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Senior security specialist salary
Average senior security specialist salary
$106,764
Average Senior Security Specialist Salary
The average salary for a Senior Security Specialist in the United States is $106,764 per year, which translates to approximately $51 per hour. This salary reflects the importance of cybersecurity in today’s business environment, where protecting sensitive information is crucial.
Salary Variations by State
Salary figures can vary significantly depending on geographic location. For instance, states with higher costs of living and more robust tech industries typically offer higher salaries. For example, states like California and New York often feature among the highest paying regions for this role.
Top Industries for Senior Security Specialists
Senior Security Specialists are in demand across various sectors, including finance, healthcare, and technology. The financial services industry tends to offer some of the top salaries, reflecting the critical nature of security in protecting financial data.
Career Opportunities
As cybersecurity risks continue to grow, so do opportunities for Senior Security Specialists. Companies are increasingly investing in security teams, leading to a strong job market. For those pursuing a career in this field, staying updated on industry trends and obtaining relevant certifications can enhance job prospects.
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Where can a Senior Security Specialist earn more?
Senior security specialist salary estimates from across the web
Average senior security specialist salary by state
The highest-paying states for senior security specialists are California, New Jersey, and Connecticut. The lowest average senior security specialist salary states are Kansas, Tennessee, and Arkansas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for senior security specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pennsylvania | $106,432 | $51.17 |
| 2 | Rhode Island | $105,308 | $50.63 |
| 3 | Nevada | $105,247 | $50.60 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $107,778 | $51.82 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $103,808 | $49.91 |
| 6 | New York | $106,953 | $51.42 |
| 7 | North Carolina | $101,511 | $48.80 |
| 8 | Michigan | $107,242 | $51.56 |
| 9 | Texas | $101,780 | $48.93 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $107,479 | $51.67 |
| 11 | Delaware | $102,310 | $49.19 |
| 12 | Virginia | $105,846 | $50.89 |
| 13 | California | $114,242 | $54.92 |
| 14 | West Virginia | $98,694 | $47.45 |
| 15 | New Hampshire | $97,542 | $46.90 |
| 16 | Indiana | $96,226 | $46.26 |
| 17 | New Mexico | $98,258 | $47.24 |
| 18 | Arizona | $95,767 | $46.04 |
| 19 | Alaska | $95,226 | $45.78 |
| 20 | Oregon | $98,811 | $47.51 |
| 21 | Mississippi | $90,607 | $43.56 |
| 22 | Utah | $98,959 | $47.58 |
| 23 | Illinois | $93,093 | $44.76 |
| 24 | Maine | $96,995 | $46.63 |
| 25 | Massachusetts | $103,138 | $49.59 |
| 26 | District of Columbia | $96,039 | $46.17 |
| 27 | Kentucky | $92,257 | $44.35 |
| 28 | Vermont | $93,790 | $45.09 |
| 29 | Alabama | $88,782 | $42.68 |
| 30 | Ohio | $87,951 | $42.28 |
| 31 | Louisiana | $91,937 | $44.20 |
| 32 | North Dakota | $90,185 | $43.36 |
| 33 | Georgia | $91,180 | $43.84 |
| 34 | Florida | $97,175 | $46.72 |
| 35 | Washington | $91,694 | $44.08 |
| 36 | Iowa | $86,446 | $41.56 |
| 37 | Idaho | $90,713 | $43.61 |
| 38 | Maryland | $96,858 | $46.57 |
| 39 | Montana | $84,664 | $40.70 |
| 40 | Missouri | $83,777 | $40.28 |
| 41 | Wisconsin | $83,762 | $40.27 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $84,909 | $40.82 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $81,613 | $39.24 |
| 44 | Tennessee | $78,139 | $37.57 |
| 45 | Nebraska | $72,795 | $35.00 |
| 46 | Hawaii | $86,967 | $41.81 |
| 47 | Kansas | $79,791 | $38.36 |
| 48 | Wyoming | $80,131 | $38.52 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $77,037 | $37.04 |
| 50 | South Dakota | $76,049 | $36.56 |
| 51 | Colorado | $75,702 | $36.40 |
Highest paying cities for senior security specialists
The highest-paying cities for senior security specialists are San Francisco, CA, Perth Amboy, NJ, and New York, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $121,148 | $58.24 |
| 2 | Perth Amboy, NJ | $107,741 | $51.80 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $107,230 | $51.55 |
| 4 | Philadelphia, PA | $107,099 | $51.49 |
| 5 | Arlington, VA | $106,807 | $51.35 |
| 6 | Minneapolis, MN | $103,893 | $49.95 |
| 7 | Cambridge, MA | $102,997 | $49.52 |
| 8 | San Antonio, TX | $102,505 | $49.28 |
| 9 | Charlotte, NC | $99,513 | $47.84 |
| 10 | Gainesville, FL | $99,469 | $47.82 |
| 11 | Manchester, NH | $97,574 | $46.91 |
| 12 | Baltimore, MD | $97,021 | $46.64 |
| 13 | Washington, DC | $96,163 | $46.23 |
| 14 | Chandler, AZ | $95,806 | $46.06 |
| 15 | Chicago, IL | $93,882 | $45.14 |
| 16 | Seattle, WA | $92,532 | $44.49 |
| 17 | Atlanta, GA | $90,405 | $43.46 |
| 18 | Colorado Springs, CO | $77,091 | $37.06 |
Senior security specialist salary details
A senior security specialist's salary ranges from $72,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $156,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a senior security specialist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $156,000 | $13,000 | $75 |
| 75th Percentile | $130,000 | $10,833 | $63 |
| Average | $106,764 | $8,897 | $51 |
| 25th Percentile | $87,000 | $7,250 | $42 |
| 10th Percentile | $72,000 | $6,000 | $35 |
Highest paying senior security specialist jobs
The highest paying types of senior 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 |
| Information Technology Security Manager | $124,792 | $10,399 | $60.00 | 120,463 |
| Information Systems Security Officer | $90,730 | $7,561 | $43.62 | 202,299 |
| Security Engineer | $104,524 | $8,710 | $50.25 | 86,093 |
| Security Manager | $111,171 | $9,264 | $53.45 | 51,717 |
Top companies hiring senior security specialists now:
Which companies pay senior security specialists the most?
Senior security specialist salaries at The Walt Disney Company and SAP are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average senior security specialist salary at companies like Valero Energy and Amazon are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Walt Disney Company | $152,894 | $73.51 |
| 2 | SAP | $148,915 | $71.59 |
| 3 | Valero Energy | $138,848 | $66.75 |
| 4 | Amazon | $127,788 | $61.44 |
| 5 | Zscaler | $126,801 | $60.96 |
| 6 | BNY Mellon | $126,444 | $60.79 |
| 7 | Katalyst Technologies | $125,772 | $60.47 |
| 8 | Sonalysts | $123,654 | $59.45 |
| 9 | Akamai Technologies | $121,867 | $58.59 |
| 10 | Salient CRGT | $119,423 | $57.41 |
| 11 | Lucid Motors | $119,150 | $57.28 |
| 12 | SITA | $118,743 | $57.09 |
| 13 | Novartis | $117,457 | $56.47 |
| 14 | Elbit Systems of America | $116,994 | $56.25 |
| 15 | Santander Bank | $116,475 | $56.00 |
| 16 | Sierra-Cedar | $113,732 | $54.68 |
| 17 | Ingram Micro | $113,693 | $54.66 |
| 18 | Ball | $113,215 | $54.43 |
| 19 | SAIC | $112,101 | $53.89 |
| 20 | General Electric | $111,129 | $53.43 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Senior Security Specialist salary by industry
The average senior security specialist salary varies across industries:
- The average senior security specialist salary in the finance industry is $111,344, the highest of any industry.
- The average senior security specialist salary in the finance industry is $105,598.
- Senior security specialists in the government industry earn an average salary of $72,367, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for senior security specialists
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finance | $111,344 | $53.53 |
| 2 | Utilities | $105,598 | $50.77 |
| 3 | Technology | $102,858 | $49.45 |
| 4 | Transportation | $99,876 | $48.02 |
| 5 | Government | $72,367 | $34.79 |
High paying senior security specialist jobs
Senior security specialist salary trends
The average senior security specialist salary has risen by $19,732 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average senior security specialist earned $87,032 annually, but today, they earn $106,764 a year. That works out to a 12% change in pay for senior security specialists over the last decade.
Compare senior security specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average senior security specialist salary over time
Compare senior security specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Senior security specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $107,000 | $51.33 | +3.3% |
| 2025 | $103,000 | $49.64 | +2.3% |
| 2024 | $101,000 | $48.51 | +2.9% |
| 2023 | $98,000 | $47.11 | +3.0% |
| 2022 | $95,000 | $45.68 | +2.7% |
Recently added senior security specialist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeppesen | Senior Industrial Security Specialist | Mesa, AZ | 06/30/2025 | $96,900 |
| Target | A2 SR Target Security Specialist | Albany, OR | 06/30/2025 | $42,137 |
| Target | SR Target Security Specialist-Sortation Center | Chicago, IL | 06/30/2025 | $42,137 |
| Job Listingsallied Universal | Elite Security Professional-Armed | Corpus Christi, TX | 06/29/2025 | $44,871 |
| Industrial Light & Magic | SR Security Specialist, Compliance | Burbank, CA | 06/28/2025 | $118,000 |
| Allied Universal Security | Elite Security Professional-Armed | Los Angeles, CA | 06/27/2025 | $49,900 |
| Allied Universal | Elite Security Professional-Armed | Kissimmee, FL | 06/27/2025 | $45,914 |
| Boeing | Senior Industrial Security Specialist | Mesa, AZ | 06/25/2025 | $96,900 |
| Allied Universal | Elite Security Professional-Armed | Downe, NJ | 06/24/2025 | $83,480 |
| Saabusa | Senior Security Professional | East Syracuse, NY | 06/24/2025 | $78,900 |
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