Career profile · SOC 15-1212

Information Security Analysts

Plan, implement, upgrade, or monitor security measures for the protection of computer networks and information. Assess system vulnerabilities for security risks.

Median salary
$124,910
per year
Growth outlook
Much Faster Than Average
BLS 10-yr
Education
Bachelor's degree
AI exposure
8.3/10
automation risk

Salary distribution (US)

Real salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The p10–p90 spread tells you more than the median alone.

Bottom 10%
$69,210
25th %ile
$90,180
Median
$124,910
75th %ile
$155,880
Top 10%
$189,010

Top skills

Critical Thinking Complex Problem Solving Active Learning Systems Analysis Reading Comprehension Judgment and Decision Making Systems Evaluation Active Listening Operations Analysis Monitoring

Knowledge you'll build

  • Computers and Electronics
  • Engineering and Technology
  • English Language
  • Telecommunications
  • Administration and Management
  • Mathematics
  • Law and Government
  • Customer and Personal Service

A day in the life

You start your morning reviewing the SIEM dashboard for overnight alerts, triaging potential intrusion attempts, and checking threat-intelligence feeds for newly disclosed vulnerabilities that could affect your organization. Your day involves conducting vulnerability scans, writing security policies, reviewing code or configurations for weaknesses, and meeting with development teams to advise them on secure coding practices. You run tabletop exercises with leadership, investigate phishing reports from employees, and sometimes perform penetration tests to validate that defenses hold up under simulated attack. The adrenaline rush when you catch a real threat in progress is unparalleled, but the constant vigilance and the knowledge that adversaries never take a day off can weigh on you.

Related careers

Is Information Security Analysts right for you?

Take the Holland test + Big-5 to see how well this career matches your profile.

Get personalised fit →