Cyber Security Specialist salary in Australia
ANZSCO occupation: Database and Systems Administrators, and ICT Security Specialists
Last reviewed July 2026
Source: Jobs and Skills Australia — Occupation Profiles (ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025) · 2025 data. Annual figure derived from median weekly earnings × 52.
See your take-home pay on $128,000 →At a glance
- People employed
- 72,600
- Annual employment growth
- +3,300/yr
- 5-yr projected growth
- +14%
- Skills shortage rating
- No national shortage
- Main industry
- Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
- Works full-time
- 92%
- Avg full-time hours
- 41 hrs/wk
- Works part-time
- 8%
- Female share
- 24%
- Median age
- 41 yrs
Source: Jobs and Skills Australia — Occupation Profiles (ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025) (2025) · Jobs and Skills Australia — Employment Projections (May 2025 to May 2030), produced with Victoria University (2025) · Jobs and Skills Australia — 2025 Occupation Shortage List (unit-group level) (2025)
What does a cyber security specialist do?
Database and Systems Administrators, and ICT Security Specialists plan, develop, maintain, manage and administer organisations' database management systems, operating systems and security policies and procedures to ensure optimal database and system integrity, security, backup, reliability and performance.
- Designing and maintaining database architecture, data structures, tables, dictionaries and naming conventions to ensure the accuracy and completeness of all data master files
- Performing the operational establishment and preventive maintenance of backups, recovery procedures, and enforcing security and integrity controls
- Implementing and administering database documentation, guidelines, policies and procedures
- Testing database systems and upgrades, such as debugging, tracking, reproduction, logging and resolving all identified problems, according to approved quality testing scripts, procedures and processes
- Accepting responsibility for the processes, procedures and operational management associated with system security and disaster recovery planning
- Liaising with security vendors, suppliers, service providers and external resources
- analysing, recommending, installing and maintaining software security applications
- and monitoring contractual obligations, performance delivery and service level agreements
- Troubleshooting and providing service support in diagnosing, resolving and repairing server-related hardware and software malfunctions, encompassing workstations and communication infrastructure
- Preparing and maintaining documentation, policies and instructions, and recording and detailing operational procedures and system logs
- Ensuring that the design of computer sites allows all components to fit together and work properly, and monitoring and adjusting the performance of networks
- Continually surveying the current computer site to determine future network needs and making recommendations for enhancements in the implementation of future servers and networks
How to become a cyber security specialist
Typical education for this occupation, and courses that lead to it.
Education held by people in this role
Courses to get started
Where cyber security specialists are employed
Share of workers by state and territory (employment distribution, not pay).
Cyber Security Specialist jobs
Related occupations
Similar occupations
Jobs that pay similar to a cyber security specialist
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cyber security specialist earn in Australia?
The median cyber security specialist earns $127,972 per year ($2,461 per week, or about $66/hour), based on Jobs and Skills Australia — Occupation Profiles (ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025) (2025).
What qualifications do you need to be a cyber security specialist?
Most cyber security specialists hold a bachelor degree (38.6% of workers). Pathways vary — see typical courses above.
Is cyber security specialist a job in demand in Australia?
Around 72,600 cyber security specialists are employed in Australia. Employment is changing by about +3,300 workers per year.
Earnings, employment and education data: Jobs and Skills Australia — Occupation Profiles (ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025) (2025). Used under CC BY 4.0.
Employment projections: Jobs and Skills Australia — Employment Projections (May 2025 to May 2030), produced with Victoria University (2025). Used under CC BY 4.0.
Skills shortage ratings: Jobs and Skills Australia — 2025 Occupation Shortage List (unit-group level) (2025). Used under CC BY 4.0.
The ABS median refers to full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate; individual pay varies. Annual figures derived from median weekly earnings × 52. Figures are estimates for guidance only.