Are you seeking career opportunities in the field of information security with the potential for higher earnings? Or are you currently part of the IT or security industry and aspire to ascend to senior or managerial roles within your organization? If so, I highly recommend considering the CISSP certification as a strategic step in your professional journey. Let’s know more about it with the help of this article.
What is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)?
The Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) is a globally recognized, reputable certification offered by the International Information System Security Certification Consortium, Inc. (ISC)². This certification is intended mainly for cyber security professionals like security practitioners, managers, and executives who want to add value to their resumes. To become CISSP certified, you generally need a minimum of five years of full-time work experience in at least two of the below eight domains of the CISSP Common Body of Knowledge (CBK).
- Security and risk management
- Asset security
- Security architecture and engineering
- Communication and network security
- Identity and access management (IAM)
- Security assessment and testing
- Security operations
- Software development and security
Even if you don't meet this requirement, you can still take the exam by doing effective CISSP exam prep and becoming an Associate of (ISC)² until you gain the necessary experience.
According to CyberSeek, a cybersecurity job market data platform, there were over 663,000 cybersecurity job openings in the United States in 2022, and over 97,000 of those openings required CISSP certification. This means that there is a significant shortage of CISSP-certified professionals in the workforce.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for cybersecurity professionals is expected to grow by 33% by 2023, much faster than the average for all occupations. This is due to the increasing need for organizations to protect their computer systems and networks from cyberattacks.
CISSP Salary in 2023
As a result of the high demand, the Certified Information Systems Security Professional salary can be higher than the salaries of other jobs. According to the average CISSP certification salary in 2023, in the United States, it is $124,000. Please note that this is just an average CISSP salary, and the actual salary you can earn will vary depending on your experience, skills, and location. Let’s take a look into the tips provided in this article so that we can improve our CISSP certification salary and advance our careers in cybersecurity.
1. Average CISSP Certification Salary
| Hourly
| Monthly
| Yearly
|
|---|
Average-pay
| $57.50
| $9,500
| $114,000
|
2. CISSP Certification Salary: Based on Experience
We must note that the CISSP salary at entry level is comparatively lower than others because professionals with more experience are preferred.
Experience level
| Hourly
| Monthly
| Yearly
|
|---|
Beginner
| $35.00
| $5,500
| $66,000
|
Intermediate
| $45.00
| $7,500
| $90,000
|
Advanced
| $75.00
| $12,500
| $140,000
|
3. CISSP Certification Salary: Based on Location
The certified information systems security professional salary differs hugely based on geographical location. For example, CISSP-certified professionals in high-demand areas, such as the San Francisco Bay Area or New York City, have a higher cissp annual salary. Let's see how the cissp certified salary differs in each location:
a. India:
City
| Company
| Hourly Rate
| Monthly Salary
| Annual Salary
|
|---|
Bengaluru
| Infosys
| ₹4,000
| ₹84,000
| ₹1,008,000
|
Mumbai
| Tata Consultancy Services
| ₹3,800
| ₹80,400
| ₹964,800
|
Delhi
| Wipro
| ₹3,500
| ₹74,000
| ₹888,000
|
Hyderabad
| HCL Technologies
| ₹3,300
| ₹70,200
| ₹842,400
|
Chennai
| Cognizant
| ₹3,100
| ₹66,400
| ₹803,200
|
b. US:
City
| Company
| Hourly Rate
| Monthly Salary
| Annual Salary
|
|---|
San Francisco
| Google
| $80
| $1,5600
| $187,200
|
New York City
| Amazon
| $75
| $1,4400
| $172,800
|
Washington, D.C.
| Microsoft
| $70
| $1,3200
| $158,400
|
Chicago
| IBM
| $65
| $1,2600
| $151,200
|
Los Angeles
| Cisco
| $60
| $1,2000
| $144,000
|
c. UK:
City
| Company
| Hourly Rate
| Monthly Salary
| Annual Salary
|
|---|
London
| Lloyds Banking Group
| £50
| £9,000
| £108,000
|
| Manchester | BAE Systems
| £50
| £8,100
| £97,200
|
Birmingham
| HSBC
| £40
| £7,200
| £86,400
|
Edinburgh
| Standard Life
| £35
| £6,300
| £75,600
|
Glasgow
| ScottishPower
| £30
| £5,400
| £64,800
|
d. Australia:
City
| Company
| Hourly Rate
| Monthly Salary
| Annual Salary
|
|---|
Sydney
| ANZ Bank
| AUD75
| AUD15,000
| AUD 180,000
|
Melbourne
| Telstra
| AUD70
| AUD14,000
| AUD 168,000
|
Brisbane
| Suncorp
| AUD65
| AUD13,000
| AUD 156,000
|
Perth
| BHP
| AUD60
| AUD12,000
| AUD 144,000
|
Adelaide
| Bank SA
| AUD55
| AUD11,000
| AUD 132,000
|
e. Canada:
City
| Company
| Hourly Rate
| Monthly Salary
| Annual Salary
|
|---|
Toronto
| RBC
| CAD60
| CAD12,000
| CAD 144,000
|
Vancouver
| Telus
| CAD55
| CAD11,000
| CAD 132,000
|
Montreal
| Desjardins
| CAD50
| CAD10,000
| CAD 120,000
|
Calgary
| Enbridge
| CAD45
| CAD9,000
| CAD 108,000
|
Ottawa
| Shopify
| CAD40
| CAD8,000
| CAD 96,000
|
f. Singapore:
City
| Company
| Hourly Rate
| Monthly Salary
| Annual Salary
|
|---|
Singapore
| DBS Bank
| SGD80
| SGD16,000
| SGD 192,000
|
Singapore
| Keppel Corporation
| SGD75
| SGD15,000
| SGD 180,000
|
Singapore
| Singtel
| SGD70
| SGD14,000
| SGD 168,000
|
Singapore
| CapitaLand
| SGD65
| SGD13,000
| SGD 156,00
|
4. CISSP Salary: Based on Industry
The industries that are most vulnerable to cyberattacks, therefore, have a high demand for cybersecurity professionals. We can see that the information security industry has the highest, average CISSP salary, followed by the financial services industry and the public sector.
Industry
| Average Salary
| Top 3 Companies
|
|---|
Information Security
| $124,000
| Google, Amazon, Microsoft
|
Financial Services
| $115,000
| JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo
|
Government
| $105,000
| Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, National Security Agency
|
Healthcare
| $100,000
| UnitedHealth Group, Anthem, Kaiser Permanente
|
Technology
| $95,000
| Apple, Meta, Alphabet
|
Retail
| $90,000
| Walmart, Amazon, Target
|
5. CISSP Salary: Based on Skills
The top three skills for CISSP certified professionals are cloud security, penetration testing, and incident response. These skills are in high demand because they are essential for protecting organizations from cyberattacks. We can see that the average salary for a CISSP-certified professional with specialized skills is comparatively higher than the average salary for a CISSP-certified professional without specialized skills.
Skill
| Average Salary
|
|---|
Cloud Security
| $140,000
|
Penetration Testing
| $135,000
|
Incident Response
| $130,000
|
Risk Management
| $125,000
|
Compliance
| $120,000
|
Security Architecture
| $115,000
|
6. CISPP Certification Salary: Based on Education
As you can see, the average CISSP starting salary with a bachelor's degree is lower than the average salary for a CISSP certified professional with a master's degree or a Ph.D. This is because employers are willing to pay more for professionals with higher levels of education.
Education
| Average Salary
|
|---|
Bachelor's Degree
| $120,000
|
Master's Degree
| $130,000
|
Ph.D.
| $140,000
|
However, it is important to note that education is not the only factor that determines salary. Experience, skills, and location also play a role. For example, a CISSP-certified professional with a bachelor's degree and 10 years of experience can earn the same salary as a CISSP-certified professional with a master's degree and 5 years of experience. Therefore, before deciding if this is the right certification for you or not, it is better to check out some of the best Cyber Security courses online and decide which is suitable for you.
Factors Affecting CISSP Salary
1. Location
Location plays a significant role in determining the CISSP jobs salary. As we had seen earlier in the table, CISSP-certified professionals in the US typically are paid more compared to CISSP-certified professionals in other countries. However, we do notice that the pay scale varies within the US too depending on the major cities and demand in those locations.
The pay scale is different because of the cost of living in each country and the professionals are paid accordingly to meet their ends. For eg: The average salary for a CISSP-certified professional in the US is $124,000. This is equivalent to ₹9228080.00 in INR, whereas the average salary for CISSP certified professional in the UK is £75,000, which is equivalent to ₹7500000.00 in INR.
2. Industry
The industry in which you work can also affect your CISSP jobs salary. CISSP-certified professionals in the information security and financial services industries typically earn more than CISSP-certified professionals in other industries, because they are most vulnerable to cyber-attacks and therefore the challenges faced in those industries are high. According to PayScale, the CISSP certification average salary in the financial services industry is $135,000, while the CISSP certification average salary in the information security industry is $124,000.
3. Experience
The amount of experience you have can also affect your salary. The CISSP-certified salary of professionals with more experience is higher than the CISSP certification salary entry level. We can refer to the table above, where companies like Google, Amazon, JP Morgan, and Bank of America are offering more pay compared to organizations related to other industries.
4. Demand and Supply
The demand and supply of CISSP-certified professionals can also affect salaries. In areas where there is a high demand for CISSP-certified professionals, salaries will be higher. For example, the demand for CISSP-certified professionals is high in the San Francisco Bay Area, which is why the average salary for a CISSP-certified professional in San Francisco is $156,000, while the average salary for a CISSP-certified professional in the United States is $124,000.
5. Credentials and Certifications
Credentials and certifications can also affect salaries. CISSP-certified professionals typically earn more than professionals who do not have this certification. The average salary for a CISSP-certified professional is $124,000, while the average salary for a cybersecurity professional who does not have this certification is $115,000.
6. Skills
The skills you have can also affect your CISSP salary range. CISSP-certified professionals with specialized skills, such as cloud security or penetration testing, typically earn more than CISSP-certified professionals with more general skills. The average salary for a CISSP-certified professional with cloud security skills is $140,000, while the average salary for a CISSP-certified professional with general skills is $124,000.
How to Improve CISSP Certified Professional Salary?
In this section, we will explore effective methods for CISSP certified professionals to boost their salary potential and advance in their careers. By implementing these strategies, you can maximize the returns on your certification investment.
1. Skills
It is highly important to continuously enhance our technical skills in cybersecurity and stay updated on the latest security trends, threats, cyber-attacks and emerging technologies. We need to develop expertise in areas such as cloud security, cryptography, risk management, and compliance. Specializing in high-demand areas like penetration testing or data privacy can also help us boost our earning potential.
2. Certifications
Pursue advanced cybersecurity certifications beyond CISSP, such as CISSP concentrations (e.g., CISSP-ISSMP, CISSP-ISSEP) or other relevant certifications like Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) or Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA). Having additional certifications in a related field can demonstrate our expertise and help us demand a higher salary.
3. Degrees
Consider earning a degree in cybersecurity that can give us the knowledge and skills we need to succeed in this field, such as a master's in cybersecurity or an MBA with a focus on information security. These qualifications can make us more competitive in the job market, as professionals with higher degrees are much preferred at the time of recruitment for cybersecurity-related roles.
4. Experience
Experience is the major part that is always valued the most for this kind of job role. Gather practical experience in different cybersecurity roles. Seek leadership positions, or project management roles, or specialize in high-demand areas like penetration testing, incident response, or security consulting. The more experience you have, the more valuable you become to employers, which can lead to higher salaries.
Why are CISSP Certified Professionals Paid So Much?
In this section, we'll delve into the reasons why CISSP-certified individuals command substantial salaries in the cybersecurity field.
Salary Growth and Projections
Cyberattacks are increasing day by day, with complicated threats, and businesses are willing to pay more to professionals who can help them stay safe. The salary growth and projections for CISSP professionals are positive, as the demand for their skills is expected to continue to surpass the supply.
- High Demand: The persistent and growing cyber threats have created a substantial demand for cybersecurity expertise, and CISSP certification is widely recognized as a benchmark for this expertise.
- Critical Role: CISSPs play a critical role in protecting organizations from cyber threats, ensuring data security, and maintaining regulatory compliance. Their responsibilities are essential for smooth business continuity.
- Experience and Knowledge: To attain CISSP certification, professionals must demonstrate substantial knowledge and experience in various domains of cybersecurity, making them highly skilled and valuable assets.
- Credential Prestige: CISSP is a globally recognized and respected certification, signaling a commitment to professionalism and ethical practices in the field.
- Regulatory Compliance: Many industries require CISSP-certified professionals to meet regulatory and compliance standards, further driving up demand.
- Supply-Demand Gap: The scarcity of qualified cybersecurity professionals contributes to higher salaries, as there are not enough experts to meet the growing needs of organizations.
All the above reasons ensure that CISSP-certified individuals will remain highly sought after in the upcoming years.
Conclusion
On a final note, obtaining the CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) certification is a strategic move to advance your career in the field of information security. The CISSP certification not only boosts your professional credibility but also increases your chances of earning. Gather real-time work experience, stay updated with industry trends, pursue specialized certifications to deepen your expertise by attending workshops or taking some training sessions, such as KnowledgeHut's CISSP training class , and network within the cybersecurity community, all of which aid in your professional growth in this field. With the increased demand for cybersecurity experts, CISSP-certified professionals are well-positioned for lucrative job opportunities and job security.
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