Best cities for a security engineer
The best cities for security engineers are San Francisco, CA, Seattle, WA, and Glendale, AZ, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for security engineers vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for security engineers in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a security engineer or considering a move, this list of the best cities for security engineers to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for security engineers. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a security engineer. While the absolute best city for security engineers is San Francisco, CA, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for security engineers in 2024.
If you're looking for a security engineer job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for security engineers in 2026
1. San Francisco, CA
Security engineer jobs in San FranciscoTotal security engineer jobs: 105 Average annual salary: $136,815 Lowest 10 percent warn: $97,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $191,000 Location quotient: 4.33 2. Seattle, WA
Security engineer jobs in SeattleTotal security engineer jobs: 45 Average annual salary: $115,380 Lowest 10 percent warn: $84,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $158,000 Location quotient: 4.63 3. Glendale, AZ
Security engineer jobs in GlendaleTotal security engineer jobs: 10 Average annual salary: $103,880 Lowest 10 percent warn: $74,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $144,000 Location quotient: 2.55 4. Sacramento, CA
Security engineer jobs in SacramentoTotal security engineer jobs: 54 Average annual salary: $134,690 Lowest 10 percent warn: $96,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $188,000 Location quotient: 1.82 5. San Jose, CA
Security engineer jobs in San JoseTotal security engineer jobs: 122 Average annual salary: $136,328 Lowest 10 percent warn: $97,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $191,000 Location quotient: 1.21 6. Austin, TX
Security engineer jobs in AustinTotal security engineer jobs: 229 Average annual salary: $96,759 Lowest 10 percent warn: $70,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $132,000 Location quotient: 2.40 7. Chandler, AZ
Security engineer jobs in ChandlerTotal security engineer jobs: 21 Average annual salary: $103,353 Lowest 10 percent warn: $74,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $143,000 Location quotient: 1.49 8. Oakland, CA
Security engineer jobs in OaklandTotal security engineer jobs: 12 Average annual salary: $136,590 Lowest 10 percent warn: $97,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $191,000 Location quotient: 0.88 9. Phoenix, AZ
Security engineer jobs in PhoenixTotal security engineer jobs: 107 Average annual salary: $103,822 Lowest 10 percent warn: $74,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $143,000 Location quotient: 1.20 10. Raleigh, NC
Security engineer jobs in RaleighTotal security engineer jobs: 84 Average annual salary: $94,627 Lowest 10 percent warn: $69,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $128,000 Location quotient: 2.26
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Best cities for security engineers
- San Francisco, CA
- Seattle, WA
- Glendale, AZ
- Sacramento, CA
- San Jose, CA
- Austin, TX
- Chandler, AZ
- Oakland, CA
- Phoenix, AZ
- Raleigh, NC
Detailed list of the best cities for a security engineer
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $136,815 | $97,000 | 870,887 | 105 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $115,380 | $84,000 | 704,352 | 45 |
| 3 | Glendale, AZ | $103,880 | $74,000 | 245,895 | 10 |
| 4 | Sacramento, CA | $134,690 | $96,000 | 495,234 | 54 |
| 5 | San Jose, CA | $136,328 | $97,000 | 1,025,350 | 122 |
| 6 | Austin, TX | $96,759 | $70,000 | 947,890 | 229 |
| 7 | Chandler, AZ | $103,353 | $74,000 | 247,477 | 21 |
| 8 | Oakland, CA | $136,590 | $97,000 | 420,005 | 12 |
| 9 | Phoenix, AZ | $103,822 | $74,000 | 1,615,017 | 107 |
| 10 | Raleigh, NC | $94,627 | $69,000 | 458,880 | 84 |
| 11 | Philadelphia, PA | $95,184 | $70,000 | 1,567,872 | 76 |
| 12 | Irvine, CA | $125,200 | $89,000 | 266,122 | 35 |
| 13 | San Diego, CA | $121,275 | $86,000 | 1,406,630 | 103 |
| 14 | Columbus, OH | $89,099 | $65,000 | 860,090 | 90 |
| 15 | Los Angeles, CA | $127,527 | $90,000 | 3,976,322 | 97 |
| 16 | Las Vegas, NV | $109,877 | $78,000 | 632,912 | 16 |
| 17 | Anaheim, CA | $126,024 | $89,000 | 351,043 | 5 |
| 18 | Nashville, TN | $85,393 | $63,000 | 660,388 | 76 |
| 19 | Reno, NV | $112,226 | $80,000 | 245,255 | 5 |
| 20 | Fremont, CA | $136,391 | $97,000 | 233,136 | 13 |
| 21 | Scottsdale, AZ | $103,703 | $74,000 | 246,645 | 10 |
| 22 | Atlanta, GA | $93,279 | $69,000 | 472,522 | 199 |
| 23 | Gilbert, AZ | $103,279 | $74,000 | 237,133 | 2 |
| 24 | Arlington, TX | $94,877 | $70,000 | 392,772 | 6 |
| 25 | San Antonio, TX | $97,105 | $70,000 | 1,492,510 | 24 |
| 26 | Charlotte, NC | $92,654 | $68,000 | 842,051 | 112 |
| 27 | Indianapolis, IN | $87,346 | $64,000 | 855,164 | 77 |
| 28 | Portland, OR | $102,634 | $74,000 | 639,863 | 47 |
| 29 | Winston-Salem, NC | $93,744 | $69,000 | 242,203 | 6 |
| 30 | Dallas, TX | $94,614 | $70,000 | 1,317,929 | 68 |
| 31 | Durham, NC | $94,610 | $69,000 | 263,016 | 16 |
| 32 | Boston, MA | $97,326 | $72,000 | 673,184 | 193 |
| 33 | Fort Worth, TX | $94,956 | $70,000 | 854,113 | 16 |
| 34 | North Las Vegas, NV | $109,639 | $78,000 | 238,702 | - |
| 35 | Henderson, NV | $109,202 | $78,000 | 292,969 | - |
| 36 | Plano, TX | $94,023 | $69,000 | 286,057 | 42 |
| 37 | Lincoln, NE | $83,009 | $62,000 | 280,364 | 49 |
| 38 | Irving, TX | $94,597 | $70,000 | 238,289 | 36 |
| 39 | New York, NY | $106,157 | $78,000 | 8,537,673 | 227 |
| 40 | Oklahoma City, OK | $82,835 | $61,000 | 638,367 | 59 |
| 41 | Long Beach, CA | $126,308 | $90,000 | 470,130 | 2 |
| 42 | Stockton, CA | $135,432 | $96,000 | 307,072 | - |
| 43 | Mesa, AZ | $103,333 | $74,000 | 484,587 | 2 |
| 44 | Saint Paul, MN | $85,821 | $65,000 | 302,398 | 68 |
| 45 | Fresno, CA | $134,035 | $95,000 | 522,053 | - |
| 46 | Houston, TX | $96,026 | $70,000 | 2,303,482 | 68 |
| 47 | Bakersfield, CA | $131,479 | $93,000 | 376,380 | - |
| 48 | Jersey City, NJ | $98,113 | $72,000 | 264,152 | 70 |
| 49 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $90,797 | $70,000 | 351,792 | 49 |
| 50 | Santa Ana, CA | $125,621 | $89,000 | 334,217 | - |
Highest paying cities for security engineers
| Rank | City | Avg. security engineer salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $136,815 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $115,380 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $106,157 |
| 4 | Phoenix, AZ | $103,822 |
| 5 | Portland, OR | $102,634 |
| 6 | Washington, DC | $99,895 |
| 7 | Jersey City, NJ | $98,113 |
| 8 | Annapolis, MD | $98,014 |
| 9 | Hartford, CT | $97,528 |
| 10 | Boston, MA | $97,326 |
| 11 | Austin, TX | $96,759 |
| 12 | Arlington, VA | $96,142 |
| 13 | Philadelphia, PA | $95,184 |
| 14 | Raleigh, NC | $94,627 |
| 15 | Portland, ME | $93,548 |
| 16 | Salt Lake City, UT | $93,367 |
| 17 | Atlanta, GA | $93,279 |
| 18 | Chicago, IL | $91,301 |
| 19 | Columbus, OH | $89,099 |
| 20 | Tampa, FL | $87,707 |
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Updated January 8, 2025