Cybersecurity specialists

Overview

Cybersecurity specialists develop, plan, recommend, implement, improve and monitor security measures to protect an organization's computer networks, connected devices and information to prevent unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction of the information or of the systems on which the information resides. They are employed in information technology consulting firms and in information technology units throughout the public and private sectors.

Also known as:

application security engineer
communicator research operator - Canadian armed forces
cyber operator - Canadian armed forces
cybersecurity analyst
cybersecurity consultant

Median salary

The median salary for this job across Ontario is $100,000

Average hourly wage

Low $28.85

Medium $48.08

High $69.23

Low
The low wage, in most cases, corresponds to the 10th percentile. For example, if the low wage is $12.00/hour, this means that 10% of the workers in the occupation earn $12.00/hour or less.

Medium
The median wage is the indicator of the prevailing wage for each occupation. The median wage is the middle point of the wage distribution, when wages are arranged in numerical order.

High
The high wage, in most cases, corresponds to the 90th percentile. For example, if the high wage is $40.00/hour, this means that 90% of the workers in the occupation earn $40.00/hour or less.

Education and training pathways

To be qualified for this job, completion of a postsecondary college or university program is usually required.

Secondary school or equivalency

An Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent is required. If you haven’t completed the required credits, you can earn them through Adult learning programs.

College or university programs

A bachelor's degree in computer science, computer security, computer systems engineering, information systems or completion of a college program in information technology, network administration or other computer science related program is usually required.

Educational pathways are provided for informational purposes only. Links are included for programs at publicly assisted postsecondary institutions. They may not be inclusive of all relevant programs available in Ontario.

View college programs View university programs

Other education or certifications

Required registration

Certification or training provided by software vendors may be required by some employers.

Micro-credentials

Consider obtaining micro-credentials to gain skills and knowledge relevant to your career. Micro-credentials are rapid training programs that can help you get the skills that employers need.

View micro-credentials

Relevant organizations

Career data by region

See median salary and historical job postings of this career profile based on Economic Region.

Totals for economic regions may be less than total online job postings for the province due to exclusion of postings without reliable information.

Economic Region	Median salary ($)	Historical job postings
Ottawa	106,700	93
Kingston-Pembroke	100,000	2
Muskoka-Kawarthas	100,000	3
Toronto	100,000	410
Kitchener-Waterloo-Barrie	100,000	26
Hamilton-Niagara Peninsula	83,200	15
London	100,000	8
Windsor-Sarnia	100,000	2
Stratford-Bruce Peninsula	100,000	2
Northeast	100,000	4
Northwest	100,000	1

Find a job

We can help you build your skills, find a job and plan your career.

Search and apply for jobs on the Job Bank

About the data

Information on this page is sourced from the National Occupational Classification (NOC), which is Canada’s national system for describing occupations.

NOC Code: NOC 21220

View full job profile

Ontario’s labour market information website is developed for use as a resource to help people explore career options. The job outlooks for each occupation use projections of future job openings and should be interpreted with caution. Shifts in the rate of economic growth, technological developments, business restructuring, or changes in government policies can all affect the future growth prospects or skill requirements of the labour market.

Job outlooks have been developed for Ontario as a whole, and may not reflect the situation in each local labour market. The number and type of employers, the occupational make-up of the workforce, and other local economic conditions all contribute to the employment prospects for an occupation in a given community.

The accuracy of the information presented for in-demand skills and knowledge and other sections based on job posting data depends, in part, on whether jobs are categorized into the correct occupational groups. In some cases, job postings may be incorrectly attributed to an occupational grouping and the data should be interpreted with caution

Please contact us if you have questions about the information contained on this site