The Definitive Cybersecurity Salary Guide for Europe
The European cybersecurity market is experiencing unprecedented growth. With NIS2, DORA and the rise of AI security, new roles are emerging and salary ranges are shifting significantly. This guide provides a complete overview of current compensation trends.
Salary Ranges by Role
CISO / Security Director
Permanent: EUR 120,000 - 197,000 per year. Interim day rates: EUR 1,200 - 2,200. Range depends heavily on organisation size and sector. Financial services and critical infrastructure pay at the top end.
Security Architect
Permanent: EUR 87,000 - 130,000. Interim: EUR 800 - 1,400 per day. Cloud security architects earn on average 15% more than on-premise specialists.
SOC Analyst (L2-L3)
Permanent: EUR 57,000 - 87,000. Interim: EUR 500 - 900 per day. SIEM specialists (Sentinel, Splunk, QRadar) sit at the top end.
GRC Specialist
Permanent: EUR 67,000 - 100,000. Interim: EUR 650 - 1,100 per day. NIS2 and DORA expertise currently commands a premium.
IAM Engineer
Permanent: EUR 70,000 - 107,000. Interim: EUR 700 - 1,200 per day. SailPoint, CyberArk and Okta specialisations are most in demand.
Penetration Tester / Red Teamer
Permanent: EUR 67,000 - 110,000. Interim: EUR 700 - 1,300 per day. OSCP/OSCE-certified testers earn significantly more.
Privacy Officer / DPO
Permanent: EUR 70,000 - 110,000. Interim: EUR 700 - 1,100 per day. Combined privacy + security expertise is particularly valuable.
Freelance vs Permanent: TCO Comparison
When choosing between freelance and permanent, multiple factors come into play: a freelancer's Total Cost of Ownership is on average 30-40% higher, but offers flexibility. For project-based work of 3-12 months, interim is often more cost-effective than a failed permanent hire.
Regional Differences
The Netherlands and Switzerland pay the highest rates across Europe. Germany follows in third place. UK salaries have stabilised post-Brexit but remain competitive. The Nordics offer strong secondary benefits that supplement the base package.
2026 Trends
AI Security Engineer is the fastest-growing new role with salaries of EUR 90,000 - 140,000. OT Security specialists are scarce and command premium rates. Cloud-native security roles are growing 25% faster than traditional roles.