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How to Become a Security Architect: 2025 Career Guide

Written by 糖心vlog官网观看 Staff 鈥 Updated on

Learn about the strategic role that security architects play in protecting their organizations from cybercrime.

[Feature Image] A learner researches how to become a security architect and the average security architect's salary on a laptop while planning their education and career goals.

Security architecture refers to the overall security system required to protect an organization from security threats. As a security architect, it鈥檚 your job to design, build, and maintain your company鈥檚 security system. It鈥檚 a critical advanced-level role on nearly any cybersecurity team.

Whether you鈥檙e just getting started in cybersecurity or already have experience working in the field, setting your sights on a security architect role could be a rewarding career goal to work toward. Learn more about what a security architect does, their skills, their salary, and why you should consider a career in cybersecurity.听

What does a security architect do?

A security architect plays a critical management role within an organization鈥檚 information technology (IT) or cybersecurity department. As a security architect, you鈥檙e tasked with keeping your organization safe from digital threats. Take a closer look at what the job entails.

Tasks and responsibilities

The day-to-day tasks of a security architect will vary depending on the industry, company size, and the current state of the company鈥檚 security infrastructure. Some tasks you might perform in this role include:

  • Designing and updating the overall security strategy

  • Budgeting for new security software or hardware

  • Managing security improvement projects

  • Overseeing security testing strategy, including vulnerability scanning and penetration testing

  • Performing regular threat analysis to keep up-to-date on the current security landscape

  • Managing a cybersecurity team

  • Ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations

Security architect skills

In this advanced-level role, many security architects have had years to develop the skills needed to be effective on the job. Even if you鈥檙e new to cybersecurity, you may already possess some of these technical and workplace skills taken from real security architect job listings on LinkedIn.

Security architect technical skills

  • Cloud security: With many organizations working (at least in part) in the cloud, you鈥檒l need to understand best practices for keeping cloud environments secure.

  • Network security: You鈥檒l balance business and security requirements to ensure an organization鈥檚 network is safe and functional.

  • Software development and DevSecOps: Experience in software development can empower you to implement security principles more effectively in the development process.

  • Identity and access management: Your job may be to protect data from unauthorized access while making it accessible to those who need it.

  • Scripting language: The ability to write code in Python or PowerShell to automate tasks helps you work more efficiently.

  • Linux, Windows, and Mac operating systems: Depending on your organization, you may need to address security concerns unique to each operating system.

Security architect workplace skills

  • Collaboration: Security architects often work with company stakeholders to ensure the security infrastructure addresses business needs.听

  • Mentoring and coaching: You may be tasked with managing a security team or training new cybersecurity professionals.

  • Written and verbal communication: As a driver of security policy, you鈥檒l often need to document your work and communicate complex topics to colleagues with non-technical backgrounds.

  • Problem-solving: Maintaining an organization鈥檚 security means staying one step ahead of hackers and other threats.听

  • Project management: Understanding project management can help you oversee the implementation of new security products, procedures, or technologies.

  • Integrity: As a high-level security professional, you may have access to the same sensitive information you鈥檝e been hired to protect. Furthermore, others might look to you for what is acceptable behavior or is not acceptable.

Security architect vs. security engineer: What鈥檚 the difference?

A security architect creates the vision for a company鈥檚 security systems. It鈥檚 then the job of the security engineer to figure out how to implement that vision. If a security architect decides to add a new security tool to the infrastructure, the security engineer would be responsible for installing and configuring it.听

Read more about what it鈥檚 like to work as a security engineer (and how to get started).听

Why pursue a career in security architecture

Working as a security architect means taking a more strategic role on your organization鈥檚 cybersecurity team. If you enjoy working with others to solve complex problems and don鈥檛 mind taking a step back from hands-on technical work, a career in security architecture could be a good fit.

Security architect salary

Security architects are among the highest-paid members of a cybersecurity team. According to Glassdoor, the estimated total pay for security architects in the US is $232,009 annually. This figure includes a median base salary of $163,212 and an average of $68,797 in additional pay []. Your salary will depend on your company, location, and experience, among other factors.

Job outlook

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that information security analyst jobs will grow 33 percent between 2023 and 2033 []. That鈥檚 much faster than the average rate of growth for all occupations.听

Many parts of the US have more cybersecurity job openings than qualified candidates to fill them. States like New York, California, Texas, Florida, Illinois, Virginia, Georgia, and Maryland have the biggest cybersecurity talent gaps鈥攁nd the most opportunities for those with the right skills [].

Security architect career paths

Security architects are an advanced-level role within cybersecurity. Depending on your career goals, you might choose to pursue the management side of security by working for a larger company, managing a larger team or target, and working toward an executive security role.

You may also choose to specialize by further developing your security skills in a niche area, such as cloud, network, or application security.听聽

How to become a security architect

Successful security architects can take a high-level view of an organization鈥檚 security needs and craft solutions to meet those needs. Becoming a security architect often means developing your security and leadership skills while gaining experience working with information security. If this sounds like a career for you, here鈥檚 an outline of how to get there.

1. Start with an entry-level cybersecurity job.

Most security architects move into the role after gaining several years of experience working in cybersecurity. Browse some job listings on LinkedIn, and you might see requirements ranging from three to eight years working in information security. Entry-level roles and their US average annual base salaries include:

  • Cybersecurity analyst: $95,256 []

  • IT auditor: $90,202 []

  • Security specialist: $73,059 []

  • Incident responder: $58,739 []

After gaining a year or two of experience, you might move into roles like penetration tester, cybersecurity consultant, or security engineer on your professional path toward becoming a security architect.

2. Consider a degree.

Approximately 40 percent of security architect job listings request at least a bachelor鈥檚 degree, while the remaining 60 percent ask for a graduate degree []. While it is possible to get your first job in cybersecurity without a degree, having one could open up more opportunities for advancement and make you a more competitive candidate in your job search.

Earning a degree in computer science, cybersecurity, information technology, or a related field can help you acquire some of the foundational IT and security skills recruiters seek.

3. Develop your cybersecurity skills.

If you鈥檝e worked in IT before, you may already have some of the technical skills needed to become a security architect. But even if you鈥檙e completely new to cybersecurity, you can start developing these skills through online courses, bootcamps, or cybersecurity degree programs.

4. Get certified.

Another way to gain new skills (and validate those skills to hiring managers) is to earn a cybersecurity certification. Certifications that might prove beneficial to aspiring security architects include:

  • Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)

  • Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)

  • Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)

It鈥檚 common for cybersecurity professionals to earn more than one credential throughout their careers. If you鈥檙e trying to break into the industry, consider an entry-level certification, like the Security+ or Systems Security Certified Practitioner (SSCP).听

Continue learning about security architecture on 糖心vlog官网观看.

Security architects work to protect networks and information from cyberattacks.听 If you want to explore a cybersecurity career, consider enrolling in the Google Cybersecurity Professional Certificate on 糖心vlog官网观看. Learn how to use job essential tools like Splunk, Chronicle, playbook, and more. This program helps individuals with no previous experience find their first job in the field of cybersecurity, all at their own pace.听

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Article sources

1.听

Glassdoor. 鈥 https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/united-states-security-architect-salary-SRCH_IL.0,13_IN1_KO14,32.htm.鈥 Accessed February 5, 2025.

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