Salaries That A CISSP Certification Can Fetch
No particular salary is enough for evaluating the efficacy and intelligence of a CISSP Certification holder. A certified individual has no comparison with anyone in streamlining the intricacies of data security. This certification is not only the stepping stone for soaring heights in information security domains but remunerative, as well. High salaries await CISSP-certified professionals in respective industries, especially in 2024. Here, is proof of it in the form of the results of a few recent but reliable salary surveys.
CISSP Certification Salary
CISSP Certification salary variations in different locations in the United States.
| Location | CISSP Average Salary |
| Alaska | USD 140,368 |
| California | USD 141,304 - 158,485 |
| Connecticut | USD 140,813 - 144,432 |
| New York | USD 142,071 |
| Washington | USD 144,061 |
| Austin | USD 113,126 |
| Baltimore | USD 103,944 |
| San Francisco | USD 116,073 |
| Chicago | USD 119,887 |
| Denver | USD 112,206 |
Individuals must also take a look at the salaries for different job positions, especially after attaining CISSP Certification:
| Job Title | Salary in USD |
| IT security architect | USD 134,174 |
| Information security manager | USD 123,063 |
| Chief information security officer | USD 192,500 |
| Cyber security engineer | USD 200,000 |
| Cyber security analyst | USD 160,000 |
| Application security engineer | USD 180,000 |
| Penetration tester | USD 130,000 |
| Network security engineer | USD 185,000 |
| Global information security director | USD 200,000 |
| Director of security | USD 178,333 |
| Lead software security engineer | USD 233,333 |
Working abroad isn’t just a fancy for many CISSPs but it certainly has an impact on the remuneration one receives. A recent salary survey of the major global CISSP job markets is proof of it.
| Country | Salaries |
| USA | USD 117,383 |
| Canada | USD 100,681 |
| Australia | USD 148,326 |
| United Kingdom | USD 117,869 |
CISSP Certification is an entry ticket to those organizations that one has dreamt to be a part of. Apart from the satisfaction of the most desired workplace, certified professionals also receive alluring salary packages. Here is a list of a few prestigious enterprises and their corresponding salaries in 2021.
| Company | Salaries |
| Visa | USD 104,752 |
| USD 144,879 | |
| Wells Fargo | USD 113,269 |
| Booz Hamilton | USD 114,528 |
Given below is a salary variation for cybersecurity professionals based in the United States. This 2021 survey implies the impact of experience on one’s remuneration. It is needless to say that a CISSP Certification equals proficiency attained through experience. Besides, only an experienced individual is eligible to apply for this certification.
| Career level | Salaries |
| Experienced | USD 105,825 |
| Mid-level | USD 102,591 |
| Entry-level | USD 93,318 |
Salaries may also vary from one industry to another. Legal services, telecommunications, eCommerce, retailing, healthcare, software, hardware, financial, and supply chain to name a few.
The good news for candidates is that CISSP Certification holders receive 16 percent more salary than any other IT professional. Only 13% of IT jobs fall in the purview of cybersecurity but still, these positions remain vacant for a considerably longer time. So, there is abundant scope for CISSP-certified individuals to make the most of it.
The list of factors that influence the salary of cybersecurity professionals owning CISSP include:
Geographic locations
As is evident in the aforementioned salary tables, location plays a significant role. In 2021, CISSP Certification holders in Seattle earned 19% higher compared to the nation’s average salary for CISSP.
Portfolio update
Experience does count in fetching a relatively high salary as a cybersecurity professional. This is the reason why recruiters look for individuals with CISSP Certification. Certified individuals not only possess previous work experience in the same domain but are far more adept. Updating the work portfolio is essential to prove one’s efficacy to the employer. This is also a vital factor in enhancing salary.
Job designation
As discussed earlier, remunerations differ for individual cybersecurity job profiles though the variations are subtle. Each of these designations commands prestige and lucrative pay packages. So, professionals should make their choices based on their respective inclinations in particular areas of cybersecurity.
Advanced skills
One can boost one’s salary by opting for the most relevant cybersecurity jobs encompassing the latest skills. Web application security, cloud security, and threat intelligence are a few examples that draw a higher remuneration. CISSP Certification makes an individual a perfect fit for such popular job profiles.
Company size
The names that are counted in the lists of reputed organizations in terms of CISSP Certification salary offer higher pay. Salaries for the above-mentioned IT security roles begin from USD 103,071 in these enterprises. Medium and small-sized organizations report starting salaries of around USD 90,626. Certified individuals need not have to go out of their comfort zones to handle the job challenges accompanying high-paying organizations.
Right location
Landing a job in the right location is another crucial factor impacting one’s salary. For instance, some cities or states in the United States offer higher remuneration than others. Individuals should also keep in mind that the better-pay location’s living costs aren’t exceeding their salaries.
Non-technical qualities
Leadership skills, passion for learning, collaborative approach, hyper-critical thinking, and determination also improve CISSP salary. Besides, one must be consultative, insightful, inquisitive, and analytical.
Technical specialties
Candidates possessing some or all of the listed skills command higher salaries than others. A CISSP Certification would enable one with all the knowledge and expertise required in the following:
- Intrusion detection
- Data protection management
- SIEM management
- Compliance management
- Auditing
- Handling and responding to security incidents
- Skills in firewalls and digital forensics
- Advanced malware protection
- Access and identity management
- Management of mobile device
Educational background
CISSP Certification is a feather in one’s cap for a salary hike. It lets one specialize in these:
- Privacy of information systems
- Cybersecurity fundamentals
- Data recovery
- Internet security
- Cryptography
- Computer forensics
CISSP Certification covers everything that one needs to grab the attention of employers. They would rather wait for such certified professionals than fill up the vacant positions in a hurry. To retain these individuals organizations can even rework and increase the already fixed salaries of these job roles.
Training makes the management of data privacy issues smoother through the application of relevant procedures. Forensic investigation and interpretation of security incidents is one of the most valuable things learned from this course. Individuals become adept at developing secure software modules. They learn the standard measures of sustaining the integrity of cyber security systems. These are, data backups, unobstructed power supplies, file permissions usage, and cryptographic checksums.
Cyber attacks are varying in nature and to acquire full-fledged knowledge about each of them is daunting. This is the reason that certified individuals are offered alluring remunerations across industries. The daily digital activity wouldn’t be as hassle-free without their contributions. They are equally conversant with both passive and active attacks which entrusts them with the responsibility of initiating preventive measures. This training program leaves no stone unturned to eliminate cyber terrorism.