We read and hear about cyber-attacks and hacking threats all the time. However, ethical hackers are the one-stop solution to various cyber threats. Research claims that a malware-based cyber-attack can cost a business 2.6 million dollars. Thus, the ethical hacker’s salary increased significantly over a few years.
An ethical hacker must have the computer system's owner's written consent before accessing it, safeguard the organization's privacy, disclose all vulnerabilities found in the computer system to the organization openly, and alert hardware and software vendors to the vulnerabilities. Unlike traditional hackers, who violate cybersecurity systems to obtain data to demand money, ethical hackers study data security systems to strengthen themselves.
The goal of ethical hacking is to find vulnerabilities in computer systems and networks and create defenses against them. Ethical hackers examine networks and systems to find vulnerabilities that they can exploit or destroy. Students who want to learn ethical hacking must enroll in accredited Ethical Hacking courses.
Ethical Hacker Salary in 2024
Although ethical hackers have played a part in the industry for some time, demand for them is currently at an all-time high. This is because, during the previous ten years, the number of cyberattacks has significantly increased. This is a distinctive field that is also very rewarding.
The usual salary of an ethical hacker will depend on your expertise in cybersecurity, computer programming, computer networks, and other fields. You can see a rapid rise in your ethical hacker pay by displaying your skills and qualifications. You should start with Cyber Security training courses or offline to have the background and the know-how to approach problem-solving.
To comprehend why this is the ideal time to pursue an ethical hacking job, we'll talk about the typical certified ethical hacker income in India today.
What is the Average Salary of an Ethical Hacker in 2024?
The certified ethical hacker salary in the US varies widely because it is based on a wide range of variables, including your work history, the reputation of your employer, your abilities, your location, the compensation structure of your employer, etc.
The average salary for a certified ethical hacker can be understood as follows
| Ethical hacker salary per hour | 60$ USD |
| Ethical hacker salary per month | 6,040 USD – 10,872 USD |
| Annual ethical hacker average salary | 48,321 USD – 54,361 USD |
Ethical Hacker Salary: Based on Job Role
Experience is one of the essential variables in establishing your earning potential. Every year ethical hackers work for a company; their income may increase. For new hires, the starting or entry-level Certified Ethical Hacker pay in the US is 4,228 USD. When broken down, the typical pay for an ethical hacker in the US ranges from 356 USD to 501 USD per month. According to your expertise, talents, and other circumstances, your pay in this sector could reach 48,321 USD per year.
The following table shows the average salary of ethical hackers based on their job role:
| Job role | Average Salary per year |
|---|
| IT Security & Infrastructure | 8,259.1 USD |
| Security Testing & Auditing | 7,482 USD |
| Cyber Security | 8,678.6 USD |
| Security Policies & Procedures | 121,05.4 USD |
| Security Risk Management | 10,194.3 USD |
| Network Security Management | 7,208 USD |
| Penetration Testing | 6,605.7 USD |
| Cyber Security Analyst | $85,000 / year |
| Information Security Analyst | $78000 / year |
| Cyber Security Engineer | $105,000 / year |
| Security Intrusion Detection | $83,500 |
| Computer Security | $86,310 |
| Security Information and Event Management | $83,117 |
| Cisco Networking | $81,211 |
Ethical Hacker Salary: Based on Employer/Company
Companies with strong programming backgrounds that hire ethical hackers include Google, Facebook, Apple, TCS, and so on. These different companies provide various hacking jobs salaries in the US.
Here are some of the businesses that pay ethical hackers the highest salaries:
| Company | Average Salary |
|---|
| HCL | 6692 USD |
| Google | 6462.04 USD |
| Facebook | 294071.71 USD |
| Apple | 241608.60 USD |
| TCS | 6245.58 USD |
| Infosys | 11000.80 USD |
Ethical Hacker Salary: Based on Skill-set
You'll be able to get a greater salary as an ethical hacker according to your knowledge of the industry and your technological prowess. The skills that ethical hackers are proficient in determining how much money they make. In penetration and vulnerability testing, a bachelor's degree is required in 67% of job postings, while a master's degree or higher is needed in 23% of those.
Although it depends on the business and your situation, obtaining a doctorate may open up more lucrative positions for ethical hackers. The highest-paid ethical hackers are certified and equipped with industry-level knowledge.
Look into which skills are in demand in this industry and which pay the most attention. The most in-demand skills among ethical hackers include Linux, network security management, cybersecurity, and IT security & infrastructure.
Ethical Hacker Salary: Based on Certifications
A profession as an ethical hacker may lead to employment as a consultant or employee. It necessitates the capacity to deliberately access a computer with the owner's consent and uses most cyberattack methods. Ethical hacker earnings depend on expertise. The four reputable cybersecurity qualifications given below are very useful for professions in penetration testing, ethical hacking, and other offensive cybersecurity fields.
| Certification | Average pay per annum |
|---|
| Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) | 9060322.50 USD |
| GIAC Penetration Tester (GPEN) | 9664344.00 USD |
| Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP) | 8456301 USD |
| CompTIA PenTest+ | 9422735.4 USD |
Ethical Hacker Salary: Based on Location
| Location | Popular Cities | Pay Structure |
|---|
| India | Bangalore, Karnataka | Rs 256,635 - Rs 1,133,880 |
| Mumbai, Maharashtra | Rs 218,305 - Rs 1,072,867 |
| Chennai, Tamil Nadu | Rs 241,957 - Rs 913,540 |
| Pune, Maharashtra | Rs 254,028 - Rs 1,043,389 |
| Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi | Rs 236,718 - Rs 982,635 |
USA | Washington, District of Columbia | $67,000 - $126,121 |
| New York, New York | $50,143 - $124,608 |
| San Antonio, Texas | $51,456 - $90,999 |
| Atlanta, Georgia | $49,550 - $110,936 |
| San Diego, California | $76,754 - $121,694 |
Canada | Toronto, Ontario | C$50,147 - C$97,732 |
| Montréal, Québec | C$51,500 - C$88,00 |
| Moncton, New Brunswick | C$108,000 |
| Ottawa, Ontario | C$70,000 |
| Vancouver, British Columbia | C$84,000 |
| Australia | Sydney, New South Wales | AU$55,284 - AU$133,346 |
| Melbourne, Victoria | AU$53,327 - AU$145,216 |
| UAE | Dubai | AED 60,678 - AED 301,674 |
| Abu Dhabi | AED 52,586 - AED 305,209 |
| Singapore | Singapore | S$26,093 - S$84,404 |
| Philippines | Philippines | 18,200 PHP - 63,000 PHP |
| UK | London | £30,000-£40,000 |
| Manchester | £45,000- £50,000 |
Salary Ranges for Certified Ethical Hackers: Based on Country
1. Ethical Hacker Salary in Canada
The average salary of ethical hackers in Canada is C$73K.
a. Average Salary by Job Role/ Skill
| Skill/ Job Role | Average Salary |
|---|
| Cyber Security | C$73,688 |
| IT Security & Infrastructure | C$74,239 |
| Security Risk Management | C$85,964 |
| Security Testing and Auditing | C$72,607 |
| Security Intrusion Detection | C$68,784 |
| Security Policies and Procedures | C$71,967 |
| Risk Management/ Risk Control | C$85,000 |
| Network Security Management | C$72,414 |
| Security Information and Event Management | C$57,391 |
| Internal Audit | C$105,399 |
b. Average Salary by Companies
| Companies | Average Salary |
|---|
| RBC Bank | C$69,490 |
| Pricewaterhouse Coopers | C$67,000 |
| Rogers Communication Inc. | C$70,829 |
c. Average Salary based on Cities
| Cities | Average Salary |
|---|
| Montreal Quebec | C$51,500 - C$88,000 |
| Toronto, Ontario | C$50,147 - C$97,732 |
| Ottawa, Ontario | C$70,000 |
| Moncton, New Brunswick | C$108,000 |
| Vancouver, British Columbia | C$84,000 |
d. Average Salary by Experience
| Experience | Average Salary |
|---|
| Less than 1 year | 7% |
| 1 to 4 years | 36% |
| 5 to 9 years | 21% |
| 10 to 19 years | 27% |
| 20 years or more | 9% |
2. Ethical Hacker Salary in Australia
The average salary of ethical hackers in Australia is AU$101K.
a. Average Salary by Job Role/ Skill
| Skill/ Job Role | Average Salary |
|---|
| Cyber Security | AU$103,092 |
| IT Security & Infrastructure | AU$108,083 |
| Security Risk Management | AU$120,000 |
| Security Testing and Auditing | AU$102,409 |
| Security Intrusion Detection | AU$99,916 |
| Security Policies and Procedures | AU$109,803 |
| Computer Security | AU$98,920 |
| Network Management | AU$82,500 |
| Security Information and Event Management | AU$100,000 |
| Penetration Testing | AU$101,500 |
b. Average Salary by Companies
| Companies | Average Salary |
|---|
| EY | AU$125,000 |
| Deloitte | AU$143,364 |
| The Chemist Warehouse | AU$55,000 |
c. Average Salary based on Cities.
| Cities | Average Salary |
|---|
| Melbourne, Victoria | AU$53,327 - AU$145,216 |
| Sydney, North South Wales | AU$55,284 - AU$133,346 |
d. Average Salary by Experience
| Experience | Average Salary |
|---|
| Less than 1 year | 2% |
| 1 to 4 years | 36% |
| 5 to 9 years | 30% |
| 10 to 19 years | 27% |
| 20 years or more | 4% |
3. Ethical Hacker Salary in Singapore
The average salary of ethical hackers in Singapore is S$67K.
a. Average Salary by Job Role/ Skill
| Skill/ Job Role | Average Salary |
|---|
| Cyber Security | S$77,596 |
| IT Security & Infrastructure | S$74,747 |
| Security Risk Management | S$73,815 |
| Security Testing and Auditing | S$63,600 |
| Security Intrusion Detection | S$93,500 |
| Security Policies and Procedures | S$111,964 |
| Computer Security | S$77,596 |
| Network Security Management | S$40,800 |
| Security Information and Event Management | S$76,126 |
| Penetration Testing | S$76,000 |
b. Average Salary by Companies
| Companies | Average Salary |
|---|
| Lazada Group | S$112,656 |
| E-cop | S$57,718 |
c. Average Salary based on Cities.
| Cities | Average Salary |
|---|
| Singapore | S$26,093 - S$84,404 |
d. Average Salary by Experience
| Experience | Average Salary |
|---|
| Less than 1 year | 6% |
| 1 to 4 years | 30% |
| 5 to 9 years | 29% |
| 10 to 19 years | 26% |
4. Ethical Hacker Salary in UAE
The average salary of ethical hackers in UAE is AED 177K.
a. Average Salary by Job Role/ Skill
| Skill/ Job Role | Average Salary |
|---|
| Cyber Security | AED 151,385 |
| IT Security & Infrastructure | AED 200,597 |
| Security Risk Management | AED 179,138 |
| Security Testing and Auditing | AED 212,249 |
| Security Intrusion Detection | AED 276,000 |
| Security Policies and Procedures | AED 216,000 |
| Computer Security | AED 144,000 |
| Network Security Management | AED 102,000 |
| Security Information and Event Management | AED 120,000 |
| Pre-Sales | AED 212,958 |
b. Average Salary by Companies
| Companies | Average Salary |
|---|
| Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank | AED 450,000 |
| Paladion Networks | AED 166,268 |
| Tata Consultancy Services Limited | AED 115,800 |
c. Average Salary Based on Cities
| Cities | Average Salary |
|---|
| Abu Dhabi | AED 52,586 - AED 305,209 |
| Dubai | AED 60,678 - AED 301,674 |
d. Average Salary by Experience
| Experience | Average Salary |
|---|
| Less than 1 year | 4% |
| 1 to 4 years | 34% |
| 5 to 9 years | 34% |
| 10 to 19 years | 26% |
| 20 years or more | 1% |
5. Ethical Hacker Salary in India
a. According to the study conducted by CISO:
- The average annual salary of ethical hackers is Rs 570,000 per year.
- The highest number of security professionals are in Bengaluru with 20.5 percent.
- The second number of security professionals are from National Capital Region with 20.3 percent.
- Telecom service providers pay the highest salaries for cybersecurity professionals with an average annual salary of Rs 11.75 lakh.
- The second highest-paying sector is banking and financial services with an average of Rs 10.52 lakh.
- NCR and Bangalore are two cities that offer the highest average salaries for ethical hackers.
b. Salary as per Experience
Just like any other profession, the number of years that one has spent in pursuing the profession of ethical hacking is directly proportional to your salary range. As one progresses in their career, they are bound to earn more depending on the job-related experience.
A certified ethical hacker's salary on average is around INR 3.5 lacs per month. Breaking it down it comes to around INR 29k per month.
c. Salary as per Location
An Ethical Hacker's salary per month is dependent also on the region that you are working in. Just like with other professions, when the cost of living is higher in an area, the salaries are usually higher to match this.
Here’s a look at the approximate salaries in different Indian cities:
City | Salary (p.a.) |
Bangalore | 454, 063 |
Hyderabad | 7,50,000 |
Chennai | 5,50,000 |
Delhi | 6,00,000 |
Pune | 3,97, 317 |
Mumbai | 3,95,479 |
d. Salary as per Job Title
Chief Information Security Officers' salary ranges from Rs. 12 lakh to Rs. 80 lakh per year, with a median salary of Rs 23.7 lakh.
Having a specialization has a great impact on ethical hackers’ average salary. For instance, specializations like networking, forensics, or security will help you draw a higher salary.
This is where things like Certified Cloud Security Professionals come in and help you command better salary packages.
e. Salary as per Company
The company that you are working with also determines the ethical hacker salary per hour or month. The larger the company, the higher will be your pay package.
Companies such as Tata Consultancy Services and HCL Technologies offer the maximum salaries at around INR 5.17 lacs per annum and INR 5.44 lacs per annum respectively.
Factors Affecting Ethical Hacker’s Salary
There are a number of factors that will affect the ethical hacker's average salary. Some of the prominent factors are listed below.
- Experience: One of the most important factors affecting the salary of ethical hackers is experience. The higher the experience, the more the salary will be.
- Education: Education is another important factor. For ethical hackers, at least a bachelor’s degree is required. However, with the increase in the education level, the salary package of ethical hackers also increases.
- Location: The location also has a significant impact on the ethical hacker salary per month. If the location you work in has a high demand for ethical hackers, the salary is likely to be high. However, in places where there is less demand for ethical hackers, the salary will be less.
- Skills and Certifications: Higher is the skills of an individual, the more the pay package. Similarly, with better certifications, the salary of ethical hackers increases.
How Much Tax Will You Have to Pay as a Certified Ethical Hacker?
The following tax slabs are applicable to ethical hackers' starting salaries:
| Net income (in INR) | Income tax rate |
|---|
| Up to 2.5 lacs | NIL |
| 2.5-5 lacs | 5% of total income - INR 2.5 lacs |
| 5-10 lacs | INR 25,999 +20% of total income-INR 5 lacs |
| Above 10 lacs | INR 1,12,500 + 30% of total income - INR 10 lacs |
Why are Ethical Hackers Paid So Much?
The most obvious advantage of cyber security is the protection of data. By protecting data, businesses can protect customers' personal information from theft, destruction, and illegal access. Preventing rivals from accessing critical information can help businesses stay competitive.
Additionally, it can help safeguard consumer data that could be used to steal identities or commit other crimes. A second important advantage of cyber security is the protection of systems.
By safeguarding them against malware, hackers, and other threats, businesses can maintain the efficiency of their networks and avoid expensive disruptions. As a result, ethical hackers are paid more.
Who is an Ethical Hacker?
Hackers who have undergone training to protect systems and networks of computers from destructive or unethical attacks are known as ethical hackers. They use their skills to spot security flaws and stop dishonest hackers from breaking into corporate systems and gaining access to confidential and sensitive data.
They safeguard the information against misuse and the weak points in the system. To secure the highest level of information security, they have access to everyone's computer system as members of the network security staff in any firm. An ethical hacker is a Cyber Security Specialist in the formal security sector. Let’s explore ethical hacker salary from fresher/entry level to experience in detail. While we are learning about who is an ethical hacker, you need to know about different kinds of hackers and their motives. Hackers fall into these categories:
- White hat hackers
- Black hat hackers
- Grey hat hackers
Roles and Responsibilities of an Ethical Hacker
It involves a broad range of duties, all aimed at making the information systems of the company more robust and impenetrable. These responsibilities include:
- Finding open ports
- Evade firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and intrusion prevention systems to ensure that they are effective. This also includes reinforcements of these systems.
- Searching digital trash bins and finding passwords and other sensitive information that could be utilized to attack the organization.
- Find out the existence of cracked wireless certification including hijacked web applications and servers.
- Ensuring that the organization’s patch installations are up to date.
- Extending help to the organization regarding digital information thefts and online employment frauds.
Here are some of the most common methods employed by ethical hackers to evaluate and strengthen a company’s security system:
- Social engineering tactics: These tactics include imitating fraud to entice a user into divulging specific sensitive information or performing detrimental actions.
- Security scanners: These scanners are basically tools that are used to find vulnerabilities in the systems and address them.
- Denial of service attacks: Also known as DoS, this includes overflooding a system with requests so that it is unable to handle any additional requests.
What is the CEH Certification?
To become a successful ethical hacker, you need to hone your hacking abilities and techniques. This is done by undergoing cyber security training online, particularly getting the CEH certification.
CEH stands for Certified Ethical Hacker and is amongst the best-known CEH V12 training available. This is a certification that’s offered by the EC Council (The International Council of E-Commerce Consultants).
This course is primarily designed to equip the holder of this certification with the skills to look for weaknesses and vulnerabilities in information systems. This course also offers in-depth knowledge of hacking tools and methods to safeguard a company’s security systems. In fact, this was the first certification course that gave an opportunity for prospective ethical hackers to break into computer systems and safeguard them.
Apart from offering good expertise in the subject, though this is an entry-level certification, this course also offers a good amount of acquaintance often missed by other security courses.
Once you obtain this certification, you can work in roles such as:
- Security analyst
- Security engineer
- Penetration tester
- Malware analyst
- Security consultant
Here are the eligibility criteria required for CEH certification:
- Attend official training: If you have completed an official training course, you are directly eligible to apply for the CEH certification.
- Without official training: In case you haven’t attended training, your candidature must be approved via the application process of CEH. You must have at least two years of experience in the domain of information security.
Another important trademark course is the CISA course. CISA stands for Certified Information Systems Auditor that allows IT audit professionals to gain competence in the fields of control, security, and audit.
For the CISA Exam Preparation, these things may help:
- Set a study schedule and stick to it.
- For the CISA exam preparation, a great way is to study whitepapers, webinars, virtual papers, virtual summits, books, etc.
- Get CISM Coaching from experienced people.
- Practice self-assessment and read review manuals.
- Always do extra research.
- Go beyond theoretical knowledge and understand the practical aspects of securing the systems.
Future of Being an Ethical Hacker
The demand for ethical hackers is expected to rise along with the number of cyber threats and the necessity for cybersecurity. The future of ethical hacking is limitless. This industry is rapidly increasing across various sectors, including the government, business operations, healthcare, entertainment, and banking.
Companies are willing to pay more than average to fill expanding job positions in their cyber security divisions, but they have difficulty locating competent people. It implies that if you receive training to become an ethical hacker, you won't ever have to worry about finding work or money.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that by 2025, there will be 35 million vacant positions in the information security sector.
As a result, more businesses will continue to hire IT professionals to protect their data better, which will keep ethical hackers in demand. For people who desire to become ethical hackers, there is frequently plenty of employment available due to the industry's rapid expansion.
There are several other reasons as to why ethical hackers are in demand:
- Widespread adoption of cloud computing has introduced security risks such as ransomware, identity theft, malware infections and data breaches.
- Cyber threats are growing increasingly sophisticated, which means that organizations must keep themselves safe by increasing the budget for cybersecurity. This has raised the demand for reputed cyber specialists and ethical hackers.
- With the rampant increase in the numbers of internet users, the web has become a prime target for the malicious activities of black hat hackers.
This chart indicates the increase in the number of internet users across the world.
| WORLD INTERNET USAGE AND POPULATION STATISTICS 2024 Estimates |
|---|
| World Regions | Population (2020 Est.) | Population % of World | Internet Users 30 June 2020 | Penetration Rate (% Pop.) | Growth 2000-2024 | Internet World % |
| Africa | 1,340,598,447 | 17.2 % | 566,138,772 | 42.2 % | 12,441 % | 11.7 % |
| Asia | 4,294,516,659 | 55.1 % | 2,525,033,874 | 58.8 % | 2,109 % | 52.2 % |
| Europe | 834,995,197 | 10.7 % | 727,848,547 | 87.2 % | 592 % | 15.1 % |
| Latin America / Caribbean | 654,287,232 | 8.4 % | 467,817,332 | 71.5 % | 2,489 % | 9.7 % |
| Middle East | 260,991,690 | 3.3 % | 184,856,813 | 70.8 % | 5,527 % | 3.8 % |
| North America | 368,869,647 | 4.7 % | 332,908,868 | 90.3 % | 208 % | 6.9 % |
| Oceania / Australia | 42,690,838 | 0.5 % | 28,917,600 | 67.7 % | 279 % | 0.6 % |
| WORLD TOTAL | 7,796,949,710 | 100.0 % | 4,833,521,806 | 62.0 % | 1,239 % | 100.0 % |
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Wrapping Up
The mentioned ethical hacker salary statistics indicate that ethical hackers are well-paid and in high demand across the globe. To help their networks develop, a lot of companies and organizations are looking to hire ethical hackers.
To develop your ethical hacking abilities and launch a career in this exciting industry, enroll in KnowledgeHut’s Ethical Hacking course right away. Security testing, cryptography, data confidentiality, and network security are available as specializations in this course.
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