How Much Does a Cyber Security Expert Earn? Salary Insights for 2025

Introduction

The demand for cybersecurity experts continues to surge in 2025 as businesses face increasingly sophisticated digital threats. With global cybercrime damages projected to exceed $10 trillion annually by 2025 (source: Cybersecurity Ventures), the need for skilled professionals has never been more critical.

However, this high demand has also caused a major skills gap and with it, rising salaries for cybersecurity professionals. Companies worldwide are competing fiercely for talent, pushing compensation levels higher across industries.

At Euro IT Sourcing, we enable businesses to overcome these challenges by providing top-tier IT security engineers from Eastern Europe, ensuring both affordability and access to world-class cybersecurity expertise.

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Global Cybersecurity Salary Overview (2025)

1. Average Global Salaries

Cybersecurity compensation varies significantly based on region, expertise, and role. Here’s what professionals can expect in 2025:

• Entry-Level Cybersecurity Analyst: $65,000–$85,000 per year
• Mid-Level Security Engineer: $90,000–$120,000 per year
• Ethical Hacker / Penetration Tester: $95,000–$130,000 per year
• Cybersecurity Manager: $120,000–$160,000 per year
• Chief Information Security Officer (CISO): $180,000–$250,000+ per year

These figures reflect data aggregated from Gartner, Glassdoor, and (ISC)² reports, showing an overall 15–20% increase compared to 2023 levels.

Reference: (ISC)² Cybersecurity Workforce Study 2024

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Regional Breakdown

North America

The United States remains the highest-paying region for cybersecurity roles, driven by regulatory pressures, digital transformation, and a growing reliance on AI-driven threat detection.

• Average cybersecurity salary: $130,000
• Top-paying cities: San Francisco, Washington D.C., New York

Europe

Western Europe shows steady growth, with Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK leading demand. However, Eastern Europe is rapidly gaining traction as a nearshore cybersecurity hub, offering high-quality talent at 30–50% lower costs.

• Western Europe average: €95,000
• Eastern Europe average: €60,000–€75,000

Asia-Pacific

Markets like Singapore and Australia are experiencing sharp increases in cybersecurity budgets, with salaries rising 10–15% year-on-year.

• Average: $80,000–$110,000

Reference: European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA)

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Roles in Demand for 2025

Organizations are focusing on proactive cybersecurity and AI-integrated defense systems, creating demand for specific skill sets. The most sought-after roles this year include:

• Cloud Security Engineers (AWS, Azure, GCP security frameworks)
• SOC Analysts and Threat Hunters
• AI Security Specialists (protecting machine learning models)
• Penetration Testers and Ethical Hackers
• Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) Experts

These roles not only command competitive salaries but also define the future of digital resilience.

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Outsourcing: A Strategic Response to Salary Inflation

As cybersecurity salaries rise, companies are increasingly outsourcing security operations to nearshore and offshore partners. This approach offers:

1. Access to skilled experts without the inflated costs of local markets.
2. Faster onboarding, as outsourced teams are already vetted and trained.
3. 24/7 monitoring and coverage, made possible by distributed teams.
4. Cost savings of 35–60%, particularly when hiring from Eastern Europe through Euro IT Sourcing.

Outsourcing ensures that companies maintain strong defenses while managing budget constraints — a critical balance in 2025’s volatile threat landscape.

Reference: Gartner – 2024 Cybersecurity Outsourcing Trends

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Metrics & Outcomes

Organizations that adopt outsourced cybersecurity models report:

• 40% faster incident response times
• Up to 60% cost reduction in security operations
• 30% higher efficiency in compliance monitoring
• Reduced downtime through proactive threat detection

These measurable outcomes prove that outsourcing is not just a cost-saving tactic but a strategic enabler of resilience and innovation.

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Risks & Mitigations

Risk → Data sovereignty and compliance issues
Mitigation → Ensure vendors comply with GDPR, ISO 27001, and SOC 2 standards.

Risk → Loss of visibility over outsourced teams
Mitigation → Establish clear SLAs, regular audits, and transparent communication channels.

Risk → Skill mismatch or underperformance
Mitigation → Partner with verified providers like Euro IT Sourcing that pre-vet talent and ensure technical excellence.

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Key Takeaways

• Cybersecurity salaries are reaching record highs in 2025 due to global talent shortages.
• The average salary increase across all roles is around 15–20% year-over-year.
• Eastern Europe provides a powerful solution for accessing skilled experts at reduced costs.
• Outsourcing cybersecurity combines cost efficiency, scalability, and top-tier protection.
• Euro IT Sourcing helps businesses secure and scale their IT defense capabilities efficiently.

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Author: Matt Borekci
Contact Us: Euro IT Sourcing