CEH salary guide: What Certified Ethical Hackers really earn
The CEH salary range continues to climb as organizations across industries seek skilled professionals who can protect their networks from malicious actors. The market for ethical hacking services is expanding rapidly, projected to grow from $3.4 billion in 2023 to $10.24 billion by 2028.
This 200% growth reflects the urgent demand for Certified Ethical Hackers who can demonstrate their expertise and effectively safeguard digital assets across every sector.
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What does an ethical hacker do?
A career in ethical hacking requires authorization to access computer systems using techniques similar to malicious attackers, but with protective intent. Ethical hackers typically perform comprehensive security assessments, apply testing methodologies to identify network vulnerabilities, and implement countermeasures to address weak points. After completing their work, they document potential breach vectors and compromise opportunities that could be exploited.
On a typical day, an ethical hacker targets specific elements of an organization's network with explicit permission. Their responsibilities commonly include:
- Exploiting vulnerabilities in web applications
- Employing phishing techniques to test authentication security
- Attempting lateral movement through networks to access endpoints, databases, and servers
- Developing detailed reports documenting findings and providing actionable security recommendations
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Average CEH salary data and trends
As a certified security professional, you'll likely command higher compensation than non-certified counterparts because credentials like the CEH certification significantly improve your prospects for securing high-paying positions.
- Salary.com reports ethical hacking compensation between $91,128 and $140,476, with an average base salary of $113,548. Additional bonuses average $5,396 in additional compensation.
- Glassdoor data indicates an average CEH salary between $103,000 and $180,000 annually, and an average total compensation (including bonuses and other additional pay of $136,000.
- Payscale reports an average base CEH certification salary of $106,000 annually.
Based on these sources, the average total pay of U.S. CEH professionals as of June 2025 is around $126,547. However, this role can vary quite a bit depending your job title, industry, experience, location and other factors.
Experience factor in CEH salary
Experience significantly impacts your earning potential as a Certified Ethical Hacker because it directly relates to your skill versatility and effectiveness. The ethical hacking pay scale on Glassdoor shows salary progression based on experience:
- 0-1 year: $106,000
- 1-3 years: $125,000
- 4-6 years: $147,000
- 7-9 years: $167,000
- 10-14 years: $193,000
- 15+ years: $237,000
Entry-level professionals can expect to earn much less than seasoned professionals. However, even "entry-level" hacking professionals likely have experience in other areas of IT and cybersecurity before they'd land a role as an ethical hacker. This substantial difference makes starting your career path as soon as possible advantageous, while documenting all your ethical hacking activities to build a compelling portfolio.
Location factor in CEH salary
Geographic location also substantially affects CEH salary by location due to several factors:
- Regional average compensation for information security positions
- Local competition among qualified ethical hackers
- Industry concentration and specific security needs in your area
For example, according to Salary.com data, the average base CEH salary in established tech hubs like San Francisco, with a higher cost of living, is much higher than other growing cybersecurity hubs like Birmingham, Alabama:
- San Francisco: $148,612
- New York: $137,902
- Chicago: $122,969
- Orlando, Florida: $112,330
- Birmingham, Alabama: $110,879
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Industry factors in CEH salary
Industry is another factor that affects salaries. For example, Glassdoor data shows average total CEH pay of $163,000 for legal, $138,000 for information technology and $127,000 for education. Individual companies also make a difference. At Google, ethical hackers earn a median of $159,000 annually, while IBM offers approximately $138,000.
A crucial factor contributing to higher CEH salary ranges is how essential your role is from your employer's perspective. Legal and technology companies with complex digital ecosystems containing numerous potential vulnerabilities may consider ethical hackers mission-critical for operational viability.
Conversely, other companies with straightforward e-commerce platforms — or just less funding overall for cybersecurity staff — may be forced to pay lower wages. In such cases, your role might require less specialized expertise than what's necessary for more network-dependent organizations, potentially affecting compensation.
How certification impacts ethical hacker compensation
Your own education, skill level and industry certifications represent another crucial factor influencing ethical hacker earnings. They assure employers that professionals possess the knowledge to identify vulnerabilities and deliver comprehensive improvement recommendations. For cybersecurity professionals pursuing advancement, certifications provide powerful credentials during job searches.
Industry-recognized certifications like CEH often motivate employers to offer higher compensation because they validate your capabilities. A primary reason for the enhanced pay for Certified Ethical Hackers is how the required skills align with industry needs in 2025. Certification exam designers systematically ensure each test adapts to the most current demands in the cybersecurity landscape.
For example, the CEH certification program includes at least three modules focusing on SQL injection — an attack methodology involving code manipulation to control database behavior or extract information. This represents a major attack vector in 2025 as numerous businesses depend on database-driven applications. By emphasizing SQL injection content, the CEH program ensures certification candidates possess the knowledge to protect modern applications and business data systems.
The CEH eligibility requirements ensure candidates meet rigorous standards. The recent CEH v13 update integrates artificial intelligence across all five phases of ethical hacking, empowering professionals in the contemporary security landscape. These AI-powered ethical hacking techniques provide a competitive advantage that typically results in higher compensation from employers seeking cutting-edge protection.
While certifications are an important factor hiring managers rely on, it's important to be able to demonstrate your skills through discussing and sharing hands-on projects that you've worked on. By combining certifications with proven abilities, you will be better positioned to land your first, or next, ethical hacking job.
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Career pathways and earnings progression
Regardless of which cybersecurity career path interests you, earning your Certified Ethical Hacker credentials can unlock diverse professional opportunities, including positions as a:
- Security consultant, providing strategic guidance on optimal security measures
- Security analyst, monitoring networks and investigating security incidents
- Security engineer, designing and implementing effective security solutions
- Chief information security officer (CISO), managing IT security teams and organizational protection strategies
Your compensation increases proportionally with experience and responsibility. For instance, a CISO, who oversees the security of an entire organization, can command much higher pay than a junior security analyst.
The ethical hacking job outlook remains exceptionally strong, with consistent growth projected through the decade as organizations continue prioritizing security testing.
Breaking into the ethical hacking field
To become an ethical hacker, you need technical skills to penetrate systems and manipulate or extract data once inside. Essential capabilities include:
- Working proficiently with networking protocols, hardware and software
- Leveraging AI-driven techniques for task automation and proactive threat detection
- Understanding common programming languages like Python and Java
- Knowledge of major operating systems including Linux, Windows, Unix, and iOS
- Familiarity with cybersecurity tools and their limitations
Experience is another valuable asset when entering the ethical hacking field. When applying for positions, highlight relevant experience directly related to the potential employer's digital ecosystem—even if gained through home labs, capture-the-flag events, training cyber ranges, or similar environments.
If you're wondering, "How do I become an ethical hacker?" the entry point doesn't necessarily require extensive time, particularly with appropriate certifications. Demonstrating significant experience through cyber range work or capture-the-flag competitions can establish employer confidence and help secure positions. Preparing thoroughly for ethical hacking interview questions can also significantly improve your hiring prospects.
Ning Wang of Offensive Security explains different ethical hacking specialties in this clip from the Cyber Work Podcast.
Similarly, you can increase your earnings and advance professionally as you identify vulnerabilities and provide solutions, demonstrating your value in concrete, quantifiable ways. The certification salary benefits become increasingly apparent as you progress in your career.
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Future outlook for ethical hacking compensation
Over the coming years, ethical hacking will continue to rise in importance among cybersecurity roles. This growth stems from the unique nature of modern cyberattacks, many of which evade detection by conventional threat identification tools. Zero-day attacks, new AI-enabled attack methods and other threats continue to emerge. Ethical hackers expose these vulnerabilities and help organizations address them proactively.
Your specific earnings will depend on experience level, skill diversity and other factors. Regardless of your current ethical hacking experience, this field offers lucrative opportunities as organizations increasingly need these specialized skills. Beginning your journey now allows you to build an experience portfolio that compels hiring managers to engage your services for security testing and improvement.
The ethical hacking ROI for professionals obtaining certification continues to strengthen as cybersecurity threats evolve and become more sophisticated, making specialized expertise increasingly valuable in today's complex digital landscape.
For additional salary data, download our free Cybersecurity Salary Guide. To start learning the new CEH concepts, enroll in our interactive, 1-hour workshop, Learn how to hack with AI.
EC-Council CEH
EC-Council CEH
