What is the salary of a Penetration Tester?

The typical salary range is $76,279 - $152,558 per year.

Tech & EngineeringGrowingBright Outlook

Penetration Tester

Mid-level

Also known as: Application Security Assessor, Application Security Hacker, Application Security Tester, Certified Hacker

Tech & EngineeringBachelor's Degree

Job Description

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.

Penetration TestingCybersecurityEthical HackingInformation SecurityComputer ScienceInformation TechnologyNetworkingSoftwareSTEMTechnology

Skills employers are looking for in 2027

Software and technologies flagged by O*NET as Hot or In-Demand for this role.

In-demand software

Amazon Web Services AWS softwareBashCC#C++Firewall softwareJavaScriptKali LinuxLinuxMITRE ATT&CK softwareMetasploitMicrosoft Active DirectoryMicrosoft Azure softwareMicrosoft PowerShellNmapOracle JavaPortswigger BurP SuitePythonQualys Cloud PlatformSplunk EnterpriseTenable NessusUNIX

Job Outlook 2025-2035

Bright Outlook

O*NET flags this career as a Bright Outlook occupation: grows rapidly over the next decade · grows rapidly over the next decade.

Projected growth

+5.1%

US average: +3.5%

Job openings

27,000

per year (US)

Jobs today

471,200

in 2025 → 495,300 (2035)

Typical entry education

Bachelor's degree

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections; O*NET Bright Outlook.

Work Environment

How this work is typically performed, based on O*NET work context data.

Email & digital communication

High

Working in a team

High

Contact with others

High

Freedom to make decisions

High

Time pressure

High

Time spent sitting

High

Working outdoors

Low

Indoor, climate-controlled

High

Dealing with customers

Moderate

Level of competition

High

Source: O*NET Work Context (v31.0)

Future Perspective

Growing Job Market

This field is experiencing expansion with increasing job opportunities and career advancement potential. Market demand is rising, with new positions being created.

Career ladder

Often before this role

Security Analyst
Network Administrator
IT Support Specialist (with security interest)

Penetration Tester

Where it can lead

Security Architect
Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)
Senior Cybersecurity Consultant

Impact of AI on this Job

AI will significantly impact penetration testing by automating repetitive tasks like vulnerability scanning and basic exploitation, enhancing efficiency. Testers will increasingly use AI-powered tools to identify sophisticated threats and analyze vast datasets. However, they will also need to develop skills to counter AI-driven attacks and evaluate the security of AI systems themselves, shifting their focus to more complex, strategic challenges.

Salary

$116,580

Median annual wage, BLS 2025

Required Education

Bachelor's Degree

Minimum educational requirement for this position