Average certified ethical hacker (CEH v11) salary [updated 2022]
As malicious hackers become more aggressive, companies and organizations require the services of ethical hackers to ensure the safety of company networks. Companies are increasingly hiring ethical hackers to stop cybercriminals from infiltrating systems in almost every industry and sector, from government and healthcare to commerce, retail, transport and hospitality. Employers seek trained professionals who can prove their expertise and play key roles in safeguarding the organization’s digital assets.
A career as an ethical hacker can lead to a position as an employee or consultant. It requires the ability to intentionally access a computer, with authorization of the owner, employing most of the techniques used by cyberattackers. Professionals are asked to perform security assessments, use security testing methodologies to assess the vulnerabilities in a network and utilize countermeasures to eliminate identified weak points. Afterward, they report any breaches and compromises that could be exploited.
Are you ready to become a certified ethical hacker (CEH)? Those who successfully pass the EC-Council exam based on the current nine CEH v11 objectives (see the knowledge areas or domains here) can demonstrate skills in hacking web applications, networks, cloud, mobile platforms and IoT, as well as in reconnaissance techniques and cryptography. Let’s see how a CEH certification offers diverse employment opportunities and pay.
Average salary before and after getting certified
As a certified security professional, you will probably earn a higher salary than non-certified professionals because you can use credentials like the CEH to improve your chances of landing a high-paying job.
According to Salary.com, an Ethical Hacker salary range typically falls between $92,400 and $118,169, with an average base salary of $103,583.
According to PayScale, the average base salary of an ethical hacker (without bonuses or other perks) is $79,618 per year, while the average base salary of a certified ethical hacker is $82,966 per year. The actual base salary of a professional with a CEH certification is $96,000 per year.
Even better news from the Certification Magazine 2022 Salary Survey is that the average salary of a CEH-certified professional is $128,000 in the U.S. and $96,030 worldwide.
Of course, pay depends on several different factors, including years of experience (the number of years spent in the profession), skills, other certifications, education (a bachelor’s degree in computer science, IT, or any subset of cybersecurity), industry, occupation, job level and location. Gender might also be a pay factor.
For example, a certified ethical hacker’s pay varies based on skills:
- Network security management skills — Avg. pay $89,300 / year
- IT security and infrastructure skills — Avg. pay $85,000 / year
- Penetration testing skills— Avg. pay $75,076 / year
Pay also varies significantly depending on location. A certified ethical hacker (CEH) in Tampa, Florida, earns 8.5% more than the national average and the average salaries in New York City are 4.2% more. In Washington, DC, you might earn 32.5% less.
What is the average CEH salary by experience?
The total compensation for ethical hackers (non-certified professionals) is:
- Less than 1 year — $68,912
- 1-4 years — $80,901
- 5-9 years — $90,000
- 10-19 years — $111,910
The total compensation for CEHs shows the difference the certification makes in the first few years of a career:
- Less than 1 year — $79,949
- 1-4 years — $82,937
- 5-9 years — $86,476
- 10-19 years — $95,000
What is the average CEH salary by job role?
Job titles related to the CEH certification and their corresponding average salary (as per PayScale) are:
- Cybersecurity analyst $87,649
- cybersecurity engineer $109,156
- Information security engineer $102,876
- Security analyst $72,194
- Information security manager $118,142
- Penetration tester $91,894
- Network security engineer $97,865
- Security consultant $106,963
Gain the upper hand and a better salary with CEH
EC-Councils’ C|EH is one of the industry’s most sought-after ethical hacking certifications, thanks to its hands-on approach, hacking challenges and coverage of all the latest tools and techniques. The credential is suitable for a wide variety of challenging and interesting jobs that potentially pay extremely well: IT security administrator, senior SOC analyst, cyber defense or warning analyst, ethical hacker or network engineer, to name a few.
If you’re an outside-the-box thinker, have a keen eye for solving security problems and can use advanced tools and strategies to prevent cyberattacks, then preparing for a CEH certification is an excellent way to move forward in your career.
Sources:
- Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), EC-Council
- Average Ethical Hacker Salary, PayScale
- Average Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) Salary, PayScale
- Ethical Hacker Salary in the United States, Salary.com
- Salary for Certification: Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), PayScale
- Why You Should Become a Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)…, EC-Council
- How Much Can You Make as an Ethical Hacker, IEEE Computer Society Team
- 2022 Annual Salary Survey, Certification Magazine