11 Highest Paying Cybersecurity Jobs in Florida

Cybersecurity is already a huge sector within the tech industry and is continuing to grow rapidly. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of cybersecurity jobs is expected to increase by 35% in the next decade—seven times higher than the average.

This means cybersecurity professionals will enjoy plentiful job opportunities well into the future. But it should be noted that not all roles within the field pay equally. While the average cybersecurity salary in Florida is $91,280, the right person in the right role can earn upwards of $170,000.

If you want to learn which roles have the potential to reach the highest numbers, you’ve come to the right place. Below, we’ll tell you about the 11 highest-paying cybersecurity jobs available in Florida.

As long as you have the education, skills, and certifications needed to meet entry-level standards, it’s not hard to get a cybersecurity job in Florida or most other U.S. states. 2022 saw an all-time high of 700,000 open cybersecurity jobs across the nation, and there’s currently a national shortage of cybersecurity experts to fill them. 

This shortage makes job searching quicker and easier for many junior cybersecurity professionals. Education, another barrier to entering the field, is also seeing improvements with the rise of affordable online bootcamps and even a state and local cybersecurity grant program launched by Biden’s administration.

Here are the 11 highest-paying cybersecurity jobs in Florida.

Network Security Engineer

Average salary: $108k

Network security engineers are generally responsible for managing a private network's safety by designing, optimizing, and monitoring network systems. They troubleshoot processes in order to boost network effectiveness and safeguard data from errors and breaches. They also oversee existing threats and eradicate dangers from their systems. Much of their work is protecting a network's sustainability so it can bounce back from setbacks like cyber attacks.

Information Security Manager

Average salary: $161k

An information security manager is in charge of designing and executing security systems that preserve an institution’s computer networks, protecting against cyber invasions, and helping to set security standards. They assess security measures, analyze reports generated by the monitoring system, manage backups, look after data recovery in emergency scenarios, and supervise investigations of security violations.

Director of Information Security

Average salary: $234k

Directors of information security devise strategies for building productive technological security systems. They establish the infrastructure for security procedures, set team objectives, and implement programming for vulnerability detection in products. Directors are sometimes responsible for hiring too, as well as training employees.

Chief Information Security Officer

Average salary: $256k

A Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) is the highest cybersecurity position at any given company. The CISO role is charged with establishing and upholding the vision and strategy of their organization’s cybersecurity goals, ensuring that data assets and pertinent technology stay well preserved.

Penetration Tester

Average salary: $98k

A penetration tester, also known as an ethical hacker, is a network security consultant who explores systems with the express intent to exploit vulnerabilities. Organizations of all kinds, even governments, employ ethical "white hat" hackers to strengthen security by discovering flaws before malicious "black hat" hackers do. They also may offer services such as the restoration of data and files harmed in a data breach.

Application Security Engineer

Average salary: $120k

Application security engineers guarantee that a company's technological and software products store data safely and securely. They work with developers and product managers to design, facilitate, and support security releases, and also execute threat modeling tests, security reviews, and dynamic tests to understand possible susceptibilities in products. They then use that information to enhance their products’ performance.

Bug Bounty Specialist/Hunter

Average salary: $60k

Bug hunters go by several titles, but their job is to explore software, websites, systems, and networks to detect and repair bugs, thus helping avoid incidents of abuse or harm. Like penetration testers, they’re experts in the mechanical nuances of cybersecurity. Bug hunters tend to work as freelancers or consultants, rather than as full-time employees on a team.

Cybersecurity Engineer

Average salary: $100k

These engineers design security measures to safeguard an organization from cyber threats. They protect networks and data, and are responsible for creating and building high-tech solutions to prevent hacking, malware, and ransomware.

Security Architect

Average salary: $176k

Security architects are responsible for maintaining computer systems to deescalate threats. They design security structures to prevent malware attacks, as well as conduct vulnerability tests.

Cybersecurity Analyst

Average salary: $83k

Cybersecurity analysts specialize in network and IT infrastructure security. They usually audit and evaluate existing systems for flaws and potential improvements, as well as check new systems for compliance and weaknesses. Security analysts must also monitor systems continually to check for anomalies and signs of potential breaches.

Security Auditor

Average salary: $73k

Security auditors assess an organization’s current systems to determine whether they comply with internal and external security standards. After completing an audit, security auditors draw up a report on the risks of the current system and make suggestions on how to improve.

According to Glassdoor, entry-level cybersecurity professionals in Florida make an average of $74,899 during their first year of work. However, this number can vary depending on the specific cybersecurity role you choose to work in.

Here are some of the most common entry-level roles in cybersecurity available to newly-qualified individuals (showing salary for 0-1 year experience):

Cybersecurity Specialist

Average salary: $77k

Cybersecurity specialists conduct audits to determine system compliance with various security standards. They report on the vulnerabilities they find and make suggestions for improvements. They’re also on hand to provide emergency assistance in the event of a security breach.

Cybercrime Analyst

Average salary: $62k

Cybercrime analysts gather intelligence on new and prevalent attack types. This involves collecting intelligence from the Deep Web and other restricted sources in order to find the most relevant and up-to-date information.

Incident and Intrusion Analyst

Average salary: $91k

Incident and intrusion analysts are experts in dealing with security breaches. When a system fails to prevent a breach, security teams need to respond immediately and assess the best course of action to close the breach and minimize damage. Incident and intrusion analysts are the professionals who lead the teams in this situation.

IT Auditor

Average salary: $73k

IT auditors design, plan, and conduct audits of an organization’s IT systems. Using risk assessment techniques, they create audit plans that determine whether a system is up to industry standards and perform these audits periodically. Security teams are constantly updating and improving their systems, so IT auditors need to make regular checks to ensure the changes are compliant and in working order.

There are a number of prominent companies with on-site cybersecurity positions in Florida, including the state itself and a number of its colleges. Here’s a list of some of the top companies in Florida hiring cybersecurity experts right now:

Verizon

The American wireless network operator, Verizon has offices in Florida and has hired various security roles such as Principal Network & Information Security Engineer in the past.

Florida Institute of Technology

The Florida Institute of Technology is a private research university offering courses in four areas: engineering and science, aeronautics, psychology and the liberal arts, and business. They have hired security specialists such as Cybersecurity Analysts in the past to protect the university’s technology infrastructure and may be in need of similar roles in the future.

Pfizer

Pfizer is an American pharmaceutical and biotechnology corporation, recently most well-known for developing one of the key COVID-19 vaccines. They have hired Senior IT Auditors in the past to help evaluate their information systems.

Navy Federal Credit Union

The Navy Federal Credit union is a not-for-profit credit union that offers affordable loans to military employees or veterans and their families. Their Florida offices have employed security specialists such as IT Auditors in the past to ensure the safety and security of their information systems.

Booz Allen Hamilton

Booz Allen Hamilton is an American government and military contractor. It has over 80 offices in countries all over the world and is recruiting security positions such as Cybersecurity Engineers in Florida.

First Federal Bank

First Federal Bank is a mutual bank originating in Florida and serving over 70,000 customers. They have hired Information Security Officers in the past and may be in need of similar roles in the future to maintain the security of their information systems.

Universal Orlando Resort

Famed theme park Universal Orlando also has a large security team. Recent roles they’ve filled include a Senior Manager of IT Security Operations.

University of Miami

The University of Miami is a private research university in Coral Gables, Florida, with over 19,000 students enrolled in nearly 350 majors. They have various security needs and have hired an IT Security Manager to help ensure the safety and security of their information systems.

The State of Florida

With all the sensitive information the state of Florida stores, cybersecurity is essential. Recent hires include an Incident Response Manager.

There’s no one set path to entering a cybersecurity career in Florida. Depending on your background, there are multiple routes you can take to get the skills and get hired.

No Experience

If you have no experience in cybersecurity, you should focus on getting a cybersecurity education, and then applying to entry-level roles.

Related Career Transition 

If you’ve already worked in the tech industry as a programmer, analyst, or in another technical role, your prior experience and existing network can help you transition into cybersecurity. To equip yourself with the essential skills while working full time, one popular option is to enroll in an online bootcamp like USF’s cybersecurity bootcamp. Once you graduate, your related experience can help you stand out as a candidate and you can apply for more senior roles.

Unrelated Career Transition

Even if you’ve never worked in the tech industry before, all industries use technology and require secure IT systems. This means your prior experience can still help you stand out. Before you start applying for jobs, of course, you need to learn the key skills required by cybersecurity professionals.

To do this, you can study independently, attend a night school, or enroll in an online career bootcamp. This last option is great for full-time workers because they run on a part-time schedule and let students choose when they work.

With such booming growth in the industry, there’s room at the table for everyone. So take the first step toward a new career and get started with USF’s cybersecurity bootcamp.

Here are a few things you can do to earn a higher cybersecurity salary:

Keep Learning

Regardless of the educational route you choose, don’t be satisfied with just graduating. Use open-source projects, hobby projects, online courses, and other resources to develop your skills and continue to grow as a cybersecurity specialist. 

Earn a Certification

Security certifications like CompTIA Security+ showcase your expertise. When a recruiter or a hiring manager sees this on your resume, they know with confidence exactly what you can do and what value you’ll bring to their team.

Be Proactive

You can’t just sit back and expect pay rises or new job offers to come to you. Proactive workers get promoted because they make themselves known, active, and valued contributors to their departments or companies.

We’ve got the answers to your most frequently asked questions. 

Is cybersecurity a good career in Florida?

Florida is full of organizations that require cybersecurity professionals, from private companies to universities and the state itself. This creates a lot of job opportunities which, when combined with high salaries and a high job satisfaction rate, makes cybersecurity a great career in Florida.

Can I get into cybersecurity without a degree?

Definitely. As more and more tech companies embrace the removal of four-year degrees as a job requirement, more affordable educational methods become viable options. For example, enrolling in an online career bootcamp can take you from beginner to job-ready in under a year.

Is it hard to get a cybersecurity job without experience?

There are plenty of entry-level cybersecurity roles out there that involve taking on low-level tasks and working with more experienced engineers. It’s possible to land these kinds of roles as a fresh graduate without professional experience but it’s still best to try to complete an internship or participate in freelance or open-source work to expand your portfolio first.