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Cyber Security Engineer salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a cyber security engineer is $117,000 per annum, before tax, up $24,800 since 2018.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- Pay moves with the sector and the sensitivity of the systems you protect, with banks, insurers, defence and government agencies generally paying above the average, and a security clearance adding a premium.
- Specialising in cloud security, identity or operational technology lifts it further, as does on-call or after-hours work in a security operations centre.
- Contract and day-rate work becomes common at senior levels, where you trade job security for a higher rate.
The median salary rose by $24,800 between 2018 and 2024; the dashed line shows a projection to 2028 based on the real ABS Wage Price Index growth rate, not a role-specific forecast.
Roles that pay more than cyber security engineer
The largest typical pay rise is $83,200 a year, moving into Chief Information Security Officer.
- Chief Information Security Officer+$83,200/yr
- Cyber Security Architect+$18,200/yr
- Penetration Tester+$10,400/yr
How to negotiate a higher cyber security engineer salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time cyber security engineer salary is $117,000; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Cyber security and Networks and systems administration tend to command a premium over general cyber security engineer experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Chief Information Security Officer pays a typical $83,200 a year more and draws on similar skills, even mentioning you're weighing it up is a legitimate data point in a pay conversation.
- Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
- Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."
Cyber Security Engineer salary questions
How much do cyber security engineers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a cyber security engineer is $117,000 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is cyber security engineer pay rising or falling?
The median cyber security engineer salary is up $24,800 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than cyber security engineer?
Chief Information Security Officer pays a typical $83,200 a year more and draws on similar skills to cyber security engineer.
Related salaries
- Cyber Security Architect salary
- Penetration Tester salary
- Cyber Security GRC Specialist salary
- Chief Information Security Officer salary
- Systems Administrator salary
- Network Engineer salary
Pay advice
- How to ask for a pay rise, and back it up with real numbersWhat national wage growth looks like right now, how to work out a figure for your own role, wording you can adapt for the conversation, and what to do if the answer is no.
- The average salary in Australia (2026)Full-time adults in Australia averaged $2,083.70 a week in May 2026. Several measures get called the average salary, and this explains which one fits your situation.
- Overtime pay, time in lieu and what your award saysOvertime rates come from your award or agreement, not one national rule. How rates work, what happens on a salary, and how time off in lieu works.