Plan, implement, upgrade, or monitor security measures for the protection of computer networks and information. Assess system vulnerabilities for security risks and propose and implement risk mitigation strategies. May ensure appropriate security controls are in place that will safeguard digital files and vital electronic infrastructure. May respond to computer security breaches and viruses.
Explore this career interactively, with full detail →
Licensing, certifications and working conditions
State licensing. CareerOneStop's licensing data records no state license for Information Security Analysts, which usually means it is not a licensed occupation. Requirements can still vary by employer and state.
Certifications. CareerOneStop directly links 160 professional certifications to Information Security Analysts. 69 of them are in CareerOneStop's "Core" group, for example: Advanced in AI Audit (AAIA), Advanced in AI Security Management (AAISM), Associate of International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium ((ISC)2), Certification in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC), Certified Cloud Security Officer (C)CSO). Certifications are voluntary credentials offered by the organizations named; listing one is not an endorsement.
Working conditions. For 96.8% of workers the job requires sedentary strength. Shares of workers who interact with the general public (39.9%), cannot pause their work (0.8%), and are exposed to the outdoors (under 0.5%). From the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Requirements Survey (2023 estimates); figures describe the occupation on average.
Sources: CareerOneStop (licenses and certifications), part of the CareerOneStop suite of web products, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (working conditions, wages). MajorPays has reorganized this information; these agencies have not approved or endorsed it. See it interactively, with state-by-state detail →
More data on this career
Pay by education level. Among full-time, year-round information security analysts ages 25 to 64, median yearly pay is $108,600 with a high school diploma or GED, $101,500 with some college or an associate's degree, $121,800 with a bachelor's degree and $142,100 with a master's degree or higher (Census Bureau American Community Survey, 2024 dollars). Pay differs for many reasons besides education, such as experience, employer and location.
Industries that employ this career. The largest shares of information security analysts work in Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (38%), Public Administration (16%), Finance and Insurance (14%) and Manufacturing (8%) (Census Bureau American Community Survey, 2024).
Where the jobs are, and what they pay by industry. Nationwide, the industries that employ the most information security analysts are Computer Systems Design and Related Services (23% of the jobs counted, median pay $132,410), Management of Companies and Enterprises (10% of the jobs counted, median pay $128,950), Credit Intermediation and Related Activities (8% of the jobs counted, median pay $130,840), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (7% of the jobs counted, median pay $125,420) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). Among large industries, the highest median pay is in Software Publishers ($144,970), Telecommunications ($138,360), Scientific Research and Development Services ($137,950). Pay differs by industry for many reasons, including the mix of jobs and where employers are located.
What workers studied. Among information security analysts with a bachelor's degree or higher, the most common fields of the bachelor's degree are Computer Administration Management and Security (14%), Computer Science (13%), Computer and Information Systems (9%) and Business Management and Administration (4%) (Census Bureau American Community Survey, 2024).
Injury and illness rates. For the broader group "Computer occupations", which includes this career (BLS did not publish enough cases for this exact occupation), employers reported 5.5 nonfatal injury and illness cases with days away from work per 10,000 full-time workers, compared with 94.6 for all U.S. workers; the median case kept the worker away 5 days (all workers: 8) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023-2024). Rates reflect the work setting as well as the occupation.
Union membership. In the broad group "Computer and mathematical", which includes this career, 3.7% of wage and salary workers belong to a union (all U.S. workers: 10.0%); median weekly pay is $1,665 for union members and $2,045 for workers not in a union (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, 2025). This is a group figure, not specific to information security analysts.
Wages employers offered H-1B workers. For information security analysts, employers filed 4,129 certified Labor Condition Applications for H-1B workers covering 8,267 worker positions in FY2025, with a median lower-bound wage offered of $137,300 (the middle half ran from $106,000 to $166,800) (U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification). These are wages named in employers' applications to hire temporary foreign workers, usually in jobs that need at least a bachelor's degree. They are not what every worker in the occupation earns. The Department of Labor has not endorsed this presentation.
Employer benefits. In the broad group "Professional and related", which includes this career, 86% of civilian workers had access to an employer retirement plan, 85% had access to employer medical care benefits, and 92% had paid sick leave, 73% paid vacation and 78% paid holidays (all civilian workers: 75%, 74%, 83%, 77% and 79%) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Compensation Survey, March 2026). This is a group figure, not specific to information security analysts, and having access to a benefit does not mean every worker uses it. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has not endorsed this presentation. Employers spent about $74.42 per hour worked on total compensation for the occupational group "Professional and related" in June 2026 ($50.37 in wages and salaries and $24.06 in benefits, 32.3% of the total; all civilian workers: $49.46, with 31.6% in benefits) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employer Costs for Employee Compensation).
Work environment. In O*NET's survey of workers in this occupation, the conditions most often placed at the two highest levels for information security analysts are: e-mail (98%), indoors, environmentally controlled (93%), freedom to make decisions (87%), contact with others (86%), spend time sitting (85%), face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams (84%). Each percentage is the share of respondents choosing the top two levels for that condition (for example 'most of the time' or 'continually'), so it describes how common the condition is in the job, not how a particular workplace is (O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Dept. of Labor, ETA, CC BY 4.0).
Typical preparation. In O*NET's survey of workers in this occupation, for on-the-job training, the most common answer (27% of 26 respondents) was "over 6 months, up to and including 1 year". These are what workers report is needed to do the job; employers' requirements and individual paths vary (O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Dept. of Labor, ETA, CC BY 4.0).
Related careers. O*NET lists these occupations as similar to information security analysts in the work done and the skills used: Information Security Engineers, Penetration Testers, Digital Forensics Analysts, Network and Computer Systems Administrators, Computer Systems Analysts, Computer Network Support Specialists, Database Administrators, Computer Systems Engineers/Architects (O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Dept. of Labor, ETA, CC BY 4.0).
Pay by state. See what information security analysts earn in each state, with the pay range and number of jobs: Information Security Analysts salary by state (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025).
Compare information security analysts with other careers (pay, growth, openings and education side by side).
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 PUMS (MajorPays' own estimates from the survey; Census is credited as the source of the original data and has not endorsed them); BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses; BLS Current Population Survey; BLS National Compensation Survey (employee benefits); HRSA National Center for Health Workforce Analysis; U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification (LCA disclosure data, FY2025). MajorPays has selected and reorganized these figures; these agencies have not approved or endorsed them. See it interactively →
Information Technology
CIP 11.0103
Computer Science
CIP 11.0701
Information Technology Project Management
CIP 11.1005