For employers
Hire cybersecurity talent in India
What to pay, what a hire really costs, how competitive the market is, and where to post - built on live data from India's security job market.
631 open security roles in India right now. That is your competition for the same candidates.
What to pay in India
Benchmark ranges by role, refreshed quarterly.
| Role | Typical pay (USD) | Local |
|---|---|---|
| CISO | $60k - $150k | ₹50L–₹1.25Cr |
| Senior Security Engineer | $28k - $60k | ₹23L–₹50L |
| Cloud Security Engineer | $16k - $42k | ₹13L–₹35L |
| AppSec Engineer | $15k - $40k | ₹12.5L–₹33L |
| Penetration Tester | $12k - $33k | ₹10L–₹27L |
| Security Engineer | $12k - $32k | ₹10L–₹27L |
| GRC Analyst | $9k - $24k | ₹7.5L–₹20L |
| SOC Analyst | $6k - $16k | ₹5L–₹13L |
What a Security Engineer hire really costs
On a $22,000 salary in India. On-costs (~25%) and the agency fee (~20%) are labeled, industry-standard estimates.
Via a recruitment agency
$31,900
$22,000 salary + $5,500 on-costs + $4,400 agency fee
Posting the role directly
$27,799
Same salary + on-costs, but $299 to post. Saves about $4,101.
Ready to hire?
Post your role to India's security candidates
Direct-apply to your own ATS, no recruiter middleman. Or turn your company page into a branded employer page.
How to run the hire
Our data-backed guides walk through screening, interviewing, and closing each role - plus a free, printable hiring kit.
Free cybersecurity hiring kit
Interview scorecard, screening checklist, JD template, and offer checklist. Built for hiring managers.
Frequently asked questions
- What does it cost to hire a cybersecurity professional in India?
- Salaries in India range from about $6,000 for a SOC Analyst up to $150,000 for a CISO.
- What is the true first-year cost of a Security Engineer hire in India?
- On a $22,000 salary, budget roughly $5,500 in employer on-costs. A recruitment agency at 20% adds about $4,400, taking the first year to $31,900. Posting the role directly instead costs $299, saving about $4,101.
- How competitive is the cybersecurity job market in India?
- There are 631 open security roles in India on our board right now. That is who you are competing against for the same candidates, so a published salary range and a fast, clear process matter.
- Where is the best place to post a cybersecurity job in India?
- A specialist security board reaches candidates who are actively applying to security roles, rather than a generalist audience you have to filter. Our postings are direct-apply, so candidates go straight to your applicant tracking system.
Looking for work instead? See cybersecurity jobs in India and the highest-paying roles there.