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Salary · Cybersecurity

CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701) salary: what it pays (2026)

Indicative pay ranges for roles that commonly value SY0-701 - 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 SY0-701 tends to pay

Security+ is an entry-level credential, so it supports early-career pay rather than commanding a large premium on its own. US roles that list it commonly report roughly US$60k-95k. Its real value is as a door-opener and a DoD 8140 baseline.

Pay by role (indicative)

Help desk / IT support (security-aware)~$50k-70k
Junior SOC Analyst~$60k-80k
Security Administrator~$70k-95k
Systems Administrator~$70k-95k
IT Auditor (junior)~$65k-90k

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

Other markets (indicative)

United Kingdom~£28k-50k
Canada~CA$60k-90k

Jobs that often ask for it

  • Junior SOC Analyst
  • Security Administrator
  • Systems Administrator (security-focused)
  • IT support moving into security
  • Roles needing a DoD 8140 baseline

Weigh the pay against the cost

Salary is only half the picture. Before you commit, check what SY0-701 actually costs to sit and maintain, and where it can take you over a career.

Where SY0-701 leads (with a pay ladder)

These career paths show how pay typically climbs stage by stage, and where SY0-701 fits on the way up:

Sources