Part of the Cybersecurity Salary Guide — This article is one deep-dive in our complete salary series.

SOC Analyst Salary: US, UK, and Europe Breakdown for 2026

By HADESS Team | February 28, 2026 | Updated: February 28, 2026 | 10 min read

Table of Contents

• What Does a SOC Analyst Earn
• US SOC Analyst Salary by Tier
• UK SOC Analyst Salary
• European SOC Analyst Salary
• Factors That Affect SOC Analyst Pay
• SOC Analyst Salary by City
• How to Increase Your SOC Analyst Salary
• SOC Analyst Salary vs Other Cyber Roles
• Related Guides in This Series
• Take the Next Step
• Frequently Asked Questions

What Does a SOC Analyst Earn

SOC analyst salary figures vary depending on where you work, what tier you operate at, and which certifications you hold. The role sits at the front line of cybersecurity operations, and organizations are willing to pay well for people who can triage alerts, investigate incidents, and reduce mean time to detection.

In 2026, the global demand for SOC analysts has continued to rise. Managed detection and response (MDR) providers, financial institutions, healthcare systems, and government agencies are all hiring. The pay reflects that demand, but it also reflects your skill set and how much operational value you bring to the team.

This guide breaks down SOC analyst pay across three major markets: the United States, the United Kingdom, and continental Europe. Every figure here comes from aggregated job postings, industry salary surveys, and direct reports from practitioners working in the field right now.

US SOC Analyst Salary by Tier

The US market segments SOC analyst pay by experience tier. Most organizations use a three-tier model, and your salary jumps meaningfully at each level.

Tier 1 SOC Analyst (0-2 years experience)

• National average: $55,000 – $75,000
• Metro areas (NYC, DC, SF): $65,000 – $90,000
• Remote positions: $50,000 – $70,000

Tier 1 analysts handle initial alert triage. You are monitoring SIEM dashboards, running through playbooks, and escalating confirmed incidents. The work is shift-based, and many employers offer shift differentials for overnight and weekend rotations that add $3,000 – $8,000 to your annual total.

Tier 2 SOC Analyst (2-5 years experience)

• National average: $75,000 – $100,000
• Metro areas: $85,000 – $115,000
• Remote positions: $70,000 – $95,000

At Tier 2, you are doing deeper investigation work. You correlate events across multiple data sources, perform initial forensic analysis, and start writing detection rules. Employers expect you to mentor Tier 1 analysts and contribute to playbook development.

Tier 3 SOC Analyst / Detection Engineer (5+ years experience)

• National average: $100,000 – $140,000
• Metro areas: $115,000 – $160,000
• Remote positions: $95,000 – $130,000

Tier 3 analysts are threat hunters and detection engineers. You write custom detection logic, perform advanced forensics, and drive incident response for serious breaches. Many Tier 3 analysts transition into SOC management or security engineering roles within a few years.

UK SOC Analyst Salary

The UK market has its own salary structure for SOC analysts, influenced by London’s financial sector and the growing number of security operations centers outside the capital.

Junior SOC Analyst (0-2 years)

• London: 30,000 – 42,000 GBP
• Outside London: 25,000 – 35,000 GBP

Mid-Level SOC Analyst (2-5 years)

• London: 42,000 – 60,000 GBP
• Outside London: 35,000 – 50,000 GBP

Senior SOC Analyst (5+ years)

• London: 60,000 – 80,000 GBP
• Outside London: 50,000 – 70,000 GBP

London-based SOC roles in financial services tend to pay at the top end of these ranges. Banks and insurance companies run 24/7 SOCs and need experienced analysts who understand regulatory requirements like PCI DSS and FCA guidelines. The UK cybersecurity salary market has grown steadily, with demand outpacing supply in most regions.

Many UK SOC positions now offer hybrid or fully remote arrangements, though shift-based roles often require on-site presence at least part of the time. If you are an international candidate, check the UK visa sponsorship and salary guide for details on which employers sponsor Tier 2 visas for SOC roles.

European SOC Analyst Salary

European SOC analyst salaries vary significantly by country. Western European markets like Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland pay well, while Eastern European markets offer lower nominal pay but often better purchasing power parity.

Germany

• Junior: 40,000 – 50,000 EUR
• Mid-level: 50,000 – 70,000 EUR
• Senior: 70,000 – 95,000 EUR

Netherlands

• Junior: 35,000 – 48,000 EUR
• Mid-level: 48,000 – 65,000 EUR
• Senior: 65,000 – 85,000 EUR

Switzerland

• Junior: 75,000 – 90,000 CHF
• Mid-level: 90,000 – 120,000 CHF
• Senior: 120,000 – 150,000 CHF

France

• Junior: 32,000 – 42,000 EUR
• Mid-level: 42,000 – 58,000 EUR
• Senior: 58,000 – 78,000 EUR

Poland / Czech Republic

• Junior: 15,000 – 25,000 EUR
• Mid-level: 25,000 – 40,000 EUR
• Senior: 40,000 – 60,000 EUR

Switzerland consistently leads in absolute pay, but the cost of living in Zurich and Geneva eats into that advantage. Germany and the Netherlands offer the best balance of pay, quality of life, and career growth opportunities. The DACH region has a particularly strong demand for SOC analysts who speak German, which can add 10-15% to your salary.

Factors That Affect SOC Analyst Pay

Several variables determine where you fall within these ranges.

Certifications that move the needle. CompTIA CySA+, GIAC GCIH, and Splunk certifications are the most directly relevant credentials for SOC analysts. Holding one or more of these can add $5,000 – $15,000 to your offer in the US market. The GCIH in particular signals that you can handle real incidents, not just triage alerts.

Industry matters. Financial services, defense contractors, and healthcare organizations pay 15-25% above average for SOC analysts because of regulatory requirements and the sensitivity of the data they protect. Managed security service providers (MSSPs) tend to pay below average but offer faster skill development because you work across multiple client environments.

Tooling expertise. If you know Splunk deeply, including writing SPL queries, building dashboards, and tuning alerts, you are worth more than an analyst who only has experience with one SIEM platform. Multi-platform experience (Splunk plus Elastic plus Sentinel) puts you in the top pay bracket.

Shift differentials. Night shifts and weekend rotations typically add 10-15% to your base salary. Some employers offer flat bonuses per shift instead. This is real money that adds up over a year, especially early in your career when the base is lower.

Clearances. In the US, holding an active security clearance (Secret or Top Secret) adds $10,000 – $25,000 to SOC analyst salaries. Government contractors and defense organizations will pay premiums for cleared analysts because the clearance process takes months and costs money.

SOC Analyst Salary by City

Geography plays a major role in SOC analyst compensation. Here are the top-paying cities in each market.

United States
1. San Francisco / Bay Area: $80,000 – $130,000
2. Washington, DC metro: $75,000 – $125,000
3. New York City: $72,000 – $120,000
4. Seattle: $70,000 – $115,000
5. Austin: $65,000 – $105,000

United Kingdom
1. London (City / Canary Wharf): 40,000 – 80,000 GBP
2. Edinburgh: 32,000 – 60,000 GBP
3. Manchester: 30,000 – 55,000 GBP
4. Bristol: 30,000 – 55,000 GBP
5. Leeds: 28,000 – 50,000 GBP

Europe
1. Zurich: 85,000 – 150,000 CHF
2. Munich: 50,000 – 95,000 EUR
3. Amsterdam: 45,000 – 85,000 EUR
4. Frankfurt: 45,000 – 90,000 EUR
5. Paris: 38,000 – 75,000 EUR

Remote work has changed the calculus somewhat. If you can land a US-based remote role while living in a lower cost-of-living area, your effective compensation is much higher. Many SOC teams now operate fully remote, with analysts connecting to cloud-hosted SIEM platforms from anywhere.

How to Increase Your SOC Analyst Salary

If you are already working as a SOC analyst and want to push your pay higher, here is what actually works.

Move from Tier 1 to Tier 2 quickly. The fastest salary increase comes from demonstrating that you can do more than follow runbooks. Start writing your own detection rules. Volunteer for incident deep-dives. Build Splunk dashboards that the team actually uses. Document everything and bring it up during performance reviews.

Get certified strategically. Do not collect certifications randomly. Pick the one that fills a gap in your team. If your SOC runs Splunk, get the Splunk Core Certified Power User. If you want to move toward incident response, get the GCIH. Each cert should be a stepping stone, not a trophy. Visit our skills assessment to identify your gaps.

Learn to write. SOC analysts who can write clear incident reports and executive summaries are more valuable than those who cannot. This skill separates Tier 2 analysts from Tier 1 analysts more than any technical ability.

Switch employers every 2-3 years. Internal raises rarely match what you can get by moving to a new organization. The data consistently shows that job switchers earn 15-25% more than those who stay put. This is especially true in the first five years of your career.

Specialize. Pick a direction: detection engineering, threat hunting, or cloud security monitoring. Specialists earn more than generalists at every level. If your SOC monitors cloud environments, developing expertise in AWS CloudTrail or Azure Sentinel gives you an edge.

SOC Analyst Salary vs Other Cyber Roles

How does SOC analyst pay stack up against other cybersecurity positions? Here is a quick comparison using US mid-career figures.

SOC analyst salaries are typically lower than penetration testing or security engineering roles, but the SOC is one of the best entry points into cybersecurity. Many of the highest-paid CISOs and security directors started their careers in SOC operations. The experience you gain triaging real alerts and investigating real incidents is difficult to replicate in any other role.

If you are comparing cybersecurity to software engineering salaries, check our cybersecurity vs software engineer salary breakdown.

Related Guides in This Series

• Penetration Tester Salary 2026: Full Breakdown
• Entry Level Cybersecurity Salary: What to Expect
• CISO Salary: What Does a CISO Earn?

Take the Next Step

Check your market value with our Salary Calculator to see how your current compensation compares to industry benchmarks for your role, location, and experience level.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is SOC analyst a good-paying career?

Yes. SOC analysts earn competitive salaries, especially once you move past Tier 1. A mid-career Tier 2 analyst in the US earns $75,000 – $100,000, and senior analysts or detection engineers regularly clear $120,000+. The role also provides a strong foundation for higher-paying positions in incident response, threat hunting, and security leadership.

Do SOC analysts get paid more than help desk technicians?

Significantly more. Help desk technicians in the US typically earn $35,000 – $55,000, while even entry-level SOC analysts start in the $55,000 – $75,000 range. The gap widens at mid and senior levels because SOC work requires specialized security knowledge that help desk roles do not.

What certifications help SOC analysts earn more?

CompTIA CySA+, GIAC GCIH, and SIEM-specific certifications (Splunk, Elastic) have the most direct impact on SOC analyst salaries. The GCIH is particularly valued because it proves you can handle incident response, not just monitor dashboards. Plan your certification path with our certificate roadmap.

Can SOC analysts work remotely?

Yes, and remote work is increasingly common. Many SOCs now operate with distributed teams using cloud-hosted SIEM platforms. Remote SOC roles sometimes pay 5-10% less than equivalent on-site positions in major metros, but the cost-of-living savings usually more than compensate. Night-shift remote positions are especially common because employers can hire across time zones.

How long does it take to reach a six-figure SOC analyst salary?

In the US market, most SOC analysts reach $100,000 within 4-6 years if they advance to Tier 2 or Tier 3 and hold relevant certifications. In major metro areas like DC, NYC, or San Francisco, you can hit six figures in 3-4 years. The fastest path involves specializing in detection engineering or threat hunting while building SIEM expertise.

— HADESS Team consists of cybersecurity practitioners, hiring managers, and career strategists who have collectively spent 50+ years in the field.