Understanding the Network Security Salary Expectations

Attracting candidates to your vacant network security jobs while keeping your talent happy and retaining your best people can feel like a challenging balancing act. Knowing the importance of network security salary expectations and how to respond to candidates and existing staff who question their salary is essential for your recruitment strategy. It also helps maintain a competitive advantage and supports long-term business growth.

We recognize the importance of network security salary expectations. That’s why we’ve produced this guide to help you understand why you should know the salaries of your network security jobs and how to respond to questions from your candidates and existing talent regarding their pay.

In this guide, we’ll cover the following:

• Why You Should Know the Network Security Salary Expectations
• Including the Salary in a Network Security Job Description
• Responding to Salary Expectations for Network Security Jobs
• Salary Expectations of the Top Network Security Jobs

Why You Should Know the Network Security Salary Expectations

Regarding your network security recruitment strategy, one of the key considerations revolves around salaries. There are several reasons why your knowledge of network security specialist salaries is important to the progression of your hiring efforts and the growth of your business. From recruitment and retention to market awareness and budgeting, here are the main reasons you should know the network security salary expectations.

• Recruitment and Retention

While salary is not every candidate's primary concern, professionals seeking network security jobs base much of their career decisions on it. Therefore, it's essential to scope the market and speak to industry experts to understand the salary expectations for talent within your niche. If you can offer greater salaries or respectable salaries accompanied by excellent benefits packages, you'll attract the best network security professionals.

Simultaneously, you must not forget about your existing employees and their network security salary expectations. With security talent in high demand, you must do everything you can to keep your best talent from leaving for your competition, and this may involve listening to and negotiating with them on salary. 

As your network security professionals progress into senior roles, their salary expectations will change. Internal talent acquisition teams and HR managers must understand the value of their people and those in similar positions within the industry. 

Using insights and market research can help you decide whether you can justify meeting the salary expectations of your best people. Meeting their salary requests could be the difference between losing your talent to the competition and retaining your best people.  

• Market Awareness

Another reason to know the network security salary expectations is to ensure you stay current with the market and hiring trends within your sector. Keeping informed about the salaries of your network security jobs can help you set a benchmark against your competitors. Doing so can help you identify the roles you recruit for that need their salaries adjusted to maintain relevancy and competitiveness within your market. 

You may want to consider extending your knowledge of network security salary expectations by researching the salaries of positions in other markets and industries. This approach can help you justify whether moving into a new market or industry is feasible or if hiring remote talent from different parts of the world could make more financial sense.

• Budgeting

Understanding the expected market rate for network security jobs can help your business establish clear and realistic hiring budgets. Factoring in your budget allows you to allocate your resources effectively and ensure you have the finances to onboard the people you need while having the flexibility to negotiate the salary expectations of your current staff.

You should research the market and compare the salary and pay differences between a permanent and contract network security professional. This knowledge could help you make more informed decisions regarding your network security recruitment, whether you hire full-time employees, temporary staff, or a combination of the two for your future project work.

Of course, avoid basing your network security recruitment primarily on a monetary focus and compromising on the quality of the talent to save money. Instead, make sure you also factor in the skill set and experience with your budget in mind.

Including the Salary in a Network Security Job Description

According to a LinkedIn study, 91% of US respondents stated that including salaries in job posts would affect their decision to apply for a role. This statistic is relevant across many industries and the seniority of the talent. When asked about salary expectations, a key question that many companies consider is, “Should we include the salary in the network security job description?”. 

Deliberating on this question is essential as it can play a core part in your network security recruitment strategy and is essential to get it right. While it’s ultimately your decision whether to include the salary in your job posts, it’s important to factor in the following considerations. 

Benefits of Including the Salary in Network Security Job Descriptions

There are certainly benefits of including the network security salary in job posts. It can help you attract top talent and set expectations with your employees while also demonstrating your business as an employer who values transparency.

• Attracts Qualified Candidates to Network Security Jobs

Many candidates searching for network security jobs will do so with their own predetermined salary expectations in their heads. If they see the salary in the job post that aligns with or exceeds what they’re looking for, they will be more willing to complete the application. This approach can save time in your hiring process as you can expect to only review resumes from applicants who are happy with the salary you’re offering rather than talent who may not be a good fit financially.

• Sets Expectations of Network Security Professionals

Including the salary in your network security job descriptions sets expectations between your business and candidates from the outset. You could include a salary range in the job post to set expectations with the candidate. 

This approach lets the applicant know what their starting salary could be or what they could work towards. Both parties know what the company can afford and what the talent will receive, allowing issues regarding salary expectations to be avoided at the interview stage or later in the hiring process.   

• Shows Transparency Regarding Salary Expectations

Referring back to the LinkedIn study above, 82% of respondents said that seeing the salary range in a job post gives them a more favorable impression of a business. With transparency being increasingly valued by candidates, displaying salaries on your network security job descriptions shows you have nothing to hide. This approach could build instantaneous trust between your business and the candidate at the hiring stage, making them more inclined to apply. 

Drawbacks of Including the Salary in Network Security Job Descriptions

When considering whether to include the network security salary in your job descriptions, it’s also important to consider the potential drawbacks. These drawbacks could include reducing your talent pool, creating internal pay equality concerns, and limiting negotiation leverage.

• It May Reduce Your Pool of Network Security Professionals

For some network security professionals, including a salary range in the job descriptions may discourage them from applying. This point applies more to senior and experienced candidates who might have higher salary expectations and want the opportunity to negotiate their salary with you. To avoid this, you may decide to only include the salary in posts for your entry and mid-level network security jobs and leave them out for more senior and executive-level roles. 

• Internal Concerns Around Pay Equality Could Arise 

If you have employees in similar or the same network security jobs, posting the salary in the job post could cause internal concerns. Your existing talent may become disgruntled if the salaries you’re offering to candidates are higher than theirs or if you’re budgeting for new hires instead of meeting their salary expectations. You can avoid this by explaining your decision to your current workforce or increasing their salary if justifiable before posting the role.

• Including the Network Security Salary Could Limit Negotiations

Again, especially for more senior network security jobs, including the salary range could limit your negotiation leverage. If candidates feel they won’t be able to negotiate their salary, they may seek other opportunities to negotiate better offers - potentially with your competitors. 

You could avoid this and meet in the middle by posting the salary in the job description while stating that you’re open to discussing salary expectations. Later in the hiring process, perhaps at the interview stage, you could discuss salaries with the candidate and determine if you are willing and have the budget to hire them on a mutually agreed salary.

As mentioned, your decision to include salaries in your job posts is down to your business. You may decide to include them, leave them out, or take a hybrid approach. It’s worth considering these pros and cons while also looking at the jobs your competitors post and taking inspiration from other sectors to see how others approach the topic of including salaries in network security job descriptions. 

Responding to Salary Expectations for Network Security Jobs

When asked about salary expectations, whether when interviewing network security specialists or conducting a performance review with an existing employee, there are certain ways to respond and conduct the discussion. Let's explore how to respond to candidates and existing staff regarding conversations regarding network security salaries.

When Asked About Salary Expectations From Candidates

If a candidate tries to negotiate their network security salary, it's crucial not to devalue their views. Make sure to listen to their points and sell themselves to you. In scenarios where candidates ask for a salary that's more than you can offer, instead of dismissing their request, ask them why they feel they should earn this salary and decide if their response justifies meeting their salary expectations. Alternatively, explain the salary you can offer them and the reasoning behind it. 

Make sure to mention your company's benefits and the advantages of joining your network security team, as some candidates value these over their base salary. You could also detail how they could reach their salary expectations by joining your business. This could include the candidate enrolling in a specific course, achieving specific project tasks, or completing a probation period. 

If you consider the candidate to be at the top of your shortlist and don't want to lose them to a competitor, you could ask them what would make them want to join your team. Within reason and your budget, you could negotiate with the candidate until a feasible agreement is reached. 

Of course, make sure you don't come across as too desperate or give in to their demands, as this could give off an impression that the candidate may consider themselves above your business. In this situation, if you feel the candidate's requests are unreasonable and they prioritize their salary expectations over supporting your team, it may be best to part ways with the candidate and source a network security professional with a greater passion for the role.

When Asked About Salary Expectations From Employees

If your existing talent asks for an increase in their network security salary, respect their request and schedule a time to discuss the matter further. In this meeting, allow your employees the opportunity to justify why they feel they deserve a pay increase. If you agree with their points and can afford to meet their request, offer them a raise.

Alternatively, if you believe the employee has earned a pay raise but your business can't afford to meet their exact salary expectations, try to negotiate with your employee. Explain to them that you're not in a position to meet their request specifically but are happy to discuss alternatives. Ask them what else would satisfy their request. For example, you could offer them a partial pay rise but include additional benefits, such as more paid time off.  

It may be that your network security professional has requested a pay raise, but you feel they have yet to earn one. Make sure to listen to what they have to say and explain your justification in a considerate way. 

Never rule out the possibility of meeting your employees' network security salary expectations. Your talent may begin looking for opportunities elsewhere if they believe they won't receive a progression in pay. Instead, set goals and give your talent something to work towards, with the reward for achieving their targets being an increase in salary. 

You should also consider the possibility that some of your employees may not be as confident about discussing salary. Perhaps they've taken the time to upskill in a particular area of network security or performed well over a period of time. In that case, arrange a time to discuss their salary expectations and offer them an increase in pay. Doing so will support your employee retention strategy while demonstrating to your employees that you value their contributions. 

Overall, it's crucial not to dismiss conversations about network security salary expectations with existing and future talent. Failing to listen to salary requests from candidates and employees could negatively impact your talent attraction and retention strategies. Make sure to engage with these conversations and initiate them yourself when necessary. It's essential to do so, as it highlights the value you see in potential talent and your existing network security workforce.

Salary Expectations of the Top Network Security Jobs

For additional context regarding network security salary expectations, we’ve included this section to outline the typical salaries of the top roles in the space. These salaries align with our guide on the 5 Network Security Jobs You Should Consider Hiring For. In the above insight piece, we detail the roles you should factor into your recruitment strategy, including the responsibilities of each role and the skills and qualifications to consider. Now, it’s time to see how much talent in these positions expect to earn.

Let’s take a look at the annual salary range for the below network security jobs:

• Network Security Analyst
  • Entry-level: $81,150
  • Average salary: $105,000
  • High earners: $145,270
• Network Security Architect
  • Entry-level: $124,918
  • Average salary: $147,368
  • High earners: $186,376
• AI Security Specialist
  • Entry-level: $115,030
  • Average salary: $153,911
  • High earners: $204,491
• Network Support Engineer
  • Entry-level: $90,000
  • Average salary: $112,419
  • High earners: $150,029
• Network Security Consultant
  • Entry-level: $98,787
  • Average salary: $125,000
  • High earners: $173,508

Note: All the above salaries have been delivered by Talent.com. These salaries may have changed since the time of this writing. We’ve included these network security salary expectations to give you an idea of what you could pay your existing and future talent. Be aware that these salaries may differ based on the market or industry your network security recruitment strategy is focused on.

Make sure to conduct your own research into network security salary expectations and speak to experts such as a reputable recruitment agency. 

The Final Word on Network Security Salary Expectations

Understanding network security salary expectations is vital for ensuring your business delivers successful recruitment and retention strategies. As we’ve discussed, offering competitive salaries helps attract qualified candidates, sets clear expectations, and demonstrates transparency. Additionally, understanding salary trends can support your hiring budget while helping you maintain market awareness. 

By balancing competitive pay with benefits and growth opportunities, you can secure and retain top network security professionals and ensure your business remains safeguarded against evolving cyber threats. Conducting regular market research and consulting with recruitment experts will further support these efforts, keeping your organization ahead of the competition in network security.

If you found this guide useful, read our piece on the 5 Network Security Certifications Your Talent Should Possess.

Recruiting for Network Security Jobs?

If you’re looking to source the market’s top professionals to enhance your security posture, we can help. Our specialist consultants understand the network security salary expectations and have the experience and expertise to connect you to the talent you require. With our network security recruitment support, you can achieve your hiring targets and grow your business. 

Partner with us today to find the people you need to fill your network security jobs.