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Cybersecurity Analyst Salary in the United Kingdom 2026: £39K Median & Range

What does a Cybersecurity Analyst earn in the United Kingdom?

The median Cybersecurity Analyst salary in the United Kingdom is £39K in 2026, with a typical range from £28K to £49K. Year-on-year movement is still building as more matched salary data is published. London & South East currently leads city pay at £60K. This is base salary for permanent employees.

What does A Cybersecurity Analyst do?

A Cybersecurity Analyst is responsible for monitoring, detecting, and responding to security threats across an organisation's systems and networks.

Day-to-day responsibilities

  • Monitoring SIEM dashboards for threat signals
  • Investigating security alerts
  • Conducting vulnerability assessments
  • Writing incident reports
  • Managing phishing simulations
  • Advising on security hygiene improvements
Low demand+16% CISSP+14% SIEM platforms (Splunk, Sentinel)+15% Threat intelligence frameworks (MITRE ATT&CK)

Permanent Salary Benchmark for Cybersecurity Analyst

Permanent salary benchmarks for Cybersecurity Analyst in the United Kingdom, from the low end to the top of the range, based on published market compensation data.

£39K

national median per year

£39K
£24K£60K
Low
£24K
P25
£28K
Median
£39K
P75
£49K
High
£60K

High evidence · United Kingdom annual benchmark · 2026 data · How we check our numbers

Cybersecurity Analyst Salary by Seniority Level

Seniority is the biggest single driver of Cybersecurity Analyst pay in the United Kingdom. Entry-level roles start at £60K, rising 0% to £60K at lead or principal level.

General

£39K

£28K-£49K middle band

Director

£60K

£43K-£85K middle band

Lead

£50K

£43K-£85K middle band

Junior

£60K

£35K-£83K middle band

Manager

£70K

£47K-£84K middle band

Mid

£57K

£48K-£66K middle band

Senior

£70K

£57K-£82K middle band

Skills That Command a Premium for Cybersecurity Analysts

Certain technical skills push Cybersecurity Analyst salaries in the United Kingdom significantly above the £39K median. These are the most impactful skills to develop or highlight when negotiating.

CISSP

+16%

salary premium vs median

SIEM platforms (Splunk, Sentinel)

+14%

salary premium vs median

Threat intelligence frameworks (MITRE ATT&CK)

+15%

salary premium vs median

Cloud security (AWS Security Hub)

+18%

salary premium vs median

Cybersecurity Analyst Salary in London, Scotland, Wales, South West England, Northern Ireland and other locations

How much does a Cybersecurity Analyst earn by city in the United Kingdom?

Cybersecurity Analyst salary varies meaningfully by location. London & South East pays the most at £60K (54% above the national benchmark), while South West & Wales sits at £50K (28% above the national benchmark). Location is worth factoring into any offer negotiation.

Cybersecurity Analyst Take-Home Pay in the UK (2026/27)

After Income Tax & National Insurance · single, standard payroll deductions

Entry

Take-home/year

£23,680

Effective rate

15.4%

Median

Take-home/year

£31,600

Effective rate

19.0%

Senior

Take-home/year

£38,800

Effective rate

20.8%

See the full band-by-band breakdown for Cybersecurity Analyst

Adjust for your actual salary, see each Income Tax and NI band, and get monthly and weekly figures.

Contract day rates available for this role

Median £675/day, see full breakdown, city rates, and take-home calculator

View Cybersecurity Analyst day rates →

Contract break-even

What day rate beats a £39K Cybersecurity Analyst salary after tax?

Break-even day rate

£188/day

to match £39K permanent net

Permanent net take-home

£31,600/yr

£39K gross, 2026/27 rates

Outside IR35 (ltd), 220 days, no pension. Net figures are estimates; use the calculators for exact results.

Market Demand & Outlook

Hiring demand, top locations, and career outlook for Cybersecurity Analyst

High Confidence

Demand level

Low

Based on hiring signals relative to similar roles in this market.

Top hiring locations

Outside LondonLondonScotlandNorth East England

Career outlook

Outlook building

Cybersecurity Analyst pay guidance is based on the current £39K median; year-on-year comparison data is not yet available for this role.

Compare this role

Put the Cybersecurity Analyst benchmark in context

Compare adjacent roles, employer estimates, published agency guides, and an offer against the market before you make a decision.

Why Cybersecurity Analyst Salaries Are at This Level

Cybersecurity Analysts in the United Kingdom earn a median salary of £39K in 2026, with a typical range from £28K at the 25th percentile to £49K at the 75th percentile. This benchmark reflects published market compensation data for annual pay across the United Kingdom market.

London & South East currently leads city pay at £60K, which is 54% above the national benchmark. City coverage for this role includes London, Scotland, Wales, South West England, Northern Ireland, North West England, North East England, Midlands, South West & Wales, North, Midlands & Scotland, London & South East, helping you compare local pay differences without needing separate city-role pages.

At experience level, entry roles start around £60K, senior roles sit near £70K, and lead-level roles reach about £50K. Demand is currently steady for this role based on recent coverage and salary momentum signals.

Frequently Asked Questions About Cybersecurity Analyst Salary in the United Kingdom

1

What is the median Cybersecurity Analyst salary in the United Kingdom?

The median Cybersecurity Analyst salary in the United Kingdom is £39K in 2026. The typical range runs from £28K at the 25th percentile to £49K at the 75th percentile, based on published market compensation data.

2

Is Cybersecurity Analyst salary increasing in the United Kingdom?

Year-on-year trend data is not yet available for this role. Check back as the dataset grows.

3

How does Cybersecurity Analyst salary vary by city in the United Kingdom?

Cybersecurity Analyst salaries vary across the United Kingdom. London & South East leads at £60K (+54% vs the national benchmark), while South West & Wales sits at £50K. Use the city breakdown above to compare all locations.

4

What does a Cybersecurity Analyst take home after tax in the United Kingdom?

A Cybersecurity Analyst earning the median £39K gross in the United Kingdom will take home a net amount after income tax and other deductions. Use the PayMetric Labs take-home calculator on this page for an exact breakdown by tax band.

5

What experience level earns the most as a Cybersecurity Analyst in the United Kingdom?

Lead-level Cybersecurity Analysts in the United Kingdom earn the most, with a median of £50K, compared to £60K at entry level. Seniority is the strongest single driver of pay in this role.

6

Is a £39K Cybersecurity Analyst hybrid role worth the commute in the UK?

On a 3-day hybrid schedule with a typical UK commute (£15/day travel, 60-minute round trip, daily meal premium, annual wardrobe costs), your true net income at £39K is approximately £25,220 per year, compared to £31,600 net without any commute. The commute costs £6,380 per year in direct expenses and lost time. A fully remote role paying £30,200 would leave you equally well off.

7

What remote salary is equivalent to a £39K hybrid Cybersecurity Analyst salary in the UK?

Assuming a 3-day hybrid schedule with typical commute costs, you would need a remote salary of at least £30,200 to match the true net value of a £39K hybrid Cybersecurity Analyst role in the UK. For a 5-day fully in-office role, the break-even remote salary rises to £24,700, as the higher office frequency increases travel, meal, and time costs significantly.

8

How many hours per year does a Cybersecurity Analyst in the UK spend commuting?

On a 3-day hybrid schedule with a 60-minute round trip, a Cybersecurity Analyst in the UK spends approximately 138 hours commuting per year, equivalent to 17 full working days. Valued at the implied hourly rate for a £39K salary (£23/hr), that time is worth £3,120 annually.

9

How does the 2026 Return to Office trend affect Cybersecurity Analyst compensation in the UK?

As more employers in the UK reintroduce hybrid or full in-office mandates in 2026, the true value of a Cybersecurity Analyst salary depends increasingly on the number of required office days. At £39K, each additional day in the office costs roughly £1,960 per year in direct and time costs (moving from 3 to 5 days). Candidates evaluating offers should compare true net income rather than gross salary alone.

10

What day rate do you need to earn more than a Cybersecurity Analyst permanent salary in the United Kingdom?

A Cybersecurity Analyst earning £39K permanently takes home approximately £31,600 per year after tax in the United Kingdom. As a outside IR35 limited company contractor at 220 billable days, you need a day rate of at least £188/day to match that net income. Anything above that rate puts more money in your pocket compared to the permanent equivalent. Use the IR35 calculator at /uk/calculators/ir35-calculator for a full breakdown.

11

Is contracting more profitable than a permanent Cybersecurity Analyst role in the United Kingdom?

Whether contracting beats permanent pay for a Cybersecurity Analyst in the United Kingdom depends entirely on the day rate you can command. The break-even rate is approximately £188/day (220 working days, outside IR35 limited company), which is the minimum required to match the £39K median permanent net take-home of £31,600 per year. Day rates above this produce a higher net income; rates below it mean the permanent role pays more after tax.

12

How reliable is this Cybersecurity Analyst salary benchmark?

This benchmark is derived from verified market compensation data and is rated High Confidence. High Confidence means the benchmark is corroborated across independent sources and is citation-ready. Moderate Confidence is directional context while coverage is still building. Limited Market Data means early signals only.

13

Is Cybersecurity Analyst pay increasing?

There is not enough matched prior-year data yet to publish a reliable growth figure. Growth is matched using the closest comparable prior-year role, location, seniority, currency, and salary type available in the salary intelligence tables.

14

What should employers and candidates take from this benchmark?

Candidates should compare offers against the £28K-£49K middle-market band, while employers should treat £39K as the current market midpoint for this role.

Sources and review

How this salary is built

Reviewed 4 September 2026

This is a PayMetric Labs benchmark, not a salary quote or a guaranteed offer. We align available United Kingdom market-guide evidence by job title, seniority, pay period, and location before publishing the range.

01 · Collect

Recorded salary and rate-guide evidence

02 · Align

Role, seniority, location, and pay period

03 · Review

Outliers, coverage, and data quality

Recorded agency-guide evidence

These organisations have guide evidence recorded for this market. Coverage differs by role and location, so a listed organisation is not necessarily the direct source for every figure on this page.

Adria UKHays UKHenderson Scott UKInta People UKMichael Page UKMorgan McKinley UKOliver Bernard UKRobert Half UK
Read our methodology

Compare Cybersecurity Analyst pay in another market

The same role has published benchmarks in these markets. Open each local page for its salary range, tax context, and city detail.

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