Penetration Testers: Career Profile
Evaluate network system security by conducting simulated internal and external cyberattacks using adversary tools and techniques. Attempt to breach and exploit critical systems and gain access to sensitive information to assess system security.
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The Daily Work of Penetration Testers Take On?
Typical responsibilities of penetration testers cover:
- Assess the physical security of servers, systems, or network devices to identify vulnerability to temperature, vandalism, or natural disasters.
- Collect stakeholder data to evaluate risk and to develop mitigation strategies.
- Conduct network and security system audits, using established criteria.
- Configure information systems to incorporate principles of least functionality and least access.
- Design security solutions to address known device vulnerabilities.
- Develop and execute tests that simulate the techniques of known cyber threat actors.
- Develop infiltration tests that exploit device vulnerabilities.
- Develop presentations on threat intelligence.
Types of Penetration Testers Jobs
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Application Security Assessor
- Application Security Hacker
- Application Security Tester
- Certified Hacker
- Certified Tester
- Consulting Advisory Tester
- Cyber Analyst
- Cyber Assessment Tester
How Many Penetration Testers Are There?
There are about 91,324 penetration testers working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +6.6% over the projection horizon.
Penetration Testers Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $93,800 |
| Hourly median | $45.10 |
| 10th percentile | $65,810 |
| 25th percentile | $79,805 |
| 75th percentile | $107,795 |
| 90th percentile | $121,789 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Penetration Testers Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Virgin Islands | $179,830 |
| Maryland | $141,540 |
| District of Columbia | $137,610 |
| Virginia | $132,810 |
| Delaware | $132,670 |
| Washington | $131,800 |
| California | $128,750 |
| Colorado | $119,560 |
| West Virginia | $113,030 |
| Hawaii | $112,050 |
| Arizona | $112,010 |
| Vermont | $109,220 |
| Texas | $108,170 |
| North Carolina | $106,240 |
| Massachusetts | $105,890 |
| New York | $105,210 |
| Ohio | $104,330 |
| Alabama | $104,330 |
| South Carolina | $104,330 |
| New Jersey | $103,910 |
| Iowa | $103,690 |
| Oregon | $102,940 |
| Florida | $102,750 |
| New Mexico | $102,500 |
| Pennsylvania | $102,330 |
| Michigan | $102,300 |
| Maine | $101,760 |
| Georgia | $100,950 |
| Nevada | $100,570 |
| Illinois | $100,310 |
| Kansas | $100,090 |
| Alaska | $100,040 |
| Minnesota | $99,740 |
| South Dakota | $98,550 |
| Connecticut | $97,870 |
| Rhode Island | $96,990 |
| Indiana | $96,530 |
| Idaho | $95,640 |
| Utah | $95,640 |
| Oklahoma | $95,640 |
| Kentucky | $90,380 |
| Wyoming | $90,010 |
| Nebraska | $87,920 |
| New Hampshire | $87,420 |
| Mississippi | $86,380 |
| Wisconsin | $85,290 |
| Missouri | $84,250 |
| Montana | $78,690 |
| Arkansas | $77,830 |
| Louisiana | $75,560 |
| North Dakota | $69,640 |
| Tennessee | $65,370 |
| Puerto Rico | $42,250 |
Where Penetration Testers Earn the Most
Compensation for penetration testers differ across the country. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $126,964 | 25.0% | 1.54 |
| Middle Atlantic | $121,117 | 18.1% | 2.97 |
| Rocky Mountains | $108,235 | 3.6% | 0.97 |
| Southwest | $107,900 | 16.0% | 1.38 |
| New England | $102,646 | 2.6% | 0.65 |
| Southeast | $101,290 | 22.4% | 1.02 |
| Great Lakes | $97,392 | 6.3% | 0.61 |
| Plains States | $89,865 | 5.8% | 1.14 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $168,070 | 15,550 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $157,380 | 18,680 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $144,040 | 35,080 |
| Charlottesville, VA | VA | $142,150 | 140 |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | MD | $139,940 | 420 |
| Lexington Park, MD | MD | $138,090 | 1,020 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $134,230 | 10,400 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | MD | $133,680 | 9,110 |
Top Industries Employing Penetration Testers
The largest employers of penetration testers are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 130,160 | $106,200 |
| Information | 43,000 | $126,550 |
| Finance and Insurance | 28,690 | $126,080 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 25,660 | $127,600 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 24,880 | $96,000 |
| Manufacturing | 21,020 | $102,950 |
| Educational Services | 18,100 | $79,900 |
| Wholesale Trade | 13,130 | $100,550 |
Below are examples of industries where penetration testers work:
Software Penetration Testers Use
- Data base user interface and query software: Amazon Web Services AWS software (hot technology)
- Expert system software: Ansible software (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Apple iOS (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Apple macOS (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Bash (hot technology)
- Development environment software: C (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: C# (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: C++ (hot technology)
- Application server software: Docker (hot technology)
- Application server software: GitHub (hot technology)
- Development environment software: Go (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Google Android (hot technology)
Getting Started in This Career
This career aligns with Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Security Managers (Supplemental)
- Computer and Information Systems Managers (Supplemental)
- Security Management Specialists (Supplemental)
- Computer Systems Analysts (Primary-Short)
- Information Security Analysts (Primary-Short)
- Computer Network Support Specialists (Primary-Long)
- Computer Network Architects (Supplemental)
- Database Administrators (Primary-Long)
Where to Study
Students preparing for penetration testers often complete programs in:
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services
5 programs across 5 majors
- Computer Science
- Computer Information Systems
- Information Science
- Information Technology
- Data Processing
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
4 programs across 4 majors
- Computational Science
- Human Computer Interaction
- Mathematics & Computer Science
- Accounting & Computer Science
Biological and Biomedical Sciences
2 programs across 1 majors
Health Professions and Related Programs
1 programs across 1 majors
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services
1 programs across 1 majors
Physical Sciences
1 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 15-1299.04 (Computer Occupations, All Other).
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