How Much Does a SOC Analyst Make
I've lived a pretty extraordinary life. I've made a ton of money, and I finally got to the point where money just wasn't making me happy anymore. I had to do something I felt was worth doing. I lost interest in going to work and doing what felt like brainless work for tons of money. I felt like Sisyphus. In fact, I made several posts on Facebook about how I hated my Sisyphean life. And it was true—I hated every single thing about it. This is How Much Does a SOC Analyst Make?
Sisyphus comes from Greek mythology. He was to push a boulder up a hill, and then it'd just roll back down, and he'd have to push it back up the hill. So, for eternity, he was just pushing a bolder up a hill in a pointless endeavor with no meaning or purpose, and that's how I felt.
I had already traveled the world, bought expensive toys, and bought big houses. Money had no purpose for me anymore other than to let me eat and put a roof over my head, which I figured was a small amount of my actual income. It became more important to me to be fruitful in what I did with my time than to be reimbursed for something meaningless.
So, I left a $185,000-a-year job. Well, that's not even entirely accurate. I just gave up on it completely and stopped doing anything. Not by choice; it was more of an intrinsic feeling of what I was doing here that paralyzed me completely.
But if you ever do, you probably have a long way to go before you reach the point I have. Most people are quite content with their lifestyle. I lived some amazing years full of bliss, and I believe everyone should go through that in their life. So, I will get personal with you and tell you about my journey.
Salaries depend heavily on where you live and are adjusted by the cost of living. These salaries come from Cumming, Georgia which is a suburb outside of Atlanta. The following information is anecdotal experience based on average salary expectancy outside of a large city.
Tyler's Career Trajectory (Atlanta, Georgia)
$55k / yr in 2013 as an entry-level SOC analyst
$75k / yr 1.5 years later as a SOC analyst at a different company
$105k / yr one year later as a Sr. SOC Analyst
$135k / yr one year later as a Sr. Security Engineer
$135k / yr + 25k in RSUs two years later as a Sr. Security Engineer
$160k / yr two years later as a Cybersecurity Architect
$140k + 10% bonus/yr six months later as a Cyber Advisor
$185k / yr a year and a half later as a SOC consultant
Meanwhile, I was flipping houses when the real estate market was hot and made a few million dollars in a year or two.
It's typically easier to find a job in an MSSP to start your career as a SOC analyst, but they pay less. Currently, expect to make about $60-$80k at an MSSP.
The starting salary of a permanent SOC analyst at a company's internal SOC is $80-$100k. Everyone wants a permanent role, but contracts are becoming more common. Take them. Take the contracts. Take the first job at an MSSP for a decreased salary if you have to.
There is a big pay increase from SOC Analyst to Senior SOC Analyst, which lasts only about two years. Senior SOC Analysts make well over six figures everywhere in the country.
So, best of luck to you, and I hope you have some amazing years ahead of you like I did. Don't feel bad for me; I am finally doing something that has a point again: helping you live those amazing years I did.
Tyler Wall is the founder of Cyber NOW Education. He holds bills for a Master of Science from Purdue University and CISSP, CCSK, CFSR, CEH, Sec+, Net+, and A+ certifications. He mastered the SOC after having held every position from analyst to architect and is the author of three books, 100+ professional articles, and ten online courses specifically for SOC analysts.
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