Penetration Tester

Simulates attacks to find security vulnerabilities.

Also known as:AI Security Specialist (Artificial Intelligence Security Specialist)All-Source AnalystApplication Security AnalystApplications Security AnalystAutomatic Data Processing Systems Security Specialist (ADP Systems Security)Blue Team Member

Compensation by seniority

Reported

Median

$129k

Mean

$133k

10th–90th pct

$75k–$200k

Employed (US)

190650

Confidence: 90% · based on real BLS OEWS data covering all experience levels (not broken out by seniority) · 190,650 employed nationally · last updated 9/24/2026

Historical trend & projection

Median total compensation at the typical seniority level for this role, 2021–2025, projected forward under three scenarios.

Simulated

Common skills

Penetration Testing

Core

Application Security

Core

Common certifications

Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) · 15% of postingsCertified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) · 30% of postings

Education requirements

Share of surveyed workers/experts reporting each education level as typical for this occupation (O*NET).

Reported

Bachelor's Degree

53% typical

Certificate

30% typical

Associate Degree

13% typical

Master's Degree

3% typical

Explore education impact for related majors →

Common next roles

Red Team Operator+12.3%Vulnerability Researcher+2.9%

Common previous roles

Vulnerability Researcher+2.8%Red Team Operator+10.9%

Demand snapshot

Active openings (simulated)800

Posting growth (est. from real category-level trend)+24.4%

Median days to fill—

Estimated

Employed (US)190,650

Projected growth11.5%/yr

Reported

Role characteristics

Remote-friendliness55%

Automation exposure25%

Sources & freshness

Compensation and employment figures on this page are real, reported datafrom the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (all experience levels combined — BLS doesn't break wages out by seniority). Education requirements and some alternate titles are real data from O*NET. Historical trend, projections, and demand figures below remain simulated demo data.

Read the full methodology