How much can you earn in your first cyber role?

One of the many attractive things about starting a career in cyber security is the high earning potential. But just how much can you earn in your first cyber role?

We asked Gary Billings, Head of Careers at CAPSLOCK, for his thoughts:

“When looking at the UK’s cyber security industry as a whole, you can find entry-level cyber security salaries ranging from around £23,000 to around £30,000, depending on the role.

This is the typical range, but we have seen CAPSLOCK learners go on to earn £40,000+ in their first roles. The highest salary to date that one of our graduates has secured in their first cyber role is £75,000.

It just goes to show how important your transferable skills are, and why people who reskill in cyber can demand higher than average salaries in the cyber industry. Employers are more inclined to pay higher salaries to those who have transferable skills which relate to the type of roles that they are applying for.

There is a huge diversity of cyber security jobs out there, and there’s a lot of scope for rapid career progression.”

Gary’s insights certainly ring true with developments we’ve seen in the industry. Recent research suggests there is a worldwide deficit of up to 3.4 million cyber security professionals, and we see thousands of cyber security job vacancies in the UK being posted every week.  

Given this massive demand for cyber security talent, hiring approaches seem to be changing. Many companies are no longer solely seeking those with years of experience and are instead adopting the more open-minded approach of nurturing untapped talent. This is a great development and will ensure an increase in diversity in the sector.

This means it’s a really good time to consider reskilling and switching careers to cyber. Transferable skills are very valuable in the industry and can often allow you to transition into mid-level or even senior roles.

If you’re looking to launch a cyber career, why not consider reskilling with CAPSLOCK? 

Since CAPSLOCK launched in 2021, they have helped hundreds of people from all kinds of backgrounds successfully reskill in cyber security and launch new careers.

Their online bootcamps have helped a professional dancer become a cyber security analyst, a British Army dog handler start a new role as an information security officer, a jeweller relaunch her career as a GRC associate, to name just a few.

CAPSLOCK graduates have been hired by a wide range of cyber security employers, including household names like BT, Jaguar Land Rover, Deloitte, PwC, Asda, ITV and many more. 

Their graduates currently see an average salary of £34,400 in their first cyber roles, which represents an average salary increase of over 54% when compared to their previous roles.

This just goes to show the value of reskilling, and suggests the salary in your first cyber role might be higher than you’d think...