Average CySA+ salary [2022 update]
The cybersecurity industry is seeing significant growth with the rise of high-profile hacking incidents and data theft. Large and small companies must ensure their data is safe and comply with industry and government regulations. Earning your CySA+ (cyber security analyst) credentials will allow you to earn a good salary while working in one of the fastest-growing industries in the U.S.
What is CySA+?
The CySA+ is a mid-level certificate, just above CompTIA’s entry-level Security+ certification. It is designed for professionals with three to four years of experience in the industry, whereas Security+ is designed for those with two years of experience or less.
According to CompTIA, “CySA+ is an international, vendor-neutral cybersecurity certification that applies behavioral analytics to improve the overall state of IT security. CySA+ validates critical knowledge and skills required to prevent, detect and combat cybersecurity threats.”
However, this is not the pinnacle of CompTIA infosec certs. Once you have mastered further training and spent additional time in the industry, you can move on to earn your CASP certification, which requires a minimum of five to 10 years of experience.
What is the average CySA+ salary?
Many factors feed into the salary you will earn as a CySA+. Some of those factors include your experience in the industry, any additional certifications you hold, the specific job role you fill, and the city where you work. The national median salary for someone with CySA+ certification is $70,528 per year, ranging from $61,007 to $97,180 per year.
What is the average CySA+ salary by city?
The average pay for CySA+ holders is relatively consistent across the largest cities in the U.S. CySA+ certified professionals typically earn the most in New York, NY ($82,693) and Seattle, Washington ($82,899). Salary data for other U.S. cities is below.
| City | Average Salary |
| San Diego, CA | $75,000 |
| Washington, DC | $79,378 |
| Chicago, IL | $71,084 |
| New York, NY | $82,693 |
| Seattle, WA | $82,899 |
What is the average CySA+ salary by experience?
Experience in the cybersecurity industry is an important factor in determining what you’ll earn per year. A CySA+ with one to four years of experience will earn around $69,000. A CySA+ with five to 9 years of experience will earn around $78,000 annually. If you have 10 to 19 years of experience in the industry, you can expect to earn around $83,000 per year. Finally, if you have 20 or more years of experience, you can expect a salary of $97,000 or higher yearly.
| Experience | Average Salary |
| 0 – 4 years | $69,000 |
| 5 – 9 years | $78,000 |
| 10 – 19 years | $83,000 |
| 20+ years | $97,000 |
What is the average CySA+ salary by job role?
Once you receive your CySA+ certification, there are many opportunities for career advancement. The table below reports earning potential for some of the most common CySA+-related job roles. Information security managers typically earn the most each year ($119,762), followed by information assurance analysts ($79,073) and computer security specialists ($69,557).
| Title | Average Salary |
| Computer security specialist | $69,557 |
| Data security analyst | $74,059 |
| Information assurance analyst | $79,073 |
| Information security manager | $119,762 |
What are the benefits of becoming a CySA+?
While you could earn numerous cybersecurity certificates, CySA+ is a good option for several reasons. For instance, it ensures you have the skills and ability to analyze and protect cybersecurity resources for businesses and organizations of all types and sizes.
U.S. News and World ranked “information security analysis” as number one on their list of 100 best technology jobs in 2022. Finally, the certification is recognized worldwide and is currently ISO accredited. The DoD is also in the process of approving it to meet directive 8140/8570.01-M requirements.
Of course, earning your CySA+ certification also puts you in a prime position to continue your training and earn your CASP certification after you have spent additional time in the industry. CASP opens up entirely new career paths.
How can I become CySA+ certified?
InfoSec Institute’s CySA+ Boot Camp will provide you with the most comprehensive accelerated learning environment for the CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst exam. Accelerated and taught in five days, this in-depth course will teach you the knowledge and skills required to configure and use the latest threat detection tools, analyze data and identify vulnerabilities in the results. For more information about the CySA+ certification, please visit the InfoSec CySA+ hub.
Sources
- Cybersecurity Analyst, CompTIA.
- Security Analyst Salary, PayScale Payscale.