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Information Security Analyst · 2026 salary + AI outlook

Information Security Analyst salary — and how to earn like the top 1%

$120,360median / year · about $58 an hour (BLS)

AI now triages most Tier-1 alerts, so pay concentrates on analysts who tune detection engineering, hunt novel threats, and defend the AI systems themselves.

Entry level
$72,000
Top earners
$175,000
Job growth
+32%
AI exposure
High
🏆 The Top 1% Playbook

How to reach the top 1% of Information Security Analysts

Four moves, straight from how the highest-paid in this field use AI in 2026:

1
Own detection engineering Move from clicking alerts to writing them. Build Sigma rules and KQL analytics in Microsoft Sentinel or Splunk, version them in Git, and measure your true-positive rate.
2
Get the OSCP Offensive Security's OSCP or HTB's CPTS proves you think like an attacker. Analysts who run and interpret their own pentests move into purple-team roles that pay above SOC baseline.
3
Secure the AI stack Learn prompt injection, model exfiltration, and RAG data leakage. Map controls to OWASP's LLM Top 10 and MITRE ATLAS; few analysts can yet, so the skill is scarce.
4
Automate with SOAR Write Python playbooks in Tines or Palo Alto XSOAR that auto-enrich and contain incidents. Cutting mean-time-to-respond is the metric that gets you to senior and lead.
💡 The move that pays: The alert queue is now the machine's job; the judgment behind the alert is yours.
HomeJob Salaries › Information Security Analyst Salary

Information Security Analyst Salary in 2026

Information Security Analyst pay, in real terms

Per hour
$57.87
Per week
$2,315
Every 2 weeks
$4,629
Per month
$10,030

At the national median of $120,360/year, a information security analyst earns $10,030/month before taxes. Over a 30-year career that's roughly $3,610,800 in gross earnings — and that's before raises, promotions, or bonuses.

That puts this role about 150% above the U.S. median wage for all workers (about $48,060/year, per BLS). Using the common rule of keeping housing under 30% of gross pay, this salary supports about $3,009/month in rent or mortgage.

Figures are gross (pre-tax) estimates from the national median; use the take-home and hourly calculators on PayCrunch for your exact state and situation.

Updated June 2026 · BLS Data
How much does an Information Security Analyst make?
$120,360per year
National median salary · $57.87/hour · $10,030/month
Hourly
$57.87
Monthly
$10,030
Weekly
$2,315
Daily
$463
Estimated take-home
$91,474/yr
Adjust Your Market Position
$120,360/yr
Entry Level · $72,000 Top Earner · $175,000
IRS.gov data
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What Does an Information Security Analyst Do?

Information security analysts plan and implement security measures to protect an organization's computer networks and systems.

Information Security Analyst Salary by State

Select your state to see the adjusted information security analyst salary based on cost-of-living differences.

Select a state above

How to Become an Information Security Analyst

Education: Bachelor's degree in Cybersecurity

Certifications: CISSP, CEH, or CompTIA Security+

Career path: Junior Security Analyst → Security Analyst → Senior Analyst → CISO

Information Security Analyst Salary by Experience

Entry level
$72,000
Mid-career
$120,360
Senior
$159,250

Estimates based on BLS percentile data and industry surveys. Actual salaries vary by employer, location, and individual qualifications.

Top 10 Highest-Paying States for Information Security Analysts

#StateAnnualMonthlyHourly
1Hawaii$142,025$11,835$68.28
2California$138,414$11,534$66.55
3New York$138,414$11,534$66.55
4Massachusetts$134,803$11,234$64.81
5New Jersey$134,803$11,234$64.81
6Connecticut$132,396$11,033$63.65
7Washington$132,396$11,033$63.65
8Maryland$129,989$10,832$62.49
9Alaska$126,378$10,532$60.76
10Colorado$126,378$10,532$60.76

State salaries estimated using BLS national median adjusted by regional cost-of-living factors.

Compare to Related Jobs

Job TitleMedian SalaryHourlyDifference
Information Security Analyst$120,360$57.87
iOS Developer$120,000$57.69$-360
Penetration Tester$120,000$57.69$-360
Android Developer$118,000$56.73$-2,360
Python Developer$118,000$56.73$-2,360
Backend Developer$125,000$60.10+$4,640
API Developer$115,000$55.29$-5,360

Job Outlook

The BLS projects +32% growth for information security analysts through 2032, which is much faster than average compared to the average for all occupations (3%).

🆕 New & Trending AI Tools for Information Security AnalystReviewed July 2026

We track new AI-tool launches every week and refresh this list — here’s what’s gaining traction for Information Security Analyst work right now.

Claude CodeNEWFree / usage-based

Terminal coding agent that reads your repo, runs tests, and ships multi-file changes.

How an Information Security Analyst uses it: describe a feature and let it implement and test it across the codebase

OpenAI CodexNEWIncl. w/ ChatGPT plans

Agent that runs longer, deterministic multi-step coding jobs on its own.

How an Information Security Analyst uses it: delegate a well-defined build or migration and review the finished result

WindsurfNEWFree / $15 mo

Agentic IDE that keeps context across a whole project.

How an Information Security Analyst uses it: make large, coordinated changes without losing track of the codebase

AWS KiroNEWPreview / see site

Spec-driven coding agent that turns written specs into working code.

How an Information Security Analyst uses it: write the spec first and let it build to that spec

NotebookLMNEWFree / $7.99 mo

Google tool that answers questions grounded only in the documents you give it — with citations.

How an Information Security Analyst uses it: load your own manuals, policies, or PDFs and ask questions that stay accurate to the source

CursorFree / $20 mo

AI-native code editor that edits across an entire project.

How an Information Security Analyst uses it: describe a change in plain English and let it rewrite and refactor whole files

GitHub Copilot (Agent Mode)$10–19 mo

AI pair-programmer built into VS Code and GitHub that now completes multi-step tasks.

How an Information Security Analyst uses it: hand off a task and have it plan, edit multiple files, and open a pull request

ChatGPTFree / $20 mo

The most-used AI assistant — writing, analysis, research, and images from a plain-language chat.

How an Information Security Analyst uses it: draft emails and documents, summarize long files, and get instant answers to on-the-job questions

ClaudeFree / $20 mo

AI assistant known for careful writing, long-document analysis, and coding.

How an Information Security Analyst uses it: analyze big reports or spreadsheets and turn messy notes into clean, finished writing

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a information security analyst make?
The national median salary for a information security analyst is $120,360 per year, or $57.87 per hour. Entry-level positions start around $72,000 while top earners make $175,000 or more.
What education do you need to become a information security analyst?
Most information security analyst positions require bachelor's degree in cybersecurity. Additional certifications or experience may increase earning potential.
What is the job outlook for information security analysts?
Employment of information security analysts is projected to grow 32% over the next decade, which is faster than average compared to the average for all occupations.
What are the highest paying states for information security analysts?
The highest paying states include Hawaii, California, New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey, where cost of living adjustments push salaries above the national median.
Can you make six figures as a information security analyst?
Yes, experienced professionals in this field regularly earn six figures, especially in high-cost-of-living areas.
Methodology and data sources

Salary data is based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) program. National median, 10th percentile, and 90th percentile figures are sourced from the most recent BLS OES release. State-level salary estimates are calculated by applying regional price parity adjustments from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) to the national median. Job growth projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program. Education and certification requirements are based on BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook descriptions. All figures are approximate and updated periodically.

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