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Salary · Cybersecurity

CISSP (ISC2) salary: what it pays (2026)

Indicative pay ranges for roles that commonly value CISSP - broken down by role and by market. These are orientation figures, not a salary survey, so use them to compare and plan, then verify for your own city and year.

By The Exam Atlas Editorial Team · Verified 2026-05-29

Indicative ranges for orientation only - not surveyed data, and not financial or career advice.

What CISSP tends to pay

CISSP is one of the highest-paid security credentials. In the US, roles that list it commonly report roughly US$120k-190k, with architect/senior roles higher. Outside the US the absolute figures are lower, but holders consistently report a premium over non-certified peers.

Pay by role (indicative)

Security Analyst / Engineer~$100k-140k
Information Security Manager~$120k-160k
Security Architect~$140k-190k
GRC / Risk Lead~$110k-150k
CISO (with experience)~$180k-250k+

Bands are indicative US figures unless stated. Actual pay depends on experience, employer, city and year.

Other markets (indicative)

United Kingdom~£55k-90k
Canada~CA$100k-150k
Australia~AU$120k-170k

Jobs that often ask for it

  • Information Security Manager
  • Security Architect
  • Security Consultant
  • GRC / Risk Analyst
  • CISO (with experience)

Weigh the pay against the cost

Salary is only half the picture. Before you commit, check what CISSP actually costs to sit and maintain, and where it can take you over a career.

Where CISSP leads (with a pay ladder)

These career paths show how pay typically climbs stage by stage, and where CISSP fits on the way up:

Sources