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Average Cyber Security Specialist Salary in United Kingdom for 2026

A cyber security specialist in United Kingdom earns about 83,700 GBP a year. That's 20% above the national average of 69,700 GBP.

Pay ranges widely from country to country and from role to role. The lowest reported salaries in United Kingdom sit around 41,700 GBP a year, while the very top stretches to 127,600 GBP. Everything on this page is in British pound (GBP, symbol £), which lets you compare numbers like-for-like without worrying about exchange rates.

The numbers here are pulled together from official government wage data, large independent salary surveys, and aggregated worker-reported pay. Most reported salaries include the benefits that are common in United Kingdom, such as housing or transport allowances, which is worth keeping in mind if you're comparing against a country where those are usually paid on top.

To turn a gross salary in United Kingdom into a take-home figure, use our United Kingdom salary after tax calculator, which works the latest tax brackets and contributions through the math for you.

How much does a cyber security specialist make in United Kingdom?

Average salary
83,700 GBP
6,975 GBP per month
Lowest reported
41,700 GBP
3,475 GBP per month
Highest reported
127,600 GBP
10,633 GBP per month

A typical cyber security specialist working in United Kingdom brings home around 6,975 GBP a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 41,700 GBP, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 127,600 GBP for the most experienced and specialised people in the role.

The wide gap between low end and top end reflects how much pay can vary inside the same job title. A junior cyber security specialist working at a small local employer earns very different money from a senior at a multinational. Skills, employer, city and years in the seat all push the number around. For a cross-country comparison, see the cyber security specialist salary in Guernsey or Jersey, both of which pay in the same currency.

How cyber security specialist pay ranges in United Kingdom

A good way to think about salary in United Kingdom is to look at the distribution rather than the headline average. Half of all cyber security specialists in United Kingdom earn less than 83,000 GBP a year, and the other half earn more. That middle number is the median, and it is usually more useful than the average for answering "is my pay normal here".

Looking at the quartiles fills in the picture. A quarter of earners take home less than 54,500 GBP (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 109,000 GBP (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of cyber security specialists sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.

The very lowest reported salaries sit around 41,700 GBP. The highest stretch to 127,600 GBP, though only a small fraction of earners ever reach that level. If you are deciding whether your own offer or current pay is reasonable, work out which of those four bands you would fall into and use that as your reference point.

41,700
Low
83,000
Median
127,600
High
54,500
25th
109,000
75th
The middle 50% sit between the 25th and 75th percentile Tails are the lowest and highest reported All figures in GBP

Cyber security specialist pay by experience in United Kingdom

Years of experience is the single biggest lever on pay for a cyber security specialist in United Kingdom, ahead of education and almost any other single factor. The longer you have been in the role, the more your employer can trust you to handle complexity, mentor others and act independently, all of which command higher pay. The chart below shows how the typical cyber security specialist salary changes as you move through the career ladder.

  • 0-2 Years
    46,700 GBP
  • 2-5 Years
    +28% from previous
    59,900 GBP
  • 5-10 Years
    +44% from previous
    86,100 GBP
  • 10-15 Years
    +23% from previous
    105,800 GBP
  • 15-20 Years
    +7% from previous
    112,700 GBP
  • 20+ Years
    +6% from previous
    119,700 GBP

The single largest jump on the ladder is from 2 - 5 Years to 5 - 10 Years, where pay rises by about 44%. That is the point at which a cyber security specialist typically goes from "competent in the role" to "the person other people in the team learn from", and the market pays well for that step.

Cyber security specialist pay by education in United Kingdom

Education sits alongside experience as one of the biggest factors driving cyber security specialist pay in United Kingdom. Higher qualifications consistently pull higher salaries, but the size of the gap tends to be smallest at junior levels and widens as people move up. Two people in the same role with the same years of experience but different degrees can end up earning very different money once they reach mid-career.

Below is the average cyber security specialist salary in United Kingdom broken down by the highest level of education a worker has completed.

  • Certificate or Diploma
    59,900 GBP
  • Bachelor's Degree
    +39% from previous
    83,300 GBP
  • Master's Degree
    +53% from previous
    127,700 GBP

Cyber security specialist gender pay gap in United Kingdom

The gender pay gap is a stubborn feature of almost every labour market, and United Kingdom is no exception. Male cyber security specialists in United Kingdom earn an average of 81,900 GBP a year, while female cyber security specialists earn around 80,900 GBP. That works out to a 1% gap in favour of men, even when comparing people doing the same work.

A pay gap of this size has a real long-term cost. Over a typical thirty-year career it can add up to several years of pay, and it compounds through pensions, retirement contributions and bonus-linked stock. Some of the gap is explained by women being more likely to work part-time, take career breaks, or be steered toward lower-paying specialisations. Some of it is straightforward unequal pay for the same job, which is harder to defend.

Cyber Security Specialist gender pay gap

1%

Men earn this much more than women on average in United Kingdom.

Men 81,900 GBP
Women 80,900 GBP

Pay raises for a cyber security specialist in United Kingdom

Most countries hand out at least some kind of pay raise every year, typically when an employee's contract is reviewed or as a cost-of-living adjustment to keep wages roughly in step with inflation. The rhythm and size of those raises varies hugely between industries.

A typical worker doing this role in United Kingdom sees a raise of about 14% every 15 months, which works out to roughly 11% on an annual basis. That figure is the typical underlying rate; in years where inflation runs high you can usually expect a bit more, and in flat-economy years a bit less.

Across all jobs in United Kingdom, the national average raise is around 9% every 15 months.

By industry

Industries with the highest pay raises in United Kingdom:

  • Banking
  • Energy
  • Information Technology
  • Healthcare
  • Travel
  • Construction
  • Education

By experience level

Experienced workers tend to see larger raises. Retaining a senior is cheaper than replacing them, so employers fight harder for them.

  • Junior Level
    3% - 5%
  • Mid-Career
  • Senior Level
  • Top Management

Cyber security specialist bonus rates in United Kingdom

Bonuses are the other half of total compensation, and they vary a lot between jobs and industries. Some roles are paid almost entirely in base salary; others lean heavily on bonus structures tied to revenue, project completion or company performance. Whether a job pays a bonus, how big it is, and how often it lands all factor into whether the headline salary is actually a good offer.

59%

59% of cyber security specialists in United Kingdom reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes a cyber security specialist a moderate-bonus role overall, which is useful context when you're weighing up a job offer where the base is below market.

Among those who did receive a bonus, the size of the payment varied substantially. Reported bonuses ranged from 3% to 6% of base salary. The remaining 41% of cyber security specialists reported no bonus at all over the same period.

Which careers pay bonuses in United Kingdom

Revenue-facing roles tend to pay the biggest bonuses. Operational and support roles tend toward smaller, more predictable ones.

  • Finance
  • Architecture
  • Sales
  • Business Development
  • Marketing / Advertising
  • Information Technology
  • Healthcare
  • Insurance
  • Customer Service
  • Human Resources
  • Construction
  • Transport
  • Hospitality

Cyber security specialist: public vs private sector pay

Public-sector pay in United Kingdom is about 7% more than private-sector pay for similar work. The private sector typically offers stronger upside and bigger bonuses; the public sector typically offers better benefits and stability.

Public vs private pay gap

6%

Public-sector workers earn this much more than private-sector workers in United Kingdom on average.

Public sector 72,700 GBP
Private sector 68,200 GBP

Cyber security specialist salary by city and region in United Kingdom

Cyber security specialist pay is not even across United Kingdom. The chart below shows the highest-paying cities and regions in the dataset, followed by the full location table.

  • England
  • Scotland
  • London
  • Sheffield
  • Manchester
  • Leeds
  • Glasgow
  • Liverpool
  • Coventry
  • Birmingham
LocationTypeAverageMedianRange
EnglandRegion156,200 GBP160,700 GBP75,800-245,600 GBP
ScotlandRegion115,600 GBP125,400 GBP56,100-183,600 GBP
LondonCity98,300 GBP109,000 GBP46,400-158,700 GBP
SheffieldCity97,400 GBP97,600 GBP45,600-151,800 GBP
ManchesterCity97,400 GBP93,200 GBP51,300-150,100 GBP
LeedsCity97,200 GBP89,800 GBP50,100-146,700 GBP
GlasgowCity97,100 GBP91,000 GBP51,900-148,300 GBP
LiverpoolCity95,900 GBP100,700 GBP48,600-152,900 GBP
CoventryCity95,500 GBP95,500 GBP49,400-146,900 GBP
BirminghamCity95,400 GBP102,700 GBP45,000-153,800 GBP
NewcastleCity95,300 GBP93,100 GBP48,600-146,700 GBP
BristolCity95,200 GBP99,600 GBP47,600-151,800 GBP
CardiffCity94,800 GBP95,900 GBP43,100-148,300 GBP
BradfordCity93,100 GBP83,900 GBP47,200-140,700 GBP
EdinburghCity92,600 GBP101,100 GBP43,800-150,100 GBP
SwanseaCity92,300 GBP88,600 GBP45,000-141,000 GBP
SouthamptonCity92,300 GBP96,600 GBP44,300-142,300 GBP
LeicesterCity91,700 GBP88,300 GBP50,000-142,300 GBP
SomersetCity90,900 GBP94,200 GBP45,000-142,300 GBP
Kingston upon HullCity90,300 GBP95,400 GBP41,500-140,200 GBP
PlymouthCity88,600 GBP88,600 GBP44,300-134,700 GBP
BrightonCity88,300 GBP88,600 GBP43,800-139,100 GBP
BelfastCity86,600 GBP90,000 GBP43,500-137,100 GBP
DerbyCity86,400 GBP89,800 GBP38,900-132,000 GBP
PortsmouthCity86,300 GBP95,000 GBP41,300-139,100 GBP
NottinghamCity85,800 GBP92,100 GBP40,200-139,100 GBP
AberdeenCity85,500 GBP83,800 GBP45,200-130,400 GBP
YorkCity85,100 GBP81,200 GBP45,600-127,600 GBP
DundeeCity84,800 GBP83,900 GBP42,600-130,500 GBP
WolverhamptonCity84,300 GBP92,500 GBP38,700-138,700 GBP
NewportCity83,900 GBP93,800 GBP39,800-137,100 GBP
StirlingCity83,800 GBP87,000 GBP38,000-128,400 GBP
OxfordCity83,800 GBP74,700 GBP44,500-123,800 GBP
ChesterCity83,700 GBP77,100 GBP44,300-123,800 GBP
PeterboroughCity83,300 GBP81,000 GBP43,500-130,500 GBP
CambridgeCity83,300 GBP89,800 GBP39,600-130,500 GBP
LincolnCity83,100 GBP83,100 GBP41,500-130,500 GBP
PooleCity82,200 GBP84,300 GBP39,300-128,400 GBP
GloucesterCity80,800 GBP79,600 GBP42,000-124,500 GBP
NewryCity80,800 GBP76,900 GBP41,400-124,500 GBP
ArmaghCity80,500 GBP80,900 GBP42,500-127,700 GBP
NorwichCity80,200 GBP79,800 GBP38,000-124,500 GBP
CanterburyCity80,200 GBP72,700 GBP42,800-118,900 GBP
InvernessCity79,700 GBP74,600 GBP38,900-119,700 GBP
TruroCity79,600 GBP73,500 GBP41,500-118,900 GBP
ExeterCity79,000 GBP75,500 GBP41,500-121,800 GBP
DerryCity78,700 GBP81,900 GBP36,700-123,800 GBP
WalesRegion78,200 GBP76,800 GBP39,300-119,700 GBP
HartlepoolCity77,100 GBP80,900 GBP36,800-124,500 GBP
SalisburyCity77,000 GBP76,900 GBP41,700-123,000 GBP
LisburnCity76,900 GBP69,200 GBP42,500-115,600 GBP
KirkwallCity76,800 GBP76,800 GBP36,500-117,100 GBP
WinchesterCity76,000 GBP78,200 GBP35,300-117,100 GBP
Northern IrelandRegion76,000 GBP68,500 GBP40,700-114,300 GBP
StromnessCity75,900 GBP83,400 GBP34,300-123,000 GBP
RiponCity75,400 GBP71,800 GBP41,100-116,400 GBP
WakefieldCity74,600 GBP71,400 GBP39,600-116,400 GBP
St DavidsCity74,600 GBP71,000 GBP38,000-114,900 GBP
BangorCity73,800 GBP73,800 GBP36,400-114,300 GBP
DurhamCity73,800 GBP81,000 GBP35,100-118,900 GBP
AbingdonCity73,300 GBP73,300 GBP37,300-114,900 GBP
WellsCity69,700 GBP69,700 GBP36,600-108,200 GBP
StrontianCity68,500 GBP63,500 GBP36,800-105,800 GBP

Cyber Security Specialist in United Kingdom: FAQs

  • How much does a cyber security specialist make per month in United Kingdom?

    A cyber security specialist in United Kingdom earns about 6,975 GBP a month before tax, based on an annual average of 83,700 GBP.

  • What's the salary range for a cyber security specialist in United Kingdom?

    Entry-level cyber security specialists in United Kingdom start near 41,700 GBP. Top-end pay reaches around 127,600 GBP. The middle 50% of earners sit between 54,500 and 109,000 GBP.

  • Is the median cyber security specialist salary in United Kingdom higher or lower than the average?

    The median is 83,000 GBP, lower than the average of 83,700 GBP. Half of cyber security specialists in United Kingdom earn below the median, half earn above it.

  • What's the gender pay gap for cyber security specialists in United Kingdom?

    Men working as a cyber security specialist in United Kingdom earn around 1% more than women on average (81,900 vs 80,900 GBP a year).

  • Do cyber security specialists in United Kingdom get bonuses?

    About 59% of cyber security specialists in United Kingdom reported a bonus in the past 12 months. Reported bonuses ranged from 3% to 6% of base salary.

  • Do cyber security specialists earn more in the public or private sector in United Kingdom?

    In United Kingdom, the public sector pays a cyber security specialist about 7% more on average. Public-sector pay tends to be steadier; private-sector pay tends to offer bigger upside.

  • How often do cyber security specialists in United Kingdom get a pay raise?

    A cyber security specialist in United Kingdom sees a raise of around 14% every 15 months, equivalent to roughly 11% a year.