Penetration Testers
Evaluate network system security by conducting simulated internal and external cyberattacks using adversary tools and techniques. Attempt to breach and exploit critical systems and gain access to sensitive information to assess system security.
- Median annual earnings
- $113,638
- Projected change
- +11.4%
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Employment
- 499.03K jobs
50th percentile, United States
2025 to 2035
75.2% of the workforce
Growing to 555.79K by 2035
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Build the skills
ASU learning related to this career
These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.
The work
What penetration testers do
Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.
- Keep up with new penetration testing tools and methods.
- Maintain up-to-date knowledge of hacking trends.
- Prepare and submit reports describing the results of security fixes.
- Test the security of systems by attempting to gain access to networks, Web-based applications, or computers.
- Update corporate policies to improve cyber security.
- Write audit reports to communicate technical and procedural findings and recommend solutions.
- 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.
- Gather cyber intelligence to identify vulnerabilities.
- Identify new threat tactics, techniques, or procedures used by cyber threat actors.
- Identify security system weaknesses, using penetration tests.
- Investigate security incidents, using computer forensics, network forensics, root cause analysis, or malware analysis.
Pay and outlook
What the job pays and where it is heading
Annual earnings range
Reported earnings by percentile, United States
- 10th percentile
- $53,796
- 25th percentile
- $76,983
- 50th percentile
- $113,638
- 75th percentile
- $155,092
- 90th percentile
- $191,936
The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $113,638 and half earn less.
Employment outlook
2025 to 2035 projection
56,757 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.
Preparation
Education levels
What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.
- Bachelor's degree
- 75.2%
- Associate degree
- 12.9%
- Certificate
- 7.2%
- Master's or Professional degree
- 2.8%
- Some college
- 2%
Skills
Skills employers ask for
Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.
How the work gets done
Core competencies
Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.
In the market
Job titles and employers
Recent job postings in United StatesCommon job titles
- 01Penetration Testers1,002 postings
- 02Cybersecurity Analysts796 postings
- 03Vulnerability Management Analysts603 postings
- 04Vulnerability Analysts440 postings
- 05Vulnerability Management Engineers367 postings
- 06Security Consultants/Penetration Testers349 postings
- 07Security Analysts282 postings
- 08Vulnerability Researchers256 postings
- 09Engineers208 postings
- 10Offensive Security Engineers165 postings
- 11Operations Team Managers162 postings
- 12Cyber Analysts135 postings
- 13Security Control Assessors130 postings
- 14Network Exploitation Analysts114 postings
- 15Systems Test Engineers113 postings
- 16DevSecOps Engineers103 postings
- 17Cybersecurity Researchers95 postings
- 18Principal Engineers89 postings
- 19Assessment Managers87 postings
- 20Subject Matter Experts86 postings
Top employers
- 01Datavant215 postings
- 02Northrop Grumman208 postings
- 03KPMG204 postings
- 04Accenture190 postings
- 05Motorola Solutions182 postings
- 06Insight Global179 postings
- 07Leidos166 postings
- 08Shi International Ltd158 postings
- 09Simventions145 postings
- 10Peraton124 postings
- 11CVS Health111 postings
- 12UKG108 postings
- 13Cai106 postings
- 14Maximus104 postings
- 15TEKsystems82 postings
- 16Beacon Hill Staffing Group81 postings
- 17General Dynamics81 postings
- 18Deloitte73 postings
- 19GE Aerospace67 postings
- 20CACI International65 postings
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