Updated for 2026

Information Security Analyst Salary in 2026

This Information Security Analyst salary guide for 2026 centers on Careerclev's modeled national salary benchmark, built from the latest official BLS wage baseline and extended with wage trend history, employment outlook, and tech-market signals where available. It covers average salary, hourly pay, experience bands, salary by city, salary by state, industry premiums, in-demand skills, and long-term job outlook so readers can compare what drives higher compensation.

Last updated: 2026179,430 employment estimateFull salary breakdown12 min read
Average Salary
$112K
per year (USA)
Entry Level
$62.7K
starting range
Senior Level
$143K
upper percentile
Top Earners
$188K+
lead / principal
Hourly Rate
$54
avg. equivalent
Salary figures projected to 2026  from May 2024BLS OEWS baseline·  Projections use wage history, employment outlook, and tech-market signals where available
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What Does a Information Security Analyst Earn?

Careerclev's modeled 2026 benchmark places Information Security Analyst pay at $112,280 per year in the United States. On the latest official 2024 BLS wage baseline, the lower end of the Information Security Analyst salary range starts around $69,660.0, while experienced professionals and top earners can reach $186,420 or more.

That national figure is only the starting point. In practice, pay for this role changes quickly once location, industry, experience level, and specialization enter the picture. A Information Security Analyst working in San Jose, CA or a stronger salary industry like Information may see a very different salary path than someone in a lower-cost market, especially when skills like C and Python define the role.

Key 2026 BenchmarkThe national median Information Security Analyst salary is $112,280, with an estimated hourly equivalent of $54.

What Information Security Analyst Professionals Do

Plan, implement, upgrade, or monitor security measures for the protection of computer networks and information. Assess system vulnerabilities for security risks and propose and implement risk mitigation strategies. May ensure appropriate security controls are in place that will safeguard digital files and vital electronic infrastructure. May respond to computer security breaches and viruses.

Typical Responsibilities

Develop plans to safeguard computer files against accidental or unauthorized modification, destruction, or disclosure and to meet emergency data processing needs.
Core
Monitor current reports of computer viruses to determine when to update virus protection systems.
Core
Encrypt data transmissions and erect firewalls to conceal confidential information as it is being transmitted and to keep out tainted digital transfers.
Core
Perform risk assessments and execute tests of data processing system to ensure functioning of data processing activities and security measures.
Core
Modify computer security files to incorporate new software, correct errors, or change individual access status.
Core
Review violations of computer security procedures and discuss procedures with violators to ensure violations are not repeated.
Core
Related job titlesInformation Security Officer, Information Security Specialist, Information Systems Security Analyst, Information Systems Security Officer (ISSO), Information Technology Security Analyst (IT Security Analyst), Network Security Analyst

Information Security Analyst Salary by Experience Level

Experience is one of the strongest salary drivers for Information Security Analyst roles. Entry-level workers usually sit closer to the lower salary band while senior, lead, and principal-level professionals move into higher ranges as they take on ownership, decision-making, mentoring, and more specialized work.

That progression matters because the headline median can hide how wide the real pay ladder is. For some roles, early-career pay stays close to the middle; for others, the gap between first-job pay and senior pay is large enough to change how attractive the path looks over time.

LevelExperienceAvg. Base SalaryEstimated Total PayGrowth vs Previous
Entry Level Information Security Analyst0-2 years$62,652.0$65.8K - $87.0KN/A
Mid Level Information Security Analyst3-5 years$112,271$90.3K - $156K+79.2%
Senior Level Information Security Analyst6-10 years$143,462$127K - $189K+27.8%
Lead / Principal Information Security Analyst10+ years$167,553$168K - $220K+16.8%
How to read the experience tableThe cards show the quick salary story, while the table gives a more detailed view of how Information Security Analystpay can move from entry-level work into senior and lead responsibility.

Information Security Analyst Salary by City

City salary differences matter because Information Security Analyst jobs are tied to local employer demand, cost of living, and industry concentration. Markets like San Jose, CA and San Francisco, CA can pay very differently even when the job title looks the same on paper.

That is why city pages are often more useful than national averages once you are actively job searching. They show whether a stronger nominal salary comes from a genuinely better market, a more specialized employer mix, or simply a more expensive metro.

United States — City Comparison

CityProjected SalaryVs. National BenchmarkCost of Living Signal
San Jose, CA$175,520+56%High salary market
San Francisco, CA$168,160+50%High salary market
Boulder, CO$156,410+39%High salary market
Seattle, WA$152,660+36%High salary market
Oxnard, CA$148,640+32%High salary market
Washington$142,920+27%High salary market
California$140,660+25%High salary market
Maryland$140,480+25%High salary market
Washington, DC$138,410+23%High salary market
New York, NY$138,360+23%High salary market
City salary pictureA higher Information Security Analyst salary in a major metro does not always mean higher take-home value. Housing, taxes, commuting, and remote-work flexibility can change the real outcome.
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Information Security Analyst Salary by Industry

Industry can change a Information Security Analyst salary as much as geography. Employers in Information may pay more when the role sits close to revenue, regulated operations, complex infrastructure, or scarce technical expertise.

IndustryProjected SalaryBonus PotentialJob SecurityGrowth Pace
Information$136,390HighStrongFast
Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction$135,760HighStrongFast
Transportation and Warehousing$127,940HighStrongFast
Management of Companies and Enterprises$127,840ModerateStrongFast
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services$127,260ModerateStrongModerate
Finance and Insurance$126,970ModerateModerateModerate
Manufacturing$124,580ModerateModerateModerate
Retail Trade$123,010LowerModerateModerate
Wholesale Trade$117,540LowerVariableSlow
Utilities$117,230LowerVariableSlow

The strongest-paying industries for Information Security Analyst roles usually combine higher budgets with urgent business needs. Use this table to compare not only salary, but also the tradeoff between upside, stability, and long-term growth.

Information Security Analyst Salary by Skill Specialization

Skills shape salary because they tell employers what kind of problems a Information Security Analyst can solve. Strong signals around C, Python, tools, platforms, analysis, communication, and domain knowledge can help candidates move from average pay into stronger compensation bands.

Common tool stackO*NET maps Information Security Analyst work to tools such as Django, Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud EC2, HP WebInspect, and Nagios.
C
$153K
Python
$170K
Bash/Shell (all shells)
$160K
Docker
$160K
Pip
$153K
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
$200K
HTML/CSS
$142K
JavaScript
$153K
C can raise the ceilingThe most valuable Information Security Analyst skills are the ones connected to business-critical work, scarce tools, and hard-to-fill responsibilities. Pairing C with Python can make a candidate easier to price at the top of the salary range.

Remote vs Onsite vs Hybrid — Salary Comparison

Remote, onsite, and hybrid pay can shift the salary story for Information Security Analyst jobs. Remote roles often widen the hiring market, while onsite roles may pay more in expensive metros when employers need local availability, team coverage, or specialized workplace access.

Work TypeAvg. BaseExperienceBenefitsFlexibility
Remote$232,500LeadStrongHigh

Hybrid roles can carry a small premium in high-cost cities, while fully remote roles can be especially powerful for workers outside the most expensive labor markets. The best comparison is total pay after location, taxes, commuting, and lifestyle costs.

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How to Become an Information Security Analyst

The most common path into Information Security Analyst work is to pair the expected baseline education with early hands-on practice and proof that you can handle the core responsibilities of the role. Candidates move faster when they can connect training, projects, internships, or prior adjacent work to the exact kinds of tasks employers hire information security analyst professionals to do.

If you want the fuller step-by-step version, open the full How to Become an Information Security Analyst guide.

Practical shortcutThe strongest early candidates for Information Security Analyst jobs usually show job-relevant work samples, clear fundamentals, and evidence that they can contribute with limited supervision.
Knowledge areas employers associate with this roleComputers and Electronics, English Language, Administration and Management, and Engineering and Technology.

Information Security Analyst Work Environment

Work environment can shape job fit just as much as salary. For Information Security Analyst, the day-to-day experience may vary based on employer type, digital vs on-site workflows, collaboration intensity, schedule predictability, and how much independent judgment the role requires.

Common work-style signalsO*NET highlights Attention to Detail, Integrity, Cautiousness, and Dependability for Information Security Analyst work.
E-Mail
How frequently does your job require you to use E-mail?
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in an environmentally controlled environment (like a warehouse with air conditioning)?
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?
Telephone Conversations
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Contact With Others
How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
Spend Time Sitting
How much does this job require sitting?

Entry-Level Information Security Analyst Salary Expectations

Entry-level Information Security Analyst salary expectations should be viewed as a starting range, not a ceiling. New workers in this role often earn around $62,652.0, with pay rising as they build practical experience, stronger judgment, better tools, and a clearer track record of delivering work without close supervision.

Internship / Trainee
$30/hr
$47.0K - $72.0K annualized
Early practical exposure, supervised assignments, portfolio building, and conversion into a first full-time role.
New Grad / Junior
$62.7K
$62.7K - $82.9K base
First full-time Information Security Analyst roles reward candidates who can show useful work, reliable fundamentals, and coachability.

Typical Promotion Timeline

Promotions usually follow the move from supervised work to independent delivery, then to broader ownership. Switching employers can sometimes accelerate salary growth when the current role has a narrow pay band.

StageTypical TimelineSalary JumpKey Milestone
Intern → JuniorInternship → first role$11.3K - $20.0KFirst full-time offer
Junior → Mid18-30 months$13.5K - $24.7KDeliver work independently
Mid → Senior2-4 years$17.2K - $31.6KOwn larger outcomes
Senior → Lead3-6 years$20.1K - $41.9KInfluence teams or strategy

Information Security Analyst Career Progression & Salary Path

This step is useful because experience level and career progression are related, but not identical. The pay path below shows how compensation tends to widen as the work moves from narrower execution into broader ownership and leadership scope.

1
Intern / Trainee
$72.4K$97.4K
Information Security Analyst compensation at this stage usually reflects broader responsibility, stronger judgment, and more independent ownership of outcomes.
2
Junior
$89.9K$119K
Information Security Analyst compensation at this stage usually reflects broader responsibility, stronger judgment, and more independent ownership of outcomes.
3
Mid Level
$112K$140K
Information Security Analyst compensation at this stage usually reflects broader responsibility, stronger judgment, and more independent ownership of outcomes.
4
Senior
$135K$175K
Information Security Analyst compensation at this stage usually reflects broader responsibility, stronger judgment, and more independent ownership of outcomes.
5
Lead
$160K$202K
Information Security Analyst compensation at this stage usually reflects broader responsibility, stronger judgment, and more independent ownership of outcomes.
6
Principal / Architect
$187K$256K
Information Security Analyst compensation at this stage usually reflects broader responsibility, stronger judgment, and more independent ownership of outcomes.

Factors That Affect a Information Security Analyst's Salary

A Information Security Analyst salary is rarely determined by job title alone. Employers also price the role based on education, certifications, tools used, industry setting, workplace responsibility, and how difficult it is to find qualified candidates with the same mix of skills.

Years of Experience
Salary usually rises as the role moves from entry-level execution to independent ownership, mentoring, and broader decision-making.
Location and Cost of Living
Local salary ranges vary by labor market, employer density, and household-income context.
Industry
Industry pay can vary when employers in higher-margin or harder-to-staff sectors compete for the same occupation.
Specialized Skills
O*NET marks high-demand role-specific skills as relevant skills for this role, making them useful anchors for specialization and salary-growth content.

Information Security Analyst Job Demand & Market Outlook

The Information Security Analyst job outlook matters because demand affects hiring, salary growth, and how much leverage qualified workers have. The current projection points to 28.5% employment change from 2024 to 2034, which helps explain whether employers are likely to keep competing for qualified talent.

Salary is easier to interpret when it sits next to a demand signal. Strong wages in a shrinking field can tell a very different story from strong wages in a role where openings, replacement demand, and market expansion are all still active.

BLS Employment ProjectionEmployment is projected to change by 28.5% from 2024 to 2034.
Much faster than averageAnnual openings: 16 thousand.
Metric2026 Status
Projected employment182.8k → 234.9k
Typical educationMost of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Related experienceA considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Remote job availabilityMeaningful for roles with portable work and digital workflows
Salary market signalMedian pay of $112,280 suggests a high-value compensation track.

How to Increase Your Information Security Analyst Salary

The most reliable way to increase a Information Security Analyst salary is to make your value easier for employers to measure. That usually means building stronger evidence around outcomes, expanding into higher-value skills, moving toward better-paying industries, and negotiating with current market salary data in hand.

StrategyAvg. Salary ImpactTimelineEffort Level
Benchmark against stronger markets+15-30%1-3 monthsHigh ROI
Build a visible specialization$13.5K - $31.4K3-9 monthsMedium
Target higher-paying industries$9.0K - $20.2K2-6 monthsMedium
The fastest salary liftFor many Information Security Analyst professionals, the fastest path is a focused mix of stronger proof, higher-value skills, and better market selection. Salary gains usually come faster when candidates combine a clear portfolio with targeted applications and negotiation.

Information Security Analyst vs Similar Career Salaries

Comparing Information Security Analyst salary with Computer and Information Research Scientist and other nearby careers helps show whether this job title is underpaid, fairly priced, or part of a stronger salary path. These comparisons are useful when choosing between roles, planning a career move, or deciding which skills to build next.

Computer and Information Research Scientist
$141K
Related role
Above baseline
Database Architect
$136K
Related role
Above baseline
Software Developer
$133K
Related role
Above baseline
Computer Network Architect
$130K
Related role
Above baseline
Actuary
$126K
Related role
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Mathematician
$122K
Related role
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Data Scientist
$113K
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Application Developer
$110K
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Below baseline
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Frequently Asked Questions

These questions usually come up after readers compare the national salary, experience bands, and city differences. Together they clarify how to read the salary data and what to pay attention to when you compare this role with nearby careers.

What is the average Information Security Analysts salary?
The latest national baseline for Information Security Analysts is about $124,900 per year, based on the current BLS-derived salary facts in CareerClev.
What is the entry-level Information Security Analysts salary?
Entry-level estimates for Information Security Analysts are modeled around the lower BLS percentile range, currently about $69,700 per year nationally.
How much can senior Information Security Analysts professionals earn?
Senior Information Security Analysts estimates are modeled from upper percentile wage bands and currently sit around $159,600 per year nationally.
Does location affect Information Security Analysts salary?
Yes. CareerClev stores salary facts by national, state, and metro locations, so location-specific pages should use the closest available geography instead of a single national number.
Which skills matter for Information Security Analysts salary growth?
CareerClev uses O*NET skill importance and level scores to identify role-relevant skills. These are useful for recommendations, but should not be presented as measured salary premiums unless enriched compensation data exists.
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Data Sources & Methodology
Updated using 2024 BLS OEWS salary facts, O*NET occupation-skill data, Census location context where available, ILOSTAT country benchmarks where mapped, BLS Employment Projections where imported, and Stack Overflow Developer Survey enrichment for mapped tech roles.
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