Security Engineer salary by region
| Region | Typical annual pay |
|---|---|
| United StatesNational range; SF/NYC skew higher. | $120,000 – $180,000 |
| United KingdomNational range; London skews higher. | £85,000 – £135,000 |
| European UnionVaries widely by country. | €100,000 – €155,000 |
Ranges are directional benchmarks for budgeting, not offers. Actual pay depends on location, company stage, and the candidate’s track record.
What moves a Security Engineer’s salary
Seniority is the biggest lever (mid–senior is the common band for this role), followed by the depth of these skills:
- 5+ years building or defending production systems, with at least 2 years in a dedicated security role
- Strong foundation in network security, firewalls, VPNs, and secure cloud architecture (AWS, Azure, or GCP)
- Hands-on experience with vulnerability scanning tools, penetration testing frameworks, and security auditing
- Solid understanding of common attack vectors (SQL injection, XSS, privilege escalation, lateral movement) and mitigations
- Experience writing or reviewing secure code, preferably across 2+ languages (Python, Go, JavaScript, or Java)
- Working knowledge of at least one compliance framework (SOC 2, ISO 27001, CIS Controls, or OWASP Top 10)
Why companies pay for a Security Engineer
As SMBs scale, they face real security threats, regulatory requirements, and customer demands for proof of secure practices. You're hired to reduce breach risk, pass audits, and build security into product development.
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