Do you have the passion to prevent malicious hacking while also getting eyes on big-picture business IT executives? If so, you might have the mindset of a security architect—a role in high demand! As the world becomes more digital, its complexity also increases. My journey towards becoming a security architect started with a solid academic foundation and acquiring professional certifications, coupled with industrial experience. Now, I regularly meet more aspirants who are choosing Cyber Security online courses to roll out their careers in security architecture. If you are one of those, you must know about the viability of security architecture as a career. To answer your questions similar to – What does a security architect's salary look like? What about the perks and benefits? And more.
Scroll down to find out!
Who is a Security Architect?
A security architect holds a managerial position at an experience level in a cybersecurity team within an organization. This role is exceptionally critical in ensuring the integrity, confidentiality, and security of an organization’s data. It requires a skilled individual with a multi-faceted approach, coupled with deep knowledge of IT, to successfully achieve these goals.
The growing demand in the industry has translated into a multitude of security architect jobs. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has indicated that the cybersecurity job market is expected to witness a 37% rise by 2022. There are around 4,000 security architect jobs on LinkedIn, and Glassdoor promotes around 5,000 vacancies. The stat indicates a healthy rise in the salary of security architects in the industry.
Security Architect Salary in 2024
careersidekickDo you want to discover the security architect's salary in 2024? Let's explore the overview of Security Architect salaries for different tenures.
Tenure period | Average Salary |
Per hour | $51.70 |
Per month | $8990 |
Per year | $1,05,,802 |
Source: Glassdoor
Security Architect Salary: Based on Experience
Let me give you a basic idea of your earning potential as a security architect based on your experience (Source: Glassdoor)
- Beginner: If you are a beginner with relevant education and certifications like a Certified Ethical Hacking Course, you can earn around $47,426.
- Intermediate: With certain years of experience, you can expect your project manager's salary to increase to $88,528.
- Advanced: As a senior professional myself, I am sure you can earn around a senior security architect salary range of around $2,02,093.
Security architect salary: Based on Location
Your workplace location can prominently affect your security architect's salary range. Here, I have explored the stat in detail. (Source: Glassdoor)
A. India
Let's take a look at the variable security architect salary in India
Based on City
City | Average Salary (Source: Glassdoor) |
Pune | INR 16,85,123 |
Hyderabad | INR 12,93,091 |
Chennai | INR 11,98,237 |
Bengaluru | INR 20,28,896 |
Delhi | INR 19,38,087 |
Based on company
Company | Average Salary (Source: Glassdoor) |
Akamai | INR 21,27,000 |
Tech Mahindra | INR16 ,630,000 |
TCS | INR 18,70,000 |
Accenture | INR 4,76,000 |
Wipro | INR 20,70,897 |
B. US
The US has a growing demand for project managers. Let's explore their salary range in 2024.
Based on City
City | Average Salary (Source: Glassdoor) |
New York | $119,670 |
Seattle | $121,945 |
Los Angeles | $104,908 |
Washington | $100,556 |
Austin | $97,250 |
Based on company
Company | Average Salary (Source: Glassdoor) |
IBM | $189,504 |
NVIDIA | $127,042 |
CISCO | $112,099 |
Verizon Systems | $101,264 |
Oracle | $209,394 |
C. UK
The UK has a leading corporate organization with lucrative career opportunities for project managers. Here’s a simple stat on their salary structure.
Based on City
City | Average Salary (Source: Glassdoor) |
London | £47,941 |
Bristol | £74,102 |
Southampton | £59,856 |
Manchester | £45,261 |
Birmingham | £47,335 |
Based on Company
Company | Average Salary (Source: Glassdoor) |
6point6 | £81,000 |
HM Revenue and Customs | £76,000 |
Civil Service United Kingdom | £53,368 |
G=Research | £49,668 |
PwC | £45,033 |
D. Australia
Let us explore the salary range of security architects in Australia, which is impacted by various factors.
Based on City
City | Average Salary (Source: Glassdoor) |
Sydney | AUD 123,800 |
Melbourne | AUD 119,959 |
North Ride | AUD 106, 100 |
Ballarat | AUD 100,700 |
Adelaide | AUD 96,117 |
Based on Company
Company | Average Salary (Source: Glassdoor) |
Commonwealth Bank of Australia | AUD 186,000 |
Macquarie Group | AUD 172,000 |
Bureau of Meteorology | AUD 176,000 |
Coles | AUD 115,236 |
Telson | AUD 152,000 |
Security Architect Salary: Based on Job Roles
Different job profiles offer a varied range of security architect salary. Moving forward with your job profile will increase your annual payscale. Here’s an overview of security architect salaries based on job roles.
Job Role | Average Salary (Source: Indeed) |
Computer security specialist | $1,15,254 /yr |
IT Security Analyst | $1,00,236 /yr |
Cyber Analyst | $147,477 /yr |
Factors Affecting Security Architect Salary
Here I am with the list of important factors that will affect a security architect's salary. Let's discuss it!
1. Location
A security architect's salary can be easily affected by the location, including the cost of living. For instance, if you are hired in New York, you can easily make $147,490 per annum. On the other hand, the professionals in Arizona will earn an average of $122,786 per year. (Source: Glassdoor)
2. Industry / Employer / Company
Security architecture as a career opens up a wide variety of career opportunities. The industry, employer, or company you choose will also be the ultimate deciding factor on your security architect's salary. For instance, IBM offers an average compensation of $186,000 per year, while Cisco offers a whopping $280,000 in a year. (Source: Glassdoor)
3. Experience
Security architect salaries heavily depend on their experience. For instance, an entry-level professional might make $79,000 per year, while an experienced professional could earn $140,000 (Source: Glassdoor). As a senior architect in a reputed company, I have been receiving additional compensation through bonuses, commissions, and profit shares. (Source: Glassdoor)
4. Demand and Supply
The demand for security architects will continue to increase shortly. According to a recent report from the Bureau of Labour Statistics, the job outlook for security architects is expected to grow by 5% between 2020 and 2030. It means you can boost your security architect salary by gaining the required experience and expertise.
5. Credentials/Certifications
Security architecture, like other jobs, depends on additional credentials and certifications. Adding a professional certification will help you to advance into managerial roles and earn a profitable security architect salary.
6. Skills
As an advanced-level role, becoming a security architect requires years of developing the necessary skill set to be effective in your job. When I entered the field as a beginner, I already possessed some of the technical skills, enabling me to secure my dream job with a more competitive entry-level security architect salary.
How to Improve Security Architect Salary?
To improve your security architect salary, you need to upskill a combination of elements in your professional life. It includes,
- Skills: As a security architect, you must possess strong technical skills. It includes the fields in networks, databases, and applications, among others. The higher your skill level, the greater your security architect salary. It is essential to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and ensure that your skills remain effective.
- Certifications: Certifications significantly impact your security architect salary. Credentials like the CISA Training course not only impart new skills but also allow you to enhance your expertise, showcasing your competence to potential employers.
- Degrees: Regarding academic qualifications, companies generally prefer security architects to hold at least a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field. According to the CSOonline job description, organizations are willing to offer higher salaries for security architecture salaries who possess a master's degree in IT or cybersecurity.
- Experience: Accumulating experience in entry-level security roles not only enriches your practical knowledge but also contributes to an increase in your security architect salary. You can start your career as a cyber security analyst, or security administration to gain expertise.
Why are Security Architects Paid So Much?
Recently, I came across a Payscale survey, where the data reports that, on average, a security architect can earn around $128,000. It shows that the entry-level security architect's salary is roughly $79,000 in a year, while the intermediate salary is $121,000. And when you gain more than 20 years of experience, expect to earn $138,000 or more per annum. Now, have you ever wondered why we get paid so much? Let’s discuss.
- In-demand security: With the increase in technology, breaches in the system and other cyber attacks are increasing day by day. Hence, organizations are seeking professionals with great knowledge and expertise to protect their systems and are willing to give higher security solutions architect salary.
- Job security: Choosing a career will also provide you with job security. The role of a security architect is crucial to any organization. So, your employer does want to compromise with your skills as well as any additional benefits.
- Diverse roles: The security architect’s role does not end with protection, they also have to deal as administrators, engineers, and IT analysts to take effective measures for the company.
Conclusion
Given today’s hi-tech era we live in, there is a significant demand for security architects. This field offers the potential for a rewarding security architect salary when you equip yourself with the right experience and proper skills. If you are seeking such organized training, I recommend you enrol for KnowledgeHut's online Cybersecurity courses. The program is ideal for current professionals who want to upskill themselves and add value to their marketability. They offer an interactive learning experience with real-world applications, allowing one to build a new, more fulfilling career.
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