Information Security Analysts Salary
Information Security Analysts in California make a median of $138,570 a year, or about $66.62 an hour. The range runs from $66K at the entry level to $221K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.14), so that salary is closer to $130,554 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,471/month, about 30.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across California. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $139K get you in California?
About information security analysts
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What this looks like in California
Information security analysts pay in California tracks closely to the national median, $139K locally vs. $129K nationwide, a 7% difference. Rent runs $2,471/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.14), so groceries and services cost more too. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, California
Entry-level information security analysts (10th percentile) start around $66K. Mid-career wages sit at $139K. Top earners bring in $221K or more, a $155K spread from bottom to top.
Information Security Analysts salary by metro in California
14 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $176K | +27% | 2,280 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $162K | +17% | 3,730 |
| Vallejo | $137K | -1% | 40 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $134K | -4% | 570 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $133K | -4% | 30 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $132K | -5% | 1,330 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $131K | -6% | 140 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $130K | -6% | 190 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $130K | -6% | 4,820 |
| Fresno | $118K | -15% | 70 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $115K | -17% | 350 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $110K | -20% | 40 |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $108K | -22% | 160 |
| Stockton-Lodi | $101K | -27% | 60 |
Showing 1–10 of 14 metros
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Track information security analysts salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when California numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a information security analyst afford a 2BR apartment alone in California?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $139K, rent takes 30.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,471/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $2,400/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for information security analysts in California?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new information security analysts typically earn — is $66K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,964/month. At HUD’s $2,471/month FMR, rent would take 62% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is information security analyst a high-paying job in California?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $139K locally vs. $129K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does California compare to the national average for information security analysts?
California pays $139K median vs. the U.S. average of $129K — that’s +7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $131K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do information security analysts make in California?
The median is $138,570 a year, that works out to about $67 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $66,070, and experienced information security analysts can clear $221,000. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $139K enough to live in California?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,037/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 30.7% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a information security analysts salary go in California?
California has a Regional Price Parity of 106.14 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median information security analysts salary is worth about $130,554 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do information security analysts get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.