IT Security Professionals Want a Bigger Payday, Says Survey

by Brian Prince

The survey found little change in salary between 2009 and 2010. The change that did occur for respondents was not good—5 percent more were making less than $100,000 in 2010 as opposed to in 2009.

More than 60 percent said they felt either slightly or significantly underpaid given their job responsibilities. In contrast, just 3 percent felt they were getting significantly more than they’re worth.

For the vast majority of respondents, money was not the most important factor in changing jobs. Some 70 percent said they had never changed security jobs solely because of it.

Forty percent of the respondents said they would need to be offered two to five times what they currently make to take a job that significantly diverts them from their career goals. Twenty-five percent said they would need at least a 50 percent salary bump.

Perhaps a reflection of the budgetary and economic times, nearly half said they would take a pay cut in order to keep their jobs. Roughly the same amount said they would take a pay cut in exchange for additional training and education.

Sixty percent receive up to 10 percent of their base salary as a bonus. Nearly 40 percent get between 10 and 50 percent.

More than one-third said they received less of their bonus than expected.