Cyber security professionals salary in the UK (2025/26)
Official UK Average earnings data 2025
£54,816
Typical Annual pay range
Employment patterns
- 96.3% of Cyber security professionals work full-time
- 5% are self-employed
- 99.2% of employees have permanent contracts
Understanding Cyber security professionals pay in the UK
The typical cyber security professionals in the UK earns a median salary of £54,816 in 2025/26. These figures come from the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), so they reflect actual reported pay rather than self-reported estimates or job-advert ranges.
The middle half of cyber security professionals earnings fall between £42,704 and £73,083 a year. That is a wide range, a sign that pay climbs steeply with experience, specialism and employer, so the median is a starting point rather than a ceiling.
The mean (average) salary is higher, at £59,569. When the mean sits above the median like this, a smaller group of high earners is pulling the average up, which is why the median is the better guide to what a typical cyber security professionals actually takes home.
Where you work changes the picture: cyber security professionals pay ranges from £30,139 in East Midlands up to £73,291 in South West, a difference of £43,153 (143%). The full regional breakdown is below.
Dig deeper: see cyber security professionals pay in South West or read how we source and check this data.
How pay varies by region
South West is the highest-paying region for cyber security professionals at £73,291 — 34% above the UK median. East Midlands is lowest at £30,139.
UK median £54,816
| Region | Median payUK median £54,816 | Median | Mean | vs UK median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South West | £73,291 | £73,291 | £75,393 | +34% |
| London | £59,590 | £59,590 | £68,072 | +9% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | £54,864 | £54,864 | £60,410 | ±0% |
| North West | £51,954 | £51,954 | £52,369 | -5% |
| Scotland | £51,802 | £51,802 | £50,776 | -5% |
| East of England | £50,328 | £50,328 | £55,854 | -8% |
| North East | £45,267 | £45,267 | £43,861 | -17% |
| West Midlands | £42,582 | £42,582 | £46,225 | -22% |
| South East | £37,478 | £37,478 | £41,699 | -32% |
| Wales | £33,646 | £33,646 | £32,453 | -39% |
| East Midlands | £30,139 | £30,139 | £33,154 | -45% |
| Region | Median | vs UK |
|---|---|---|
| South West £73,291 | £73,291Mean £75,393 | +34% |
| London £59,590 | £59,590Mean £68,072 | +9% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber £54,864 | £54,864Mean £60,410 | ±0% |
| North West £51,954 | £51,954Mean £52,369 | -5% |
| Scotland £51,802 | £51,802Mean £50,776 | -5% |
| East of England £50,328 | £50,328Mean £55,854 | -8% |
| North East £45,267 | £45,267Mean £43,861 | -17% |
| West Midlands £42,582 | £42,582Mean £46,225 | -22% |
| South East £37,478 | £37,478Mean £41,699 | -32% |
| Wales £33,646 | £33,646Mean £32,453 | -39% |
| East Midlands £30,139 | £30,139Mean £33,154 | -45% |
Sorted highest median to lowest. The vertical line marks the UK median (£54,816); ‘Vs UK median’ compares each region’s median to it. Suppressed values mean ONS withheld this figure because the sample was too small to publish.
Make it local
Calculate take-home pay for your region
Choose a region above to see local cyber security professionals pay and calculate your monthly take-home after tax on the local salary page.
Back to region listHow cyber security professionals pay has changed over time
UK median annual pay for cyber security professionals by year (ONS ASHE).
Median salary
▪ 25th–75th percentile range
Pre-2021 figures mapped from SOC 2010 via ONS concordance table
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