2026 Salary — Wisconsin
Updated April 29, 2026
Security Engineer Salary in Wisconsin: $135K Median
Security Engineers in Wisconsin earn between $88K and $223K per year.
That's -5% below the US national median.
Quick Answer
As of April 2026, the median Security Engineer salary in Wisconsin is $134,900 per year — -5% below the US national median of $142,000. Salaries range from $87,685 (entry, 25th percentile) to $222,585 (90th percentile). Wisconsin's cost-of-living index is 95. State income tax applies.
Median
$134,900
+520.0% YoY
Entry
$105,222
Experienced
$178,068
Top 10%
$222,585
About Security Engineers in Wisconsin
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 Wisconsin Metros
Click any city for full breakdown including take-home pay calculator.
| City | Median |
|---|---|
| Milwaukee | $134,900 |
How to Negotiate Your Security Engineer Salary in Wisconsin
Walk-away anchor: $117,304.
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 — Wisconsin
What is the average Security Engineer salary in Wisconsin?
The average Security Engineer salary in Wisconsin is $134,900 per year as of April 2026. Salaries range from $87,685 (entry, 25th percentile) up to $222,585 (90th percentile). State income tax applies.
How does Security Engineer pay in Wisconsin compare to the US average?
Security Engineers in Wisconsin earn approximately 5% less than the US national median ($142,000 nationally vs $134,900 in Wisconsin). Wisconsin's cost-of-living index of 95 is close to the national average.
Did Security Engineer salaries in Wisconsin increase in 2026?
Yes — Security Engineer salaries in Wisconsin grew approximately 520.0% year-over-year, from $21,758 in 2025 to $134,900 in 2026. This reflects the broader Technology sector's wage growth, driven by zero-trust and cloud security (AWS/GCP) demand.
Which Wisconsin cities pay Security Engineers the most?
Top-paying Wisconsin metros for Security Engineers: Milwaukee ($135K). Click any city for full breakdown including take-home pay.
What's the job outlook for Security Engineers in Wisconsin?
Security engineer demand projected to grow 32% through 2034 — among the fastest in tech. Severe talent shortage with 700K+ unfilled US cybersecurity roles. Wisconsin's top industries include Manufacturing, Healthcare, Agriculture (Dairy), and the state's unemployment rate is 3.2% — a tight labor market favoring candidates.
Does Wisconsin have state income tax?
Yes, Wisconsin has state income tax. This affects take-home pay — at $134,900, 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 Wisconsin employers.
How can I increase my Security Engineer salary in Wisconsin?
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 Wisconsin: $117,304.
Methodology
Wisconsin Security Engineer salary is the BLS national median ($142,000) adjusted by Wisconsin's state multiplier (0.95×). YoY rate from BLS Employment Cost Index. Last reviewed April 29, 2026.
Security Engineer Salary in Other States
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