2009 Salaries for IT Security Professionals

One of the great truisms of the IT industry is that security professionals are in high demand. As attacks keep proliferating, from assaults on the firewall to hailstorms of malware, companies don’t just wantsecurity pros – they need them. It’s a matter of corporate survival.

The salaries of IT security experts reflect this. A survey by Robert Half Technologyindicates that while the 2009 average starting salary for IT staffers will increase by 3.7 percent over 2008, security professionals will see a boost of about 5 percent, in some cases a bit more.

Take a look at the 2009 average salary for IT security positions, along with regional pay levels and the value of specialty tech skills:

Chief Security Officer

Data Security Analyst

Systems Security Analyst

Network Security Administrator

Information Systems Security Manager

Job Title: Chief Security Officer

2009 average salary range: $105, 500 – $157,500.

• The 2009 salary range is an increase of 4.9% over this job’s 2008 salary range, which was $100,750 – $150,000.

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Note:Since these numbers are national averages, adjust them based on your area of the country.

Salary levels are – approximately – 7% to 20% higher in the Northeast; about 5% higher in the South Atlantic (Florida to Delaware); average to modestly lower in the Midwest, Mountain west, and South; and 5% to 25% higher on the West coast.

IT salaries in large metropolitan areas are higher than the national average. For instance, in the following cities they are:

• Boston, MA: 30% higher

• Stamford, CT: 35% higher

• New York, NY: 41% higher

• Washington, DC: 30% higher

• Philadelphia, PA: 15% higher

• Atlanta, GA: 15% higher

• Miami, FL: 13% higher

• Chicago, IL: 23% higher

• Dallas/Houston, TX: 5% higher

• Irvine, CA: 22% higher

• Los Angeles, CA: 24% higher

• San Diego, CA: 17% higher

• San Francisco, CA: 35% higher

• San Jose, CA: 31% higher

• Seattle, WA: 18% higher

Also see: IT Salaries, 2003-2008 and How to Not Get an IT Job: 10 Tips and The Best IT Job Boards.

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Salary data courtesy of Robert Half Technology. To request a copy of the complete Robert Half Salary Guide, which includes salary ranges for more than 60 different job titles, in the U.S. and Canada, click here.

Job Title: Data Security Analyst

2009 average salary range: $80,500 – $109,250.

• The 2009 salary range is an increase of 5.3% over this job’s 2008 salary range, which was $76,250 – $104,000.

Add a salary increase for the following skills: 10% for CheckPoint Firewall administration; 12% Cisco network administration skills; and 10% for LINUX/UNIX administration.

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Note:Since these numbers are national averages, adjust them based on your area of the country.

Salary levels are – approximately – 7% to 20% higher in the Northeast; about 5% higher in the South Atlantic (Florida to Delaware); average to modestly lower in the Midwest, Mountain west, and South; and 5% to 25% higher on the West coast.

IT salaries in large metropolitan areas are higher than the national average. For instance, in the following cities they are:

• Boston, MA: 30% higher

• Stamford, CT: 35% higher

• New York, NY: 41% higher

• Washington, DC: 30% higher

• Philadelphia, PA: 15% higher

• Atlanta, GA: 15% higher

• Miami, FL: 13% higher

• Chicago, IL: 23% higher

• Dallas/Houston, TX: 5% higher

• Irvine, CA: 22% higher

• Los Angeles, CA: 24% higher

• San Diego, CA: 17% higher

• San Francisco, CA: 35% higher

• San Jose, CA: 31% higher

• Seattle, WA: 18% higher

Also see: IT Salaries, 2003-2008 and How to Not Get an IT Job: 10 Tips and The Best IT Job Boards.

GO BACK TO IT SECURITY JOB LIST

Salary data courtesy of Robert Half Technology. To request a copy of the complete Robert Half Salary Guide, which includes salary ranges for more than 60 different job titles, in the U.S. and Canada, click here.

Job Title: Systems Security Administrator

2009 average salary range: $78,000 – $108,000.

• The 2009 salary range is an increase of 5.1% over this job’s 2008 salary range, which was $73,500 – $103,500.

• The 2008 salary range was an increase of 4% over this job’s 2007 salary range, which was $70,500 – $99,750.

• The 2007 salary range was an increase of 3.9% over this job’s 2006 salary range, which was $67,500 – $92,750.

Add a salary increase for the following skills: 10% for CheckPoint Firewall administration; 12% Cisco network administration skills; and 10% for LINUX/UNIX administration.

GO BACK TO JOB LIST

Note:Since these numbers are national averages, adjust them based on your area of the country.

Salary levels are – approximately – 7% to 20% higher in the Northeast; about 5% higher in the South Atlantic (Florida to Delaware); average to modestly lower in the Midwest, Mountain west, and South; and 5% to 25% higher on the West coast.

IT salaries in large metropolitan areas are higher than the national average. For instance, in the following cities they are:

• Boston, MA: 30% higher

• Stamford, CT: 35% higher

• New York, NY: 41% higher

• Washington, DC: 30% higher

• Philadelphia, PA: 15% higher

• Atlanta, GA: 15% higher

• Miami, FL: 13% higher

• Chicago, IL: 23% higher

• Dallas/Houston, TX: 5% higher

• Irvine, CA: 22% higher

• Los Angeles, CA: 24% higher

• San Diego, CA: 17% higher

• San Francisco, CA: 35% higher

• San Jose, CA: 31% higher

• Seattle, WA: 18% higher

Also see: IT Salaries, 2003-2008 and How to Not Get an IT Job: 10 Tips and The Best IT Job Boards.

GO BACK TO IT SECURITY JOB LIST

Salary data courtesy of Robert Half Technology. To request a copy of the complete Robert Half Salary Guide, which includes salary ranges for more than 60 different job titles, in the U.S. and Canada, click here.

Job Title: Network Security Administrator

2009 average salary range: $77,500 – $106,250.

• The 2009 salary range is an increase of 4.6% over this job’s 2008 salary range, which was $72,750 – $103,000.

Add a salary increase for the following skills: 10% for CheckPoint Firewall administration; 12% Cisco network administration skills; and 10% for LINUX/UNIX administration.

GO BACK TO JOB LIST

Note:Since these numbers are national averages, adjust them based on your area of the country.

Salary levels are – approximately – 7% to 20% higher in the Northeast; about 5% higher in the South Atlantic (Florida to Delaware); average to modestly lower in the Midwest, Mountain west, and South; and 5% to 25% higher on the West coast.

IT salaries in large metropolitan areas are higher than the national average. For instance, in the following cities they are:

• Boston, MA: 30% higher

• Stamford, CT: 35% higher

• New York, NY: 41% higher

• Washington, DC: 30% higher

• Philadelphia, PA: 15% higher

• Atlanta, GA: 15% higher

• Miami, FL: 13% higher

• Chicago, IL: 23% higher

• Dallas/Houston, TX: 5% higher

• Irvine, CA: 22% higher

• Los Angeles, CA: 24% higher

• San Diego, CA: 17% higher

• San Francisco, CA: 35% higher

• San Jose, CA: 31% higher

• Seattle, WA: 18% higher

Also see: IT Salaries, 2003-2008 and How to Not Get an IT Job: 10 Tips and The Best IT Job Boards.

GO BACK TO IT SECURITY JOB LIST

Salary data courtesy of Robert Half Technology. To request a copy of the complete Robert Half Salary Guide, which includes salary ranges for more than 60 different job titles, in the U.S. and Canada, click here.

Job Title: Information Systems Security Manager

2009 average salary range: $96,250 – $130,500.

• The 2009 salary range is an increase of 5.3% over this job’s 2008 salary range, which was $88,000 – $127,500.

Add a salary increase for the following skills: 10% for CheckPoint Firewall administration; 12% Cisco network administration skills; and 10% for LINUX/UNIX administration.

GO BACK TO JOB LIST

Note:Since these numbers are national averages, adjust them based on your area of the country.

Salary levels are – approximately – 7% to 20% higher in the Northeast; about 5% higher in the South Atlantic (Florida to Delaware); average to modestly lower in the Midwest, Mountain west, and South; and 5% to 25% higher on the West coast.

IT salaries in large metropolitan areas are higher than the national average. For instance, in the following cities they are:

• Boston, MA: 30% higher

• Stamford, CT: 35% higher

• New York, NY: 41% higher

• Washington, DC: 30% higher

• Philadelphia, PA: 15% higher

• Atlanta, GA: 15% higher

• Miami, FL: 13% higher

• Chicago, IL: 23% higher

• Dallas/Houston, TX: 5% higher

• Irvine, CA: 22% higher

• Los Angeles, CA: 24% higher

• San Diego, CA: 17% higher

• San Francisco, CA: 35% higher

• San Jose, CA: 31% higher

• Seattle, WA: 18% higher

Also see: IT Salaries, 2003-2008 and How to Not Get an IT Job: 10 Tips and The Best IT Job Boards.

GO BACK TO IT SECURITY JOB LIST

Salary data courtesy of Robert Half Technology. To request a copy of the complete Robert Half Salary Guide, which includes salary ranges for more than 60 different job titles, in the U.S. and Canada, click here.