2026 Salary — Virginia
Updated April 29, 2026
Security Engineer Salary in Virginia: $151K Median
Security Engineers in Virginia earn between $98K and $248K per year.
That's +6% above the US national median.
Quick Answer
As of April 2026, the median Security Engineer salary in Virginia is $150,520 per year — +6% above the US national median of $142,000. Salaries range from $97,838 (entry, 25th percentile) to $248,358 (90th percentile). Virginia's cost-of-living index is 104. State income tax applies.
Median
$150,520
+520.0% YoY
Entry
$117,406
Experienced
$198,686
Top 10%
$248,358
About Security Engineers in Virginia
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
Security Engineer Salary in Virginia Metros
Click any city for full breakdown including take-home pay calculator.
| City | Median |
|---|---|
| Virginia Beach | $139,160 |
How to Negotiate Your Security Engineer Salary in Virginia
Walk-away anchor: $130,887.
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 — Virginia
What is the average Security Engineer salary in Virginia?
The average Security Engineer salary in Virginia is $150,520 per year as of April 2026. Salaries range from $97,838 (entry, 25th percentile) up to $248,358 (90th percentile). State income tax applies.
How does Security Engineer pay in Virginia compare to the US average?
Security Engineers in Virginia earn approximately 6% more than the US national median ($142,000 nationally vs $150,520 in Virginia). Virginia's cost-of-living index of 104 is close to the national average.
Did Security Engineer salaries in Virginia increase in 2026?
Yes — Security Engineer salaries in Virginia grew approximately 520.0% year-over-year, from $24,277 in 2025 to $150,520 in 2026. This reflects the broader Technology sector's wage growth, driven by zero-trust and cloud security (AWS/GCP) demand.
Which Virginia cities pay Security Engineers the most?
Top-paying Virginia metros for Security Engineers: Virginia Beach ($139K). Click any city for full breakdown including take-home pay.
What's the job outlook for Security Engineers in Virginia?
Security engineer demand projected to grow 32% through 2034 — among the fastest in tech. Severe talent shortage with 700K+ unfilled US cybersecurity roles. Virginia's top industries include Government/Defense, Tech (Data Centers), Shipbuilding, and the state's unemployment rate is 3.3% — a tight labor market favoring candidates.
Does Virginia have state income tax?
Yes, Virginia has state income tax. This affects take-home pay — at $150,520, 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 Virginia employers.
How can I increase my Security Engineer salary in Virginia?
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 Virginia: $130,887.
Methodology
Virginia Security Engineer salary is the BLS national median ($142,000) adjusted by Virginia's state multiplier (1.06×). YoY rate from BLS Employment Cost Index. Last reviewed April 29, 2026.
Security Engineer Salary in Other States
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