Role report · Infrastructure
Security Engineer: what employers ask for
Of 1,218 Security Engineer postings from 463 employers in the United States and Canada over the last 180 days, 58% ask for Cloud Security, 54% for Python, 52% for Application Security, 48% for AWS and 32% for CI/CD.
From 1,218 Security Engineer postings in the United States and Canada, April 23, 2026 to October 20, 2026. Updated October 20, 2026. How we count
- Postings read
- 1,218from 463 employers
- Remote
- 27%of postings
- Most common level
- Mid40% of postings
- Experience asked
- 5 yearsmedian, from 905 postings that state it
- Advertised pay
- $181,000median a year, from 697 postings in US dollars
The skills employers ask for most
The share of Security Engineer postings that name each skill, and how often a posting that names it lists it as required rather than nice to have.
| Skill | Share of postings | Required when named |
|---|---|---|
| Cloud Security | 88% | |
| Python | 82% | |
| Application Security | 88% | |
| AWS | 75% | |
| CI/CD | 86% | |
| Azure | 76% | |
| Terraform | 75% | |
| GCP | 76% | |
| Incident Response | 90% | |
| Kubernetes | 72% | |
| Go | 82% | |
| Vulnerability Management | 90% | |
| Networking | 86% | |
| AI Agents | 79% | |
| Code Review | 95% | |
| Linux | 85% | |
| LLMs | 77% | |
| SIEM | 78% | |
| Java | 83% | |
| Machine Learning | 72% |
Taking a larger share
Month on month, comparing like with like; only moves clear of noise are named.
Taking a smaller share
Named in fewer of these postings than before, beyond the month-to-month noise.
Seniority
| Level | Share | Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Mid | 493 | |
| Senior | 391 | |
| Staff | 126 | |
| Principal | 90 | |
| Lead | 59 | |
| Junior | 22 | |
| Director+ | 19 |
Professional skills
Asked for alongside the technical ones.
- Communication51%
- Stakeholder Management46%
- Leadership32%
- Collaboration8%
- Technical Leadership5%
Advertised pay
697 of these postings state pay in US dollars. The middle half of their ranges' midpoints runs from $149,000 to $211,000 a year, with a median of $181,000. Pay by level, and what each skill adds to it like for like, is in the app.
Employers with the most postings
- Amazon64 postings
- RTX28 postings
- Booz Allen Hamilton25 postings
- Google21 postings
- GuidePoint Security20 postings
- Arctic Wolf18 postings
- Peraton16 postings
- Amazon Web Services15 postings
Quick answers
What skills does a Security Engineer need?
The skills named most often in Security Engineer postings are Cloud Security, Python, Application Security, AWS and CI/CD. Cloud Security appears in 58% of them.
Are Security Engineer jobs remote?
27% of the 1,218 Security Engineer postings in the last 180 days were remote.
How much experience do Security Engineer jobs ask for?
Postings that state it ask for a median of 5 years. The most common level is Mid (40% of postings).
What does a Security Engineer earn?
Postings that state pay advertise a typical $149,000 to $211,000 a year, with a median of $181,000, from 697 postings in US dollars.
Which skills are growing for Security Engineer roles?
CISSP is taking a larger share of Security Engineer postings, month on month and comparing like with like.