This salary guide was originally published on SRF Developer. Check out the blog for the full state-by-state breakdown.<\/p>\n
The tech market is strange right now. Coding jobs are competitive, but cybersecurity has a 3.5 million worker shortage.<\/p>\n
If you’re in the US (or looking for remote jobs in the US), salaries for 2026 look huge. But you must choose the right “Path”.<\/p>\n
Here’s the breakdown of the top 3 entry-level routes and what they pay.<\/p>\n
\ud83d\udee1\ufe0f 1. The defender: SOC analyst<\/p>\n
This is where 80% of beginners start. You monitor the logs (Splunk) and catch the bad guys.<\/p>\n
– Average salary: $85,000 – $110,000<\/p>\n
– Certificate required: CompTIA Security+ or CySA+<\/p>\n
– Stress level: \u2b50\u2b50\u2b50 (Shift work is common)<\/p>\n
\ud83c\udfd7\ufe0f 2. The Builder: Safety Engineer<\/p>\n
You build the firewalls and protect the cloud (AWS\/Azure). You don’t just look at screens; you write code.<\/p>\n
– Average salary: $120,000 – $165,000<\/p>\n
– Required Skill: Python, Linux, AWS Security<\/p>\n
– Stress level: \u2b50\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50<\/p>\n
\u2694\ufe0f 3. The attacker: penetration tester (ethical hacker)<\/p>\n
The “cool” job. Companies pay you to access their systems before real hackers do.<\/p>\n
– Average salary: $105,000 – $140,000<\/p>\n
– Certificate required: CEH or OSCP (Difficult!)<\/p>\n
– Stress level: \u2b50\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50<\/p>\n
\ud83d\uddfa\ufe0f The 2026 roadmap<\/p>\n
“Okay, I want the $120,000 job. How do I get there?”<\/p>\n
You can’t just apply. You need a specific stack of Labs + Certs.<\/p>\n
I have created a complete step-by-step roadmap to 2026.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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