If you know your way around computers, you should look into landing a job in the cyber security sector. After all, cyber security experts are in very high demand right now, with a number of companies and government agencies competing for top talent. What are the benefits of working in this industry? Other than competitive pay, you can definitely count on job security, exciting tasks, and many opportunities to grow. 

If that convinced you, then you might want to familiarize yourself with the top-paying cyber security jobs, ranging from penetration testers, chief information security officers, and lead software security engineers, cyber security architects, red team security testing, and bug bounty specialists. Keep on reading and see what jobs you might be able to apply for once you become a cyber security expert!

Penetration Tester

Average Salary: $103,000 per year

Penetration testers are essentially hackers who work exclusively for an organization as part of a “white hat” security team. Their job is to find and fix vulnerabilities on the company’s network or website before a real hacker can exploit them.

The job of a penetration tester requires a wide range of skills, from programming to social engineering (e.g. phishing) and even physical security testing. A good penetration tester knows how to automate tests and isn’t afraid to get their hands dirty in order to find vulnerabilities that might not be easy to detect.

To become a penetration tester, you will need a bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related discipline, a minimum of 2 years of experience in information security, and some certifications such as OSCP (Offensive Security Certified Professional). 

Chief Information Security Officer

Average Salary: $140,000 per year

The chief information security officer (CISO) is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the company’s cyber security strategy. This includes creating prevention strategies and protecting data, networks, and servers from threats.

A CISO must have a solid technical background because they are often directly involved in developing security policy and ensuring that the entire organization follows it. They also need to know the laws regarding data privacy and be able to effectively communicate with management about the risks and threats that exist in their industry. 

If you want to become a CISO, you will need a bachelor’s degree in computer science, information security, or another relevant field, at least 5 years of experience in cyber security, and certifications such as CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) and CISM (Certified Information Security Manager). 

Lead Software Security Engineer

Average Salary: $120,000 per year

As a lead software security engineer, you will be responsible for securing apps and software by designing secure code, analyzing vulnerabilities, and working on development teams. If your company develops its own software rather than purchasing it externally, this position will be especially relevant to you. 

Lead software security engineers must have strong technical skills since they will work directly with developers to ensure that their code is secure and not vulnerable to attacks. You need to be skilled at finding vulnerabilities in code and developing remediation measures to prevent them from happening again. 

To get hired as a lead software security engineer, you should have at least 5 years of experience in cyber security, a bachelor’s degree in computer science, information security, or related fields, and security certifications such as GWAPT (Gray Hat Application Penetration Tester), GCFA (GIAC Certified Forensics Analyst), or GCIH (GIAC Certified Incident Handler). 

Cyber Security Architect

Average Salary: $100,000 per year

If you want to help an organization develop its cyber security strategy, you might want to consider becoming a cyber security architect. As a cyber security architect, you will be responsible for defining architecture standards for the company’s networks and systems based on industry best practices and compliance requirements. 

You will also monitor infrastructure performance based on the defined architecture standards and help implement improvements when necessary. The job is very well suited for people with experience in network engineering who want to stay up to date with the latest developments in the field. 

To become a cyber security architect, you will need a bachelor’s degree in computer science or related disciplines, at least 5 years of experience in cyber security architecture, and certifications such as CASP (Certified Architect), CWSP (Certified Wireless Security Professional), or CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional). 

Bug Bounty Specialist

Average salary: $100,000 per year (estimated)

Bug bounty hunting is definitely one of the most interesting jobs in cyber security right now. And if you are good at it, you can make some serious money while having fun trying out different hacking techniques on various websites. It’s like playing games but with real stakes! 

In this job, you will try to find vulnerabilities on a company’s website or app by exploiting possible bugs in the code or system architecture. The most popular bug bounty platforms are HackerOne and BugCrowd where you can look for potential targets to test your skills against.

Bug bounty hunting requires a lot of creativity and technical expertise, but it also requires a lot of time. You need to be up-to-date with the latest trends in cyber security and dedicated to doing research on targets. 

To get started, you will need to be at least 18 years old, have a good understanding of web programming and security, and have experience with bug bounty platforms such as HackerOne or BugCrowd. 

Cyber Security Analyst

Average Salary: $85,000 per year (estimated)

A cyber security analyst is responsible for analyzing cyber security events and incidents that occur in an organization. Their job is to figure out how an attack happened and to help the company prevent future attacks from happening. 

A cyber security analyst needs to be very detail-oriented, have good technical skills, and know-how to communicate effectively with other people in the company. They also need to know how to collect evidence after cyber attacks and develop strategies to prevent them from happening again. 

To become a cyber security analyst, you will need a bachelor’s degree in computer science or information security and some relevant certifications such as GPEN (GIAC Certified Penetration Tester), GCIH (GIAC Certified Incident Handler), or CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional). 

Chief Information Officer

Average Salary: $139,000 per year (estimated)

If you want to make an impact at the top level, becoming a chief information officer (CIO) might be something for you. As a CIO, you will be responsible for making sure that the company’s IT infrastructure is secure and meets all legal requirements. This includes working with other departments to make sure that the company has a secure data backup strategy.

In this job, your main responsibility will be to ensure that company data remains safe while keeping user experience in mind. You will also need to keep up with the latest developments in technology and implement them when they can be useful for your organization. 

To become a CIO, you will need at least 10 years of experience in IT management, a bachelor’s degree in computer science or information security, and certifications such as CISA (Certified Information Systems Auditor), CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional), or CISM (Certified Information Security Manager). 

Lead Security Engineer

Average Salary: $92,000 per year (estimated)

If you want to get involved in the day-to-day operations of fighting cyber threats, then becoming a lead security engineer might be exactly what you are looking for! As a lead security engineer, you will be responsible for supervising engineering staff and ensuring that their work meets the organization’s requirements. 

You will also create technical documentation about the organization’s IT infrastructure and security policies so that other employees can follow them to avoid common mistakes. The job is very well suited for people who are interested in leading teams and developing people around them. 

To become a lead security engineer, you will need at least 5 years of experience in IT security and a bachelor’s degree in computer science or information security. Some security certifications such as CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker), CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional), or CWSP (Certified Wireless Security Professional) are also valuable assets if you want to get hired for this job. 

Cyber Security Architect

Average salary: $92,000 per year (estimated)

As a cyber security architect, you will be responsible for designing enterprise cyber security systems according to industry best practices and compliance requirements. You will also need to identify possible risks and threats that these systems might face and develop countermeasures against them. 

A cyber security architect needs to have strong technical skills because they will be directly involved in implementing and monitoring the systems that they design. Good knowledge of network architecture is especially important since most activities are related to monitoring networks for potential threats and vulnerabilities. 

To become a cyber security architect, you will need at least 5 years of experience as a system or network administrator, a bachelor’s degree in computer science or information security, and certifications such as CASP (Certified Architect), CWSP (Certified Wireless Security Professional), or CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional). 

Summary

Cyber security has become a huge field with so many different job options. This is all thanks to the internet becoming a widely used tool used by so many people each and every day. The growth of the internet, brought along with it one of many things and that is cyber criminals. With cyber criminals and cyber attacks becoming a bigger problem every day the need for cyber security is bigger than ever. These are only nine out of countless different roles and jobs required for cyber security. Now you might be thinking you want to rush in and apply for these roles right away, but most of them require a certain skill set and higher education. Not only that but most of these jobs require a lot of hard work and dedication. If you do have the skills and schooling required for these roles, then why not apply for your dream position?