10 Highest-paying IT Security Jobs (sigh)

CIO - 10 Highest Paying IT Security Jobs

I really hate articles like these. There's no disclaimer of where they are getting these outlandish figures from, but I'm sure they have to be the most senior of people in these roles and the comp must include health, bonuses, stock options, etc, and even then, I'm not convinced they are anywhere close to realistic.

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ArabianKnight

"based on average salary data from Dice.com clients' job postings"
.....I rarely see salaries posted on Dice

docrice

I'd presume these are ... optimistic guesstimates.

ramrunner800

I don't think they look very outlandish, at least not for someplace like the Bay Area. These are mostly management level positions. I have a friend who is a global information security director at a major tech company, and he earns way more than this survey estimates for that position. An entry level SOC analyst in this area can pull between 90 and 120. By the time an entry level analyst had the experience to perform some of these roles, I'd expect those levels of income. It's also why the average rent here is $2800/month, and a 3 bedroom ranch goes for $1.3 million. I'm glad to be moving to Texas later this month.

UnixGuy

This is a good list, gives me motivation to move forward, maybe?

Jasiono

speaking of dice, that's still around?
Sheesh
I had ZERO luck with dice.com. It's almost as bad as Monster

philz1982

ramrunner800 wrote: »

I don't think they look very outlandish, at least not for someplace like the Bay Area. These are mostly management level positions. I have a friend who is a global information security director at a major tech company, and he earns way more than this survey estimates for that position. An entry level SOC analyst in this area can pull between 90 and 120. By the time an entry level analyst had the experience to perform some of these roles, I'd expect those levels of income. It's also why the average rent here is $2800/month, and a 3 bedroom ranch goes for $1.3 million. I'm glad to be moving to Texas later this month.

You can make these salaries in the mid-west. I know first hand...

JoJoCal19

These salaries may be achievable, but show me the bell curve on how many people in these positions get paid like that. I can't stand these types of articles with no data to back up the numbers. At least give a mean and median.

TheFORCE

These are for CIO level people and those in management roles.

cyberguypr

Lost me when I saw "dice.com".

WilliamK99

Anyone here been in the tech field since 99? I see Cyber Security certifications going the route of Microsoft certifications ASAP as people attempt to "paper cert" in order to get a high paying job regardless of whether they actually know how to do or are passionate about the job... I see it where I work right now, a bunch of people who just came to cyber security because that is where the money is...

Certifications are nice but if you don't know what you are doing, it will be found out real quick...

NetworkNewb

WilliamK99 wrote: »

Anyone here been in the tech field since 99? I see Cyber Security certifications going the route of Microsoft certifications ASAP as people attempt to "paper cert" in order to get a high paying job regardless of whether they actually know how to do or are passionate about the job... I see it where I work right now, a bunch of people who just came to cyber security because that is where the money is...

Certifications are nice but if you don't know what you are doing, it will be found out real quick...

That is kind of why certifications have always been just a way to get to the "interview" portion of the hiring process and why some people complain they don't get paid a lot when they have X certifications.

As far as the article, I don't see a big deal about the salaries. Like TheForce pointed out, these are mostly CIO and top management positions, yes, they get paid a lot.

philz1982

TheFORCE wrote: »

These are for CIO level people and those in management roles.

Maybe, all I know is that you can get into the high six figures by working with the sales group as a technical support person. So you don't necessarily have to go the "traditional" route.

anoeljr

philz1982 wrote: »

Maybe, all I know is that you can get into the high six figures by working with the sales group as a technical support person. So you don't necessarily have to go the "traditional" route.

Really, that's cool. So do mean like a Sales Engineer/Architect or someone supporting the Sales Engineer/Architect?

renacido

philz1982 wrote: »

Maybe, all I know is that you can get into the high six figures by working with the sales group as a technical support person. So you don't necessarily have to go the "traditional" route.

Yes. Working in a profit center (sales) usually pays better than working in a cost center (operations).

N2IT

@ Philz and Force

Agree with Philz, I know plenty of people who work in sales support and tech support roles in specific technologies that make well over 100,000 base in the midwest, with large bonuses to go with that nice base.

My BFF (Cheesy on purpose) works for an AMI company and makes 105,000 base with a 55% annual bonus off his gross.

I believe getting vertical and deep in a hurry is risky, but the most profitable.

anoeljr

Damn, I've been doing the wrong thing then lol.

philz1982

N2IT wrote: »

I believe getting vertical and deep in a hurry is risky, but the most profitable.

I could take this sentence so many ways

anoeljr

philz1982 wrote: »

I could take this sentence so many ways

Lol I was about to say that too.

kurosaki00

N2IT wrote: »

I believe getting vertical and deep in a hurry is risky.

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Hammer80

Here is the problem with salary threads like this. If you have 10 people and one makes $1 million dollars and the other nine make only $50k then the avg salary is $145k so this is completely pointless since majority of the folks making $50k will never ever see anywhere close to $145k, that amount would be life changing for them. The only salary stats that I will actually trust is when they start removing the outliers until then these are meaningless.

JoJoCal19

WilliamK99 wrote: »

Anyone here been in the tech field since 99? I see Cyber Security certifications going the route of Microsoft certifications ASAP as people attempt to "paper cert" in order to get a high paying job regardless of whether they actually know how to do or are passionate about the job... I see it where I work right now, a bunch of people who just came to cyber security because that is where the money is...

Certifications are nice but if you don't know what you are doing, it will be found out real quick...

That's been my worry too, but honestly I feel it will hurt the lower end of InfoSec than the more experienced folks. Experienced, skilled, and knowledgeable InfoSec pros who can prove their expertise will always be a hot comodity in my opinion. However I don't want to test that theory so I am going to be moving more towards a position that creates value, rather than a pure operational role. Kind of along the line of N2IT and Philz.

ArabianKnight

What is wrong with moving to a job field that pays well? A field that is booming and unemployment rates are non existent, sounds like something many people would like to do. I for one actually like security, and oh by the way it just happens to pay well:D

JoJoCal19

ArabianKnight wrote: »

What is wrong with moving to a job field that pays well? A field that is booming and unemployment rates are non existent, sounds like something many people would like to do. I for one actually like security, and oh by the way it just happens to pay well:D

Nothings wrong with it, but InfoSec has become the new hot career and everyone and their mama wants in now, so on the "entry level" of InfoSec, it's going to get crowded by people with lower InfoSec certs trying to break in.

ArabianKnight

I think the security field will continue to grow for a very long time. Microsoft represents a specific technology vs security where this is a specific field and as long as we continue to get hacked the security field will always be in high demand. I really do not see the related certs loosing any desirability.

My only issue with people moving to security and not having any desire to learn more or move up because they are happy with the salary and don't want to learn anything else. Some of these people would be coming from help desk or desktop support and most likely doubled their salary, if you don't want to keep learning then this field is not for you.

N2IT

Now the questions what can we do to get into that field?

NetworkNewb

JoJoCal19 wrote: »

That's been my worry too, but honestly I feel it will hurt the lower end of InfoSec than the more experienced folks. Experienced, skilled, and knowledgeable InfoSec pros who can prove their expertise will always be a hot comodity in my opinion. However I don't want to test that theory so I am going to be moving more towards a position that creates value, rather than a pure operational role. Kind of along the line of N2IT and Philz.

What kind of position are you referring to by one that "creates value"? Developing applications for companies? Sales position?

philz1982

JoJoCal19 wrote: »

Nothings wrong with it, but InfoSec has become the new hot career and everyone and their mama wants in now, so on the "entry level" of InfoSec, it's going to get crowded by people with lower InfoSec certs trying to break in.

This should be a good thing, it will be easier to make yourself look good when you are surrounded by folks who suck.

philz1982

NetworkNewb wrote: »

What kind of position are you referring to by one that "creates value"? Developing applications for companies? Sales position?

Typical value add positions are roles that provide the organization with a cash flow that is x above your salary. Typical sales engagements are 10x a salary. In the case of my role its 100x my salary but then I work for a huge organization. It's all about the cash flow!

ArabianKnight

For anyone in security, you have to ask yourself, would you still be in/go after security jobs if the pay was more inline with say.....a typical mid-level sys admin/network admin relative to your area?

philz1982

ArabianKnight wrote: »

So you have to ask yourself, would you still be in/go after security jobs if the pay was more inline with say.....a typical mid-level sys admin/network admin relative to your area?

Um no, I wouldn't go after any job below 100k