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Ugh, of course Germany trounces Blighty for cyber security salaries

Britons never, never, never shall be wage slaves. Oh wait

Cyber security professionals in Germany earn on average 17 per cent more than their UK counterparts.

A survey by recruitment firm Willis Towers Watson found that Germany (£56,485/€64,187) leads cyber security pay1 in Europe, followed closely by Ireland (£55,485/€63,000) and France (£51,197/€58,178). The UK ranks fifth (£48,020/€54,743), a comparatively lowly status that is partly down to the recent weakness of the pound.

The recruiters rate information security as a highly competitive market driven by the widely acknowledged skills gap. As a result, cyber security salaries are more competitive at all professional levels.

"While Germany currently leads European pay, the increasing frequency of cyber-attacks and incoming regulations such as GDPR will boost demand for cyber security professionals and drive salaries across the region," said Tim Rees, UK cyber strategy leader for Willis Towers Watson's Risk Solutions business.

The study also found that cyber professionals with three to six years experience can expect annual salary increases of 7-8 per cent – nearly three times the UK national average.

Cyber security typically attracts a younger workforce. Entry to mid-level professionals and managers are consistently younger than the national average for comparable positions.

 Willis Towers Watson survey reveals German cyber security professionals earn almost a fifth more than UK counterparts

Median salaries for security pros across Europe

The survey pulled together remuneration data from more than 1,800 participants throughout Europe. Data for cyber security, AI and other digital roles is also available from Willis Towers Watson's cross-industry database and reports.

Data is gathered annually for the private sector from participating firms that match roles based on a consistent methodology, allowing for comparison around the world. ®

Bootnote

1 European median base salaries for mid-level professionals

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