Salary transparency in cybersecurity has improved significantly in recent years, but threat intelligence remains a discipline where compensation varies enormously based on sector, geography, specialization, and the specific value your organization assigns to intelligence work. This guide synthesizes salary data from job postings, community surveys, and industry reports to give you the most accurate picture currently available.
Methodology
This guide draws on data from our job board, LinkedIn Salary, levels.fyi where applicable, the CTI community salary survey (n=412), and public filings. Where ranges are provided, the lower bound represents the 25th percentile and the upper bound represents the 75th percentile. All figures are base salary, excluding bonuses and equity.
United States
The U.S. market pays the highest base salaries globally for CTI work, with significant variance between private sector, government/cleared, and consulting roles.
| Seniority | Range (USD) | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Junior (0–3 yrs) | $65,000 – $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Mid (3–6 yrs) | $95,000 – $135,000 | $115,000 |
| Senior (6–10 yrs) | $130,000 – $175,000 | $150,000 |
| Lead (8–12 yrs) | $155,000 – $210,000 | $180,000 |
| Manager (8+ yrs) | $160,000 – $220,000 | $190,000 |
Cleared roles (TS/SCI) typically command a 15–25% premium over equivalent uncleared positions.
United Kingdom
| Seniority | Range (GBP) | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Junior (0–3 yrs) | £35,000 – £50,000 | £42,000 |
| Mid (3–6 yrs) | £50,000 – £70,000 | £60,000 |
| Senior (6–10 yrs) | £65,000 – £90,000 | £75,000 |
| Lead (8–12 yrs) | £80,000 – £110,000 | £95,000 |
| Manager (8+ yrs) | £85,000 – £120,000 | £100,000 |
European Union
EU compensation varies significantly by country. Germany and the Netherlands sit at the higher end; Eastern European markets are substantially lower but often offer strong remote work opportunities with Western employers.
| Seniority | Range (EUR — DACH/NL) | Range (EUR — Poland/Czech) |
|---|---|---|
| Junior | €45,000 – €65,000 | €25,000 – €40,000 |
| Mid | €65,000 – €90,000 | €40,000 – €60,000 |
| Senior | €85,000 – €120,000 | €55,000 – €80,000 |
| Lead/Manager | €110,000 – €150,000 | €70,000 – €100,000 |
MENA Region
The Gulf states (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar) are increasingly significant markets for CTI talent. Compensation is tax-free in UAE and Bahrain, which substantially improves the real-world value of these packages.
| Seniority | Range (USD equivalent) |
|---|---|
| Mid | $70,000 – $100,000 |
| Senior | $100,000 – $140,000 |
| Manager | $130,000 – $180,000 |
Key Factors That Move the Number
Security clearance — The single biggest salary driver in the U.S. market. TS/SCI commands a substantial premium across all seniority levels.
Specialization — Malware analysts with RE skills and detection engineers with CTI backgrounds consistently command premiums of 15–30% over general-purpose analysts at equivalent seniority.
Sector — Financial services and critical infrastructure operators pay above-market. MSSPs typically pay below-market but offer broader exposure.
Remote flexibility — Organizations offering full remote increasingly compete in a national (or global) talent pool, which tends to compress geographic salary differentials.