2026 Salary — North Carolina
Updated April 29, 2026
Security Engineer Salary in North Carolina: $138K Median
Security Engineers in North Carolina earn between $90K and $227K per year.
That's -3% below the US national median.
Quick Answer
As of April 2026, the median Security Engineer salary in North Carolina is $137,740 per year — -3% below the US national median of $142,000. Salaries range from $89,531 (entry, 25th percentile) to $227,271 (90th percentile). North Carolina's cost-of-living index is 95. State income tax applies.
Median
$137,740
+520.0% YoY
Entry
$107,437
Experienced
$181,817
Top 10%
$227,271
About Security Engineers in North Carolina
Security engineers design and implement systems that protect organizations from cyber threats. They build secure infrastructure, perform threat modeling, and respond to incidents.
Hot 2026 Skills
zero-trustcloud security (AWS/GCP)threat modelingEDR/XDRKubernetes securityAI security
ATS Keywords
CISSPzero-trustthreat modelingEDRSIEMpenetration testingcloud securityIAMincident responseNIST
How to Negotiate Your Security Engineer Salary in North Carolina
Walk-away anchor: $119,774.
Leverage Points
- Reference levels.fyi total compensation data for your level (L4/L5/etc.) at comparable companies
- Quantify recent shipped impact: latency reduced, revenue driven, on-call incidents resolved
- Hold a competing offer (or credible interview pipeline) before the salary conversation
- Highlight in-demand skill premiums: LLMs, Kubernetes, Rust, distributed systems
Negotiate Beyond Base
Sign-on bonus ($25K-$100K is standard at Big Tech)RSU refreshers and accelerated vesting cliffsRemote/hybrid flexibility and home-office stipendAnnual learning budget and conference allowanceSabbatical eligibility after 4-5 years
Security Engineer Salary FAQ — North Carolina
What is the average Security Engineer salary in North Carolina?
The average Security Engineer salary in North Carolina is $137,740 per year as of April 2026. Salaries range from $89,531 (entry, 25th percentile) up to $227,271 (90th percentile). State income tax applies.
How does Security Engineer pay in North Carolina compare to the US average?
Security Engineers in North Carolina earn approximately 3% less than the US national median ($142,000 nationally vs $137,740 in North Carolina). North Carolina's cost-of-living index of 95 is close to the national average.
Did Security Engineer salaries in North Carolina increase in 2026?
Yes — Security Engineer salaries in North Carolina grew approximately 520.0% year-over-year, from $22,216 in 2025 to $137,740 in 2026. This reflects the broader Technology sector's wage growth, driven by zero-trust and cloud security (AWS/GCP) demand.
Which North Carolina cities pay Security Engineers the most?
Top-paying North Carolina metros for Security Engineers: Charlotte ($145K), Raleigh ($149K). Click any city for full breakdown including take-home pay.
What's the job outlook for Security Engineers in North Carolina?
Security engineer demand projected to grow 32% through 2034 — among the fastest in tech. Severe talent shortage with 700K+ unfilled US cybersecurity roles. North Carolina's top industries include Finance/Banking, Tech (Research Triangle), Pharmaceuticals, and the state's unemployment rate is 3.6% — a tight labor market favoring candidates.
Does North Carolina have state income tax?
Yes, North Carolina has state income tax. This affects take-home pay — at $137,740, expect 4-7% effective state tax depending on filing status. See city pages for detailed take-home calculations.
What skills are most in demand for Security Engineers in 2026?
Hottest 2026 skills: zero-trust, cloud security (AWS/GCP), threat modeling, EDR/XDR, Kubernetes security, AI security. ATS systems specifically scan for these. Adding them to your resume — naturally and in context — improves your match rate with North Carolina employers.
How can I increase my Security Engineer salary in North Carolina?
Based on levels.fyi data and what I'm seeing from comparable offers, total compensation for this level is closer to $X base plus equity. Can we close the gap on base or front-load the RSU grant? Beyond base, negotiate: Sign-on bonus ($25K-$100K is standard at Big Tech), RSU refreshers and accelerated vesting cliffs, Remote/hybrid flexibility and home-office stipend, Annual learning budget and conference allowance. Walk-away anchor for North Carolina: $119,774.
Methodology
North Carolina Security Engineer salary is the BLS national median ($142,000) adjusted by North Carolina's state multiplier (0.97×). YoY rate from BLS Employment Cost Index. Last reviewed April 29, 2026.
Security Engineer Salary in Other States
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