Role profile
Information security analyst
Also called: Cybersecurity analyst · SOC analyst · Security engineer (overlaps) · Incident responder · Vulnerability analyst · Penetration tester (overlaps)
Information security analysts protect an organization's systems and data by monitoring for attacks, fixing weaknesses and responding to incidents. Employers include IT consulting and managed security firms, banks, insurers, healthcare systems and government agencies.
- Median pay, 2025
- $129,180
- $75,090 to $199,850 (10th to 90th percentile)
- US jobs, 2025
- 192,900
- Information Security Analysts
- Outlook, 2025-35
- +21%
- Much faster than average
- Typical entry
- Bachelor's degree
- Experience: Less than 5 years
What the work looks like
- Triage alerts in a SIEM or EDR tool, and sort the few real threats from a large volume of noise.
- Investigate suspicious activity: phishing reports, odd logins, malware detections, and write up what happened.
- Run vulnerability scans and chase owners to patch or accept the risk in writing.
- Review cloud and identity settings, such as overly broad permissions or missing multi-factor authentication.
- Help write and test incident response plans, then follow them when an actual incident hits.
- Collect evidence for audits and compliance frameworks such as SOC 2, PCI DSS or HIPAA.
- Explain risks to engineers and managers in terms of what could go wrong and what it would cost to fix.
How people get in
The BLS lists a bachelor's degree in a computer-related field plus some related work experience (under five years) as typical, and notes that some people enter with a high school diploma plus industry training and certifications. Many analysts come from IT departments, often after working as a systems or network administrator.
True entry-level security jobs are scarce compared with the number of people chasing them. The most reliable route is one to three years in IT support, systems administration or networking, then a move into a SOC analyst role or an internal transfer to the security team.
Certifications matter more in security than in most IT fields, partly because government contracts often require them. CompTIA Security+ is the common starting point; CISSP is aimed at experienced practitioners and requires years of work experience before you can hold it.
Skills employers ask for
- Networking fundamentals (TCP/IP, DNS, HTTP)
- SIEM tools such as Splunk or Microsoft Sentinel
- Endpoint detection and response (EDR)
- Linux and Windows administration
- Identity and access management
- Vulnerability scanning
- Log analysis
- Python or PowerShell scripting
- Cloud security basics
- Incident response procedures
- Clear incident write-ups
Outlook to 2035
The BLS projects 21% growth from 2025 to 2035, much faster than average, with about 14,100 openings a year, driven by the rising frequency of cyberattacks. Strong demand does not mean easy entry: most hiring is for people with prior IT experience, and junior SOC roles attract many applicants. The growth is real, but it rewards people who build an IT foundation first.
How the pay compares
Information security analyst highlighted against the other 13 roles we track.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Information Security Analysts. Pay is 2025 median annual wage; outlook is projected employment change 2025-35.