Average Information Security Analyst Salary: $121,065 (2026)

The average information security analyst salary across all U.S. metropolitan areas is $121,065 per year as of 2026. This is based on official Bureau of Labor Statistics data covering 50 metro areas. Salaries range from $98,890 in El Paso, TX to $162,371 in San Jose, CA.

The average hourly rate for information security analysts is $58.20 per hour, based on a standard 2,080-hour work year. Hourly rates vary by location, ranging from $47.54/hour in lower-paying areas to $78.06/hour in top-paying cities like San Jose.

San Jose, CA is the highest paying metro area for information security analysts, with a median salary of $162,371 per year. This is 34% above the national average of $121,065. Other high-paying areas typically include major tech hubs and cities with high costs of living.

Entry-level information security analysts (10th percentile) typically earn around $78,705 per year nationally. Starting salaries depend on education, certifications, location, and industry. Most entry-level professionals can expect to reach the median salary of $121,065 within 3-5 years of career growth.

The average information security analyst salary of $121,065 is 104% higher than the typical U.S. worker salary of approximately $59,228. Top earners in this profession (90th percentile) can make $175,744 or more annually.

El Paso, TX has the lowest information security analyst salary at $98,890 per year. However, lower salaries often correlate with lower costs of living, which can result in similar purchasing power. The salary difference between the highest and lowest paying areas is $63,481.

There are approximately 8,661 information security analysts employed across the 50 metropolitan areas tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This represents a specialized job market with opportunities in technology industries nationwide.

The biggest factors affecting information security analyst salary include: geographic location (salaries vary by up to $63,481 across cities), years of experience, industry sector, CISSP, CISM, or OSCP certification can add $15,000–$30,000 to base salary, Industry — financial services, defense, and cloud companies pay the most; government pays less but offers stability. Metropolitan areas with high industry demand and cost of living typically pay more.

In-demand skills that boost information security analyst salaries include: Network security, TCP/IP protocols, and firewall and IDS/IPS configuration, SIEM tools (Splunk, Microsoft Sentinel, IBM QRadar) for log analysis and threat detection, Vulnerability scanning tools (Nessus, Qualys, OpenVAS) and remediation prioritization, Incident response lifecycle: detection, containment, eradication, and recovery, Cloud security fundamentals (AWS, Azure, GCP security services and shared-responsibility model). CISSP, CISM, or OSCP certification can add $15,000–$30,000 to base salary Developing specialized expertise can help you reach the top 25% of earners ($149,383).

Information Security Analyst salaries have generally kept pace with inflation, with the current average of $121,065 reflecting 2026 Bureau of Labor Statistics data. The job outlook is positive, which typically supports continued salary growth. Professionals who develop in-demand skills and pursue certifications tend to see above-average salary increases.