Cyber security analyst salary UK 2026: £50,000 median, and what shapes it
By TalentDock Editorial Team · Updated 27 September 2026 · 6 min read
Cyber security analyst salary ranges
| Percentile | Salary | Indicative profile |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | £29,800 | Graduate or first security role |
| 25th | £40,000 | 1-3 years, Security+ level |
| Median | £50,000 | Experienced analyst, SIEM and vulnerability tooling |
| 75th | £65,000 | Senior analyst, cloud or specialist skills |
| 90th | £80,000 | Lead analyst or London financial services |
The median fell 11.5% on the same period in 2025 (£56,500), partly because far more junior and mid-level analyst roles were advertised: 566 ads against 66 a year earlier. Robert Half’s placement-based 2026 figures for an information security analyst are £42,250 / £47,500 / £56,000 (25th / 50th / 75th).
Analyst salary by region
| Location | Median |
|---|---|
| London | £72,500 |
| South East | £60,000 |
| East of England | £57,500 |
| East Midlands | £50,000 |
| North West | £50,000 |
| Midlands | £47,500 |
| North of England | £45,000 |
| South West | £45,000 |
| UK excluding London | £45,000 |
Skills and certifications in demand
Over half of analyst ads in the period mentioned CompTIA Security+, CompTIA CySA+ and Microsoft Azure, though one large recruitment campaign inflated those shares. Across the wider sample, SIEM, security operations, incident response and vulnerability management were the most requested skills, with ISO/IEC 27001 and NIST the most cited frameworks.
Employer cost vs an offshore analyst
| Option | Monthly cost |
|---|---|
| UK analyst at £50,000 (salary + employer NICs + minimum pension) | ≈ £4,840 |
| UK analyst in London at £72,500 | ≈ £6,995 |
| TalentDock offshore analyst (all-in) | From £1,695 |
More roles in the UK cyber security salary guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average cyber security analyst salary in the UK?
£50,000 was the median in UK job ads in the six months to 26 September 2026.
What does an entry-level cyber security analyst earn?
Around £30,000 to £40,000; the 10th percentile was £29,800 and the 25th £40,000.
How much does a SOC analyst earn in the UK?
The SOC analyst median was £53,000 over the same period.
Do London analysts earn more?
Yes. The London median was £72,500 against £45,000 outside London, though London samples are smaller.
Which certification raises analyst pay most?
No single certificate sets pay. Analyst ads most often ask for CompTIA Security+ and CySA+; CISSP and CISM appear more often in senior and engineering ads.
IT Jobs Watch, cyber security analyst and SOC analyst permanent job statistics, six months to 26 September 2026; Robert Half 2026 UK Salary Guide, information security analyst.
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