Conduct authorized cyberattacks to identify vulnerabilities in systems and networks. Median salary in Austin: $144K/year. Data from BLS, O*NET, and H-1B disclosures.
Figures represent annual base salary in Austin, Texas. Reviewed by SalaryOptics Editorial · How we calculate this →
Analysis derived from the salary, COL, tax, and labor-market figures above — specific to this role and city.
Penetration Testers in Austin earn approximately 22% higher than the US national median for this role — a $26,000 premium on annual base salary. This reflects Austin's position as a higher-cost labor market where employers must match local wage norms.
Adjusted for Austin's cost-of-living index (110), the median Penetration Tester salary buys the equivalent of $130,909 in a US-average-cost city. That's $12,909 more purchasing power than the national median — a meaningful real-wage advantage.
Texas has no state income tax, which is worth roughly $13,392 per year at this salary level compared to a California Penetration Tester on the same gross pay. A Austin Penetration Tester would need to earn $158,765 in California to net the same take-home.
Based on BLS 2022–2032 Employment Projections and WEF Future of Jobs Report 2026. At current growth rates, median salary reaches $144K by 2030.
Enter your email for free access. We'll send salary market updates — unsubscribe anytime.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
The median Penetration Tester salary in Austin, TX is $144,000 per year as of Q1 2026. This figure represents the midpoint of all reported compensation for this role in the Austin–TX metropolitan area, based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics, H-1B visa disclosures from the Department of Labor, and O*NET occupational data.
Entry-level Penetration Testers in Austin with 0–2 years of experience typically earn between $107,000 and $144,000 annually. Mid-career professionals with 3–7 years command $144,000 to $185,000, while senior-level practitioners with 8+ years of experience regularly earn $185,000 to $238,000 or more.
Austin has a cost of living index of 110 compared to the US national average of 100. Living costs in Austin are close to the national average. Crucially, Texas has no state income tax — giving Austin-based Penetration Testers an immediate 5–7% take-home pay advantage over workers in states like California (9.3%) or New York (6.85%).
Bachelor's in CS; CEH, OSCP certifications. This role is 60% remote-eligible nationally, which can significantly expand the job market for Austin-based professionals.