Experience and education are key factors in determining the salary of ethical hackers, who are hired to test a company’s computer systems for vulnerabilities. The industry and the extent of testing also affect the salary.
Ethical hackers, also known as penetration testers, are people who are paid to try to break into a company’s computer systems to determine the system’s security from these third-party attacks. Experience is an important factor in determining an ethical hacker’s salary, because, for example, someone with 10 years of experience usually earns more than someone with two years of experience. Education is a close second in determining an ethical hacker’s salary, because someone with a higher degree or certification typically makes more money. Many companies hire ethical hackers, which also contribute to the hacker’s salary, as well as the type of tests the hacker is able to perform.
One of the biggest factors in determining an ethical hacker salary is experience. In most cases, although other factors can offset this, a hacker with a longer work history is likely to make more money than someone with less experience. This is because ethical hackers with more experience often know better ways to test a server for vulnerability and can more easily spot the telltale signs of a vulnerable system.
There are different ways an ethical hacker can become certified, and the amount of education and number of certifications a hacker plays into their salary as well. For example, an ethical hacker with a master’s degree in computer science typically earns more than someone with a bachelor’s degree in the same field. In addition to degrees, the number of certifications he has, as well as the length of the certification process, can also affect an ethical hacker’s salary.
All kinds of industries and companies need ethical hackers to test the effectiveness of a system to prevent malicious attacks, and the industry will also affect the ethical hacker salary. For example, banks and government contractors typically pay more than healthcare and consulting companies, but this also comes down to the company itself. A company prone to attacks may be willing to pay more to an ethical hacker simply because it is desperate to keep its information safe.
An ethical hacker’s salary can also be affected by the extensiveness of their testing. Ethical hackers who are able to perform more extensive vulnerability and penetration testing are generally paid more because they have more ability to ensure that the server can be protected from many different malicious attacks. For example, if one ethical hacker is hired to test one section of a server’s vulnerability and another hacker is hired to test multiple sections, the second hacker is usually paid more.
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