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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.
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.
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.
- Use demand as leverage. Cyber Security Engineers are on the national skills shortage list, so employers are more likely to move on price to keep or attract someone in a role they're struggling to fill.
- 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.