Security engineer postings jump 18% as defense contractors push hiring
GDIT and Booz Allen Hamilton are posting far more roles, but the market still wants experienced hands: entry-level titles are just 4% of postings.
The middle posted range across all levels. 63% of open roles post their pay.
3,774 roles with yearly payof open roles are at employers with recent US H-1B visa filings. Booz Allen Hamilton, Amazon, Leidos and CACI are on the list.
US H-1B filings, matched by employeris what the typical role asks for. 21% ask for 10 years or more.
83% of open roles state yearsThis week's read
New security engineer postings rose 18% over the last 30 days, up from 2,178 to 2,574. The weekly count has climbed for most of the past two months and hit its high point in the week of 26 October at 778 new roles, with no sign yet of pulling back.
Defense and government contractors are driving a lot of that growth. GDIT's new postings rose 127% and Booz Allen Hamilton's rose 75%, and Booz Allen now has the most open roles of any employer tracked, at 180. Not every contractor is moving the same way: CACI's new postings fell 32% and Capital One's fell 54%.
This is not an easy market to break into. The median posting asks for 6 years of experience, and 21% want 10 years or more. Junior titles make up just 4% of postings, while mid-level titles are 51% and senior titles 21%, so most of the growth is in roles for people who already have a few years behind them.
On skills, Python is named in 27% of postings and AWS in 22%, with AI and machine learning showing up in 18%. CISSP is the certification employers ask for most, named in 33% of postings. If you're weighing what to highlight on your resume, these are the terms showing up most often, not a checklist to chase.
Pay is posted on 63% of roles, with a typical range of $120k to $184k across all levels. Remote roles are scarce at 10% of postings, so most of this hiring is tied to a location. For sponsorship, 35% of open roles sit at employers with recent H-1B filings, a group that includes Booz Allen Hamilton, Amazon, Leidos and CACI.
What this means for you
Three things you can act on this week
- Target the contractors adding roles
GDIT and Booz Allen Hamilton posted far more roles in the last 30 days. If you have a security clearance or government contracting background, these are worth watching closely right now.
- Expect to show years, not just skills
A median posting asks for 6 years of experience and 1 in 5 want 10 or more. Junior titles are rare at 4% of postings, so framing your experience clearly matters more than usual.
- Check visa sponsorship history before applying
35% of open roles sit at employers with recent H-1B filings. Booz Allen Hamilton, Amazon, Leidos and CACI are on that list, which is worth knowing if sponsorship matters to you.
Pay
What Security roles in the United States pay, by level
The middle (median) of the pay ranges employers post. Read each bar from the typical low end to the typical high end of a posting. 63% of open roles post their pay.
See the numbers
| Level | Roles with pay | Typical low | Typical high |
|---|---|---|---|
| Director | 148 | $190k | $263k |
| Principal / Staff | 414 | $152k | $229k |
| Senior / Lead | 1,099 | $129k | $195k |
| Mid level | 2,113 | $108k | $165k |
Yearly USD ranges only (hourly pay and other currencies are left out). Level is read from the job title.
Momentum
New Security roles each week
Last 30 days: 2,574 new roles, against 2,178 the 30 days before (+18%). Each week counts the same companies, and a role counts as new only in the week it was posted, so a careers site we start reading never shows up as growth.
See the numbers
| Week starting | New roles |
|---|---|
| 7 Sep | 403 |
| 14 Sep | 586 |
| 21 Sep | 565 |
| 28 Sep | 608 |
| 5 Oct | 642 |
| 12 Oct | 562 |
| 19 Oct | 726 |
| 26 Oct | 778 |
Who is hiring
The companies with the most open Security roles
1,887 companies are hiring. The top eight hold 17% of the open roles.
| Company | Open roles | Change in new roles | H-1B filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Booz Allen Hamilton | 180 | +75% | On the list |
| Peraton | 157 | ||
| Amazon | 132 | On the list | |
| GDIT | 126 | +127% | |
| Leidos | 126 | On the list | |
| RTX | 93 | -20% | |
| Northrop Grumman | 91 | +3% | |
| CACI | 90 | -32% | On the list |
Change compares new roles in the last 30 days with the 30 days before, shown where a company posted 25 or more in the earlier 30 days. Staffing agencies are left out. A company name links to its Ashney company page where there is one.
What they ask for
The technology Security roles ask for most
Ask Rate is the share of roles that name a skill, from 5,750 postings read in full. Ways of working (methods such as Agile, tools such as Jira) are listed apart; office tools and soft skills are left out.
Ways of working
Industries named most: Defense 9%, SaaS 6%, Financial services 5%. Certifications named: CISSP 33%, CompTIA Security+ 16%, CISM 15%. 10% of open roles say they are remote.
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