Penetration Testers in California
Want to work as a Penetration Testers in California? Here’s what you need to know. All computer occupations not listed separately. Excludes “Computer and Information Systems Managers” (11-3021), “Computer Hardware Engineers” (17-2061), “Electrical and Electronics Engineers” (17-2070), “Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary” (25-1021), “Special Effects Artists and Animators” (27-1014), “Graphic Designers” (27-1024), “Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars” (29-9021), and “Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers” (49-2011).
What do Penetration Testers Make in California?
For a penetration testers working in California, the median annual wage is $128,750 per year (or about $61.90/hour).Pay can range from $55,640 at the 10th percentile to $213,440 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $55,640 | $26.75 |
| 25th percentile | $80,830 | $38.86 |
| Median (50th) | $128,750 | $61.90 |
| 75th percentile | $169,140 | $81.32 |
| 90th percentile | $213,440 | $102.61 |
Location quotient — how concentrated this career is in California compared to the national average — is 1.66, meaning that penetration testers are more concentrated here than the national average.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, penetration testers earn a median of $93,800 per year ($45.10/hour), exceeding the California median.
Employment Outlook
National employment for 91,324 penetration testers across the United States. In California alone, around 85,270 people work in this role. That puts the state above the typical state, which employs around 3,420 penetration testers.
Top California Metros for Penetration Testers
The largest metro-area employers of penetration testers in California.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 23,310 | $101,840 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 18,680 | $157,380 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 15,550 | $168,070 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 8,210 | $121,560 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 3,160 | $109,100 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 2,740 | $92,370 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 1,540 | $103,790 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | 1,070 | $106,790 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 780 | $125,090 |
| Fresno, CA | 610 | $85,490 |
| Salinas, CA | 500 | $126,280 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | 420 | $80,200 |
| Modesto, CA | 320 | $91,020 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | 320 | $93,310 |
| Vallejo, CA | 250 | $105,600 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | 180 | $104,800 |
| Visalia, CA | 130 | $78,480 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | 120 | $103,230 |
| Redding, CA | 110 | $80,180 |
| Chico, CA | 100 | $86,580 |
| Napa, CA | 90 | $94,360 |
| Merced, CA | 80 | $71,820 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | 70 | $95,910 |
| Yuba City, CA | 60 | $98,920 |
| El Centro, CA | 40 | $90,650 |
Top States for Penetration Testers Employment
These states have the highest employment of penetration testers work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| California | 85,270 |
| Texas | 59,680 |
| Maryland | 19,940 |
| Georgia | 18,590 |
| Florida | 18,320 |
| Pennsylvania | 17,710 |
| District of Columbia | 17,210 |
| Virginia | 14,020 |
| North Carolina | 13,660 |
| Washington | 13,620 |
| Missouri | 13,180 |
| New Jersey | 12,490 |
| Illinois | 11,440 |
| Tennessee | 11,190 |
| New York | 9,860 |
| Colorado | 8,690 |
| Michigan | 7,400 |
| Massachusetts | 6,100 |
| South Carolina | 5,840 |
| Arizona | 5,740 |
Highest-Paying States for Penetration Testers
The highest-paying states for penetration testers.
| State | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Virgin Islands | $179,830 |
| Maryland | $141,540 |
| District of Columbia | $137,610 |
| Virginia | $132,810 |
| Delaware | $132,670 |
| Washington | $131,800 |
| California | $128,750 |
| Colorado | $119,560 |
| West Virginia | $113,030 |
| Hawaii | $112,050 |
Daily Tasks
Penetration Testers typically:
- Assess the physical security of servers, systems, or network devices to identify vulnerability to temperature, vandalism, or natural disasters.
- Collect stakeholder data to evaluate risk and to develop mitigation strategies.
- Conduct network and security system audits, using established criteria.
- Configure information systems to incorporate principles of least functionality and least access.
- Design security solutions to address known device vulnerabilities.
- Develop and execute tests that simulate the techniques of known cyber threat actors.
- Develop infiltration tests that exploit device vulnerabilities.
- Develop presentations on threat intelligence.
- Develop security penetration testing processes, such as wireless, data networks, and telecommunication security tests.
- Discuss security solutions with information technology teams or management.
- Document penetration test findings.
- Evaluate vulnerability assessments of local computing environments, networks, infrastructures, or enclave boundaries.
Tools & Technology
Software and systems commonly involved: Hot technologies: Amazon Web Services AWS software, Ansible software, Apple iOS, Apple macOS, Bash In-demand technologies: Amazon Web Services AWS software, Bash, C
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Programs that train for this career include:
- Computer Science
- Computer Information Systems
- Information Science
- Information Technology
- Data Processing
- Computational Science
- Human Computer Interaction
- Mathematics & Computer Science
- Accounting & Computer Science
- Medical Illustration & Informatics
- Security Science and Technology
- Biomathematics & Bioinformatics
- Chemistry
Featured schools near , edit
Related Careers
Careers similar to penetration testers include:
- Security Managers
- Computer and Information Systems Managers
- Security Management Specialists
- Computer Systems Analysts
- Information Security Analysts
- Computer Network Support Specialists
Also Known As
Application Security Assessor, Application Security Hacker, Application Security Tester, Certified Hacker, Certified Tester, Consulting Advisory Tester, Cyber Analyst, Cyber Assessment Tester, Cyber Assessor, Cyber Security Engineer, Cyber Security Tester, Cyber Tester, Cybersecurity Engineer (Cyber Engineer), Cybersecurity Specialist, Embedded Tester.
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
- BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- O*NET-SOC code: 15-1299.04
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