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Forbes

20 Top-Paying Cybersecurity Jobs To Watch In 2025

Cybersecurity jobs are in high demand. getty With data breaches costing an average of $4.88 million and 4.8 million cybersecurity positions sitting empty worldwide, the cybersecurity job market faces a critical talent shortage. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects 33% job growth through 2033, driven by AI-powered cybercrime, rapid cloud migration and stricter regulatory requirements. This perfect storm creates "zero unemployment" for skilled professionals, with most breached organizations pointing directly to staff shortages as the root cause of their security failures. These 20 top-paying cybersecurity jobs, compiled by the SANS Institute, reveal exactly where organizations currently need talent the most. Beyond the impressive salaries, these roles offer a significant "cool factor" that most tech professionals find irresistible. What you'll do: Proactively search through network data and system logs to find hidden adversaries using behavioral analysis and threat intelligence. You'll develop hypotheses about potential attacks and hunt for indicators of compromise that automated tools missed. Create custom detection rules and share threat intelligence with security teams and industry partners. Average salary: $126,000 What you'll do: Plan and execute sophisticated, multi-phase attack simulations that mirror real-world threat actor campaigns over weeks or months. You'll test not only technical defenses but also human responses and organizational incident response procedures. Operate with strict rules of engagement while attempting to achieve specific objectives, such as accessing sensitive data. Average salary: $128,882 What you'll do: Collect, preserve and analyze digital evidence from computers, mobile devices and networks using specialized forensic tools. Recover deleted files, reconstruct user activities and document findings in legally admissible formats for court proceedings. Work with law enforcement, legal teams and corporate investigators on cybercrime cases. Average salary: $74,125 What you'll do: Bridge the gap between offensive red teams and defensive blue teams by facilitating communication and collaboration. Organize automated adversary technique emulations and identify new log sources to enhance detection coverage. Recommend security controls and foster understanding between traditionally separate offensive and defensive security roles. Average salary: $120,000 What you'll do: Reverse-engineer malicious software using specialized tools to understand attack techniques and develop countermeasures. Safely examine malware samples in isolated environments to document their capabilities and behavior. Create detection signatures and share threat intelligence to help organizations defend against similar attacks. Average salary: $86,474 What you'll do: Lead enterprise-wide cybersecurity strategy, develop security policies and manage incident response programs. Present cyber risk assessments to boards of directors and translate technical threats into business impact language. Oversee security budgets, vendor relationships and compliance with regulatory frameworks. Average salary: $200,000-$400,000 What you'll do: Monitor security alerts 24/7 and analyze network traffic patterns to identify potential threats. Investigate suspicious activities by correlating data from multiple security tools and systems. Escalate genuine incidents to response teams while filtering out false positives from thousands of daily alerts. Average salary: $99,157 What you'll do: Design enterprise-wide security frameworks that protect entire organizations rather than individual systems. Evaluate emerging technologies for security implications and create standards that guide technology decisions. Balance security requirements with business needs while ensuring compliance with regulatory frameworks. Average salary: $149,344 What you'll do: Lead containment efforts in response to cyberattacks, working under pressure to minimize damage and prevent lateral movement. Coordinate recovery processes across technical teams, legal departments and executive leadership. Document incidents thoroughly and conduct post-breach analysis to strengthen future defenses. Average salary: $127,177 What you'll do: Design and implement comprehensive security architectures, including firewalls, intrusion detection systems and encryption technologies. Configure and maintain security tools across on-premises, cloud and hybrid environments. Analyze threats and vulnerabilities to strengthen organizational security posture. Average salary: $122,890 What you'll do: Gather intelligence from publicly available sources, including social media, websites and databases to support security investigations. Research threat actors, their tactics and infrastructure using open-source intelligence techniques. Provide actionable intelligence to help organizations understand potential threats and attack vectors. Average salary: $85,000 What you'll do: Define technological strategies in collaboration with development teams and assess cyber risks across the organization. Establish security standards and procedures while participating in building and strengthening cybersecurity teams. Bridge the gap between technical security implementations and business objectives. Average salary: $165,000 What you'll do: Secure cloud workloads across AWS, Azure and Google Cloud Platform using identity and access management, encryption and monitoring tools. Design and implement cloud-native security controls that scale with business growth. Ensure compliance with shared responsibility models while maintaining visibility across multi-cloud deployments. Average salary: $152,773 What you'll do: Monitor security information and event management (SIEM) systems around the clock to detect potential security incidents. Investigate alerts, perform initial triage of security events and escalate genuine threats to incident response teams. Collaborate with security engineers to improve detection capabilities and reduce false positives. Average salary: $99,157 What you'll do: Develop and manage security awareness training programs to educate employees about cybersecurity risks and best practices. Create engaging content that promotes secure behaviors and builds a strong security culture across the organization. Measure the effectiveness of awareness programs and adjust training based on emerging threats. Average salary: $75,000 What you'll do: Research web applications, mobile apps and network infrastructure to find previously unknown security vulnerabilities. Develop proof-of-concept exploits and work with vendors through responsible disclosure processes. Contribute to the security community by sharing research findings and improving defensive capabilities. Average salary: $110,000 What you'll do: Conduct comprehensive security assessments of web applications, mobile apps and APIs to identify vulnerabilities before production deployment. Utilize automated scanning and manual testing techniques to uncover complex security flaws. Work directly with developers to implement secure coding practices and remediate security issues. Average salary: $119,895 What you'll do: Secure industrial control systems and operational technology environments that manage critical infrastructure. Assess vulnerabilities in SCADA systems, programmable logic controllers and industrial networks. Develop security controls that protect industrial processes without disrupting operational requirements. Average salary: $135,000 What you'll do: Integrate automated security testing and vulnerability scanning into continuous integration and deployment pipelines. Collaborate with development teams to implement secure coding practices and resolve vulnerabilities before production. Build security automation tools that enable rapid, secure software delivery without creating bottlenecks. Average salary: $101,752 What you'll do: Analyze digital media and storage devices involved in cybercrime investigations using advanced forensic techniques. Extract and examine data from damaged, encrypted or hidden sources to support law enforcement and corporate security investigations. Provide expert testimony and detailed reports for legal proceedings. Average salary: $80,000 The cybersecurity talent shortage represents both a crisis and an unprecedented opportunity for professionals seeking rewarding careers with meaningful social impact. As your next step, choose one role that aligns with your interests and background, then commit to starting your education. Organizations desperately seeking cybersecurity talent are waiting for candidates like you to step forward and help secure our digital future.