CompTIA CySA+

CompTIA CySA+ Salary: What to expect in 2024

The cybersecurity industry is booming, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting a 32% job growth for information security analysts from 2022 to 2032. This surge in demand reflects these professionals' critical role in safeguarding sensitive data in our increasingly digital world.  

One sought-after certification in this field is CompTIA's CySA+. Validating the skills needed to analyze security threats and incidents, CySA+ equips its holders with the expertise to navigate this dynamic and lucrative career path.  

The old CompTIA CySA+ exam (CS0-002) was retired in December 2023. All certification seekers are now required to take the updated exam (CS0-003).

In this article, we'll look into the salary range for CySA+ holders in 2024, exploring the factors that influence salary. We'll also discuss the growing demand for CySA+ skills, highlight potential career paths for CySA+ holders, and give an overview of how to prepare for your CySA+ exam.  

Understanding CySA+ job roles  

Before diving into salary specifics, let's explore the opportunities awaiting CySA+ holders. This certification equips you with a robust skillset that proves your mastery of techniques like:  

• Identifying suspicious activity and understanding the nature of potential threats.  
• Proactively finding and addressing weaknesses and systems and networks.  
• Handling security breaches effectively and minimizing damage.  
• Monitoring systems for threats and implementing security controls.  
• Interpreting system logs to uncover security incidents and anomalies.  

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These skills are in demand in the job market, and CySA+ holders can fill roles like:  

• Cybersecurity analyst: Monitors networks and systems for suspicious activity, investigates security incidents and implements security measures.  
• Security Operations Center (SOC) analyst: Works within a team to analyze security alerts, identify threats, and respond to incidents in real-time. 
• Vulnerability analyst: Identifies and prioritizes vulnerabilities, systems and networks and recommends remediation strategies.  
• Threat intelligence analyst: Gathers and analyzes threat data to inform security decisions and proactively combat emerging threats.  
• Security engineer: Designs, implements, and maintains security infrastructure and controls.  

What is the average salary for CompTIA CySA+?  

To paint a realistic salary picture, we've gathered data from trusted sources, focusing primarily on job titles closely aligned with CySA+ skills, with security analyst being the most common:  

• Payscale: Based on 3,349 salary profiles, the salary for CySA+ holders in the U.S. falls between $56,000 and $120,000 with an average of $80,967".  
• Salary.com: Their data paints a similar picture, with a salary range of $82,316 to $100,749.  
• Glassdoor: Here, the salary of CySA+ certified professionals ranges between $84,000 and $133,000, which is higher than the rest because they count additional compensation like bonuses and stock options in their numbers  
• CyberSeek: This government-backed resource highlights the national median wage for information security analysts (a close match for CySA+ roles) at $107,346.  

These reliable sources show a rough average of around $96,032, ranging from $80,767 to $107,346. This represents a solid increase from our previous average of $83,494, indicating a steadily growing earning potential for CySA+ professionals.  

Factors influencing CySA+ salaries  

While the average salary for CySA+ holders paints a promising picture, it's important to remember that your salary depends on various factors, including job role, experience, location and industry.  

How job role affects CompTIA CySA+ salary  

Your job title plays a significant role in determining your salary. Here's a glimpse into some specific roles and their average salaries based on data from Payscale and Salary.com:  

• Cybersecurity analyst: $80,647 
• Security Operations Center (SOC) analyst: $74,333  
•  Vulnerability analyst/penetration tester: $92,759 
• Threat intelligence analyst: $121,596  
• Security engineer: $100,288  

How experience affects CySA+ salary  

Experience adds weight to your CySA+ certification, propelling your salary upward. Entry-level CySA+ salaries start around $76,000, but with 1-3 years of experience, that figure can jump to around $83,000 (Glassdoor data for cybersecurity analyst). Senior-level experts with 7-9 years of experience can expect a salary of around $97,000, and with 15+ years working in the field, the average salary jumps right into six figures, $118,000.  

How location and industry affect salary  

Geographical location also plays a role in your earning potential. Major metropolitan centers and tech hubs generally offer higher salaries than smaller cities. Here are some examples of the average salaries of information security analysts around the country from Salary.com:  

• California: $100,169  
• New York: $96,909  
• Texas: $89,271  
• Georgia: $88,121  
• Kansas: $86,474  

Specific industries may also pay higher salaries for cybersecurity professionals. Here are some examples of the average salaries for some industries that pay more for cybersecurity analysts, courtesy of Glassdoor:  

• Financial services: $108,579  
• Manufacturing: $108,224  
• Telecommunications: $107,870  

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CySA+ demand and career opportunities  

Remember that impressive 32% job growth projection for information security analysts? This number also means that the CompTIA CySA+ jobs outlook is very promising. CySA+ holders' skillset in threat detection, incident response and security operations aligns them perfectly with the needs of organizations scrambling to protect their valuable data.  

But CySA+ isn't only a ticket to a secure job. It can be the starting point for many diverse career paths. Here are some of the directions it can take you:  

Deepen your technical expertise  

• Advanced certifications: Level up your skills with certifications like PenTest+ or CASP+ to become a penetration tester or security architect.  
• Specialization: Hone your focus in cloud security, incident response, or threat intelligence and become a sought-after specialist.  
• Branch out within cybersecurity  
• Security consultant: Advise organizations on their security posture, conduct vulnerability assessments and recommend best practices.  
• Threat researcher: Uncover and analyze emerging threats, contributing to the collective knowledge base of cybersecurity.  

Move beyond the technical realm  

• Security management: Lead and oversee security teams, crafting strategies and ensuring organizational security compliance.  
• Cybersecurity policy analyst: Develop and Implement security posts policies, influencing organizations' overall security posture.  

CySA+ in-demand skills and trends  

The cybersecurity landscape is constantly changing, as are the skills employers seek. To stay ahead of the game, CySA+ is actively evolving to equip its holders with the most in-demand expertise.  

The most recent update of the CySA+ exam at the end of 2023 reflects this commitment to staying relevant. It now places greater emphasis on:  

• Cloud and mobile security: Understanding cloud-specific threats and vulnerabilities becomes crucial as organizations migrate to the cloud. There is also more emphasis on mobile security in the new exam.  
• Updated tools: Security analyst tools, like Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) systems, have evolved to integrate new features like Security Orchestration and Automated Response (SOAR).  
• Zero trust: Zero trust is a security model that assumes that no entity, whether internal or external, is trustworthy by default.  
• Threat intelligence: Understanding the evolving threat landscape is key to effective defense.  

For existing CySA+ holders, renewing your certification is simple. The CySA+ renewal requirements state you'll need to earn 60 Continuing Education Units (CEUS) within three years. These CEUs can be acquired through various activities, including attending training courses, participating in conferences, or reading industry publications.  

By staying abreast of these evolving skills, CySA+ holders demonstrate their commitment to continuous learning and ability to adapt to the dynamic cybersecurity landscape.  

Preparing for your CySA+  

Interested in the exciting career prospects and lucrative salaries CySA+ certification offers? Let's turn that curiosity into action. Earning your CySA+ opens opportunities, but where do you begin?  

As a top CompTIA partner, Infosec offers a comprehensive range of CySA+ training options to fit your learning style and schedule. Here are just a few ways to get started:  

• Live boot camps: The CompTIA CySA+ Training Boot Camp immerses you in a 5-day intensive training program designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills to confidently ace the exam.  
• On-demand learning: Learn at your own pace with Infosec's CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+) Learning Path and access video lectures, interactive labs, practice exams and more.  
• Additional resources: Round out your preparation with practice exams (which are included in Infosec training), informative articles, and interacting with your peers on forums.  

To learn even more about the CySA+ exam directly from CompTIA, sign up for the dedicated CySA+ webinar. This webinar will provide you with everything you want to know about the exam, including more details on the exam format, content, and tips to succeed.  

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Summary: Is CySA+ in demand?  

Why become CySA+ certified? The job market for information security analysts is growing fast (32% over the next ten years), and CySA+ equips you with the skills for these in-demand job roles. But there are other reasons to get certified. CySA+ certification will also bring you the following:  

• Competitive salaries: The current average salary for a CySA+ increased last year to $96,032.  
• Versatile career paths: From hands-on roles like security engineer or incident response specialist to management positions or even consulting opportunities, your CySA+ skills are transferable.  
• Future-proof skills: The CySA+ adapts to the ever-evolving cybersecurity landscape, emphasizing in-demand skills like cloud security, automation and threat intelligence.  

Your CySA+ certification spurs professional growth and a rewarding career in the constantly expanding cybersecurity field. So, take the first step, embrace the challenge, and unlock your CySA+ potential. The future of cybersecurity awaits.