi are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average computer security specialist salary at companies like Ernst & Young and Pwc are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Microsoft | $134,897 | $64.85 |
| 2 | Citi | $126,728 | $60.93 |
| 3 | Ernst & Young | $124,123 | $59.67 |
| 4 | Pwc | $122,402 | $58.85 |
| 5 | Forest Pharmaceuticals Inc | $120,637 | $58.00 |
| 6 | BLTI | $116,040 | $55.79 |
| 7 | Populus Group | $107,899 | $51.87 |
| 8 | Reva Consulting | $106,318 | $51.11 |
| 9 | Swift Denim Services Inc | $101,134 | $48.62 |
| 10 | EMC | $100,839 | $48.48 |
| 11 | Front | $99,597 | $47.88 |
| 12 | Oracle | $95,851 | $46.08 |
| 13 | Osi, LLC | $95,730 | $46.02 |
| 14 | Deloitte | $95,382 | $45.86 |
| 15 | McAfee | $95,320 | $45.83 |
| 16 | KPMG LLP | $94,910 | $45.63 |
| 17 | Fermi Research Alliance | $92,214 | $44.33 |
| 18 | Multivision | $90,838 | $43.67 |
| 19 | Tech Mahindra | $90,774 | $43.64 |
| 20 | ISEC | $89,801 | $43.17 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Computer Security Specialist salary by industry
The average computer security specialist salary varies across industries:
- The average computer security specialist salary in the professional industry is $118,028, the highest of any industry.
- The average computer security specialist salary in the finance industry is $102,799.
- Computer security specialists in the utilities industry earn an average salary of $71,772, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for computer security specialists
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Professional | $118,028 | $56.74 |
| 2 | Energy | $102,799 | $49.42 |
| 3 | Transportation | $98,688 | $47.45 |
| 4 | Technology | $90,890 | $43.70 |
| 5 | Hospitality | $86,249 | $41.47 |
| 6 | Utilities | $71,772 | $34.51 |
High paying computer security specialist jobs
Computer security specialist salary trends
The average computer security specialist salary has risen by $18,650 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average computer security specialist earned $82,259 annually, but today, they earn $100,909 a year. That works out to a 12% change in pay for computer security specialists over the last decade.
Compare computer security specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average computer security specialist salary over time
Compare computer security specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Computer security specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $101,000 | $48.51 | +3.3% |
| 2024 | $97,600 | $46.92 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $95,400 | $45.85 | +2.9% |
| 2022 | $92,600 | $44.53 | +3.0% |
| 2021 | $89,800 | $43.17 | +2.7% |
Recently added computer security specialist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Web Services, Inc. | High Performance Computing (HPC) Specialist SA-National Security, National Security Data and Ai/Ml | Herndon, VA | 04/26/2025 | $138,200 |
| Amazon.com, Inc. | High Performance Computing (HPC) Specialist SA-National Security, National Security Data and Ai/Ml | Herndon, VA | 03/12/2025 | $138,200 |
| Amazon | High Performance Computing (HPC) Specialist SA-National Security, National Security Data and Ai/Ml | Annapolis, MD | 03/12/2025 | $138,200 |
| Freelancer Technology Pty | Computer Security (43) | Palo Alto, CA | 12/10/2024 | $27,131 |
| Freelancer Limited | Computer Security (42) | Palo Alto, CA | 12/08/2024 | $64,697 |
| Freelancer Limited | Computer Security (42) | Cope, SC | 10/20/2024 | $141,916 |
| Freelancer Technology Pty | Computer Security (43) | Hope, IN | 10/19/2024 | $100,176 |
| Freelancer Technology Pty | Computer Security (44) | Pine, AZ | 09/27/2024 | $89,741 |
| Freelancer Limited | Computer Security (42) | Pine, AZ | 09/27/2024 | $77,219 |
| Freelancer Technology Pty | Computer Security (43) | Norton, MA | 09/25/2024 | $62,610 |
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