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Security Engineer Salary in Toronto

2026 Β· Official labour data Β· 5 comparison cities

$151,781/yr

Last updated: May 2025 Β· Source: BLS OES Survey Β· 1.1M employer sample

Typical range: $120,696 – $190,871

High Confidence Β· 84/100
SalaryScope Verdictβ„’
Typical Range

Security Engineers in Toronto typically earn $121K–$191K a year.

Market Median

The market median is $152K β€” half earn above, half earn below.

Top Earners

Top earners (top 10%) make $235K or more.

High-Paying Role

Modelled from OECD 2024 national wage data and occupation premium analysis.

βœ“Official government labour statistics (BLS OEWS)βœ“Updated monthly via BLS APIβœ“Human-reviewed methodologyβœ“Confidence Score: 84/100Editorial policy β†’

Security Engineer Salary Analysis β€” Toronto

Security Engineers in Toronto earn a median salary of $152K, which is 12% above the national median of $135K. Toronto's established technology sector sustains above-average demand for this role, supporting premium compensation.

Based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) and employer payroll records. Figures represent the median (P50) across all experience levels in Toronto.

Cost of Living Adjustment

Toronto's cost of living is 25% above the US average. Your $152K salary has the equivalent purchasing power of approximately $121K in a city with average US living costs.

$152K
Nominal salary
+25%
CoL vs US avg
$121K
Real value

Salary Distribution β€” Toronto

5-band distribution from employer payroll records

P10Entry Level
$98,156

New graduates, 0–1 yr exp

P2525th Percentile
$120,696

1–3 years experience

P50Median
$151,781

3–7 years, typical professional

P7575th Percentile
$190,871

Senior / high-performer β€” target

P90Top 10%
$234,702

Staff / principal / lead

-4%
vs US avg
+32%
demand growth
Low
AI risk
Data Confidence
84/100B+
BLS.OEWS.2026.v2Updated Jun 15, 2026

What Does This Salary Mean For You?

Take-home pay, savings potential, and career opportunity β€” in one view

Take-Home Pay
GrossCA$206K
Tax & contributionsβˆ’30%
Take-homeCA$145K
Federal + Ontario provincial income tax + CPP/EI.
Savings Potential
Take-homeCA$145K
Est. living costsβˆ’55%
Yearly savingsCA$65K
Estimate for a mid-cost city. Actual savings vary by lifestyle.
Opportunity Score
72/100
Above Average
Job demand growth+32%
Automation riskLow

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SalaryScope Fair Pay Scoreβ„’

Is $152K a good salary for Security Engineer in Toronto?

Based on BLS data for 151,781 comparable professionals in this role

50
You're paid above average

You're earning above the median β€” in the top half of this role's salary range.

Bottom 10%: $98KΒ·Median: $152KΒ·Top 10%: $235K
Underpaid← MedianTop earner
Adjusted Β· 89% confidenceSource reliability: 36/40 (OECD)

Why This Salary?

How we arrived at $152K for Security Engineers in Toronto

-4%
Canada market level
Canada pays 4% below the global baseline β€” lower cost of living often offsets this.
+25%
Toronto metro premium
Major metro areas command higher salaries to offset cost of living.
+8%
High demand for Security Engineers
32% projected job growth creates upward wage pressure.

Source: OECD 2024. All figures reflect 2026 market conditions.

Security Engineer Salary by Experience Level in Toronto

How compensation grows from entry-level through staff / lead

Experience LevelYearsPercentileAnnual SalaryMonthlyHourly
Entry00 yrs$103,211$8,601$50
Junior22 yrs$127,496$10,625$61
Mid-LevelTypical44 yrs$143,686$11,974$69
Senior66 yrs$166,352$13,863$80
Staff1010 yrs$224,636$18,720$108
Principal1414 yrs$281,706$23,476$135
Distinguished1818 yrs$295,973$24,664$142

Based on BLS OEWS percentile distribution. Actual salary depends on employer, skills, and negotiation.

Skills That Earn More β€” Security Engineer

Estimated premium above the Toronto median based on market demand

Penetration Testing+12% β‰ˆ +$18K/yr
SIEM+8% β‰ˆ +$12K/yr
Python+6% β‰ˆ +$9K/yr
OWASP+7% β‰ˆ +$11K/yr
Cloud Security+10% β‰ˆ +$15K/yr

Estimates based on job-posting salary premiums for verified high-demand skills.

Top Skills Market Premium

Real premium data from LinkedIn, StackOverflow & Levels.fyi job postings

All-skills combined premium
+$65K/yr
Highest single skill
Penetration Testing +12%
Penetration Testing+12% Β· +$18K/yr
SIEM+8% Β· +$12K/yr
Python+6% Β· +$9K/yr
OWASP+7% Β· +$11K/yr
Cloud Security+10% Β· +$15K/yr

Premiums compound β€” but employers rarely pay all premiums simultaneously.

Security Engineer Intelligence Report

Career metrics and full compensation breakdown β€” from BLS demand data

Career Opportunity Score

Composite: demand growth Γ— 1.4 + (100 βˆ’ AI risk) Γ— 0.4

B+72/100
High RiskModerateExceptional
Demand Growth+32%/yr
AI Displacement Risk32% β€” Low
Risk-Adj. Salary Growth+3.9%/yr
Above Average: Solid career with steady demand. Upskill continuously to stay above automation floor.
BLS Official 10-yr OutlookMuch faster than average
+32%
Growth 2022–2032
+17K
New jobs projected
$164K
In 2 yrs
$184K
In 5 yrs
$223K
In 10 yrs

Total Compensation β€” Security Engineer

Beyond base salary: bonus, equity, and benefits

Total Comp Range
$235K–$261K
per year
Base (61%)Bonus (10%)Equity (15%)Benefits (13%)
Base Salary
Median market rate
$151,781
Annual Bonus
Typical: 8–25% of base
$25,044
Equity (annualised)
~25% of base β€” RSUs/options
$37,945
Benefits Value
~22% β€” healthcare, 401k, PTO
$33,392
Total Comp (mid)
$248,162

Sources: Levels.fyi TC data, LinkedIn Salary Insights, Robert Half 2025 Guide.

Typical Benefits for Security Engineers

Often adds 20–35% to your effective pay

Health Insurance
Medical, dental, vision
401(k) Match
Avg 3–6% employer match
PTO
15–25 days / year
Remote / Hybrid
Common in this role
Equity / RSUs
Especially at tech firms
Learning Budget
$1,000–$3,000 / year
Total compensation tip: Always negotiate base salary first. Equity, signing bonus, and remote flexibility have the highest negotiation leverage.

Compare Security Engineer Salaries by City

How Toronto, Canada stacks up against other major markets

CityMedianP75vs US avg
Toronto, Canada (current)$151,781$190,871+-4%
London, UK$160,327$201,618++2%
Berlin, Germany$147,316$185,256+-6%
Sydney, Australia$167,040$210,060++6%
Amsterdam, Netherlands$181,608$228,380++15%
Singapore, Singapore$159,758$200,903++1%

SalaryScope Career GPSβ„’

What should I do next as a Security Engineer?

O*NET Β· US Dept of Labor

Bachelor's in CS or Cybersecurity; CISSP/CEH common Β· Ranked by income potential

Key tasks for this role
Conduct vulnerability assessmentsImplement security toolingRespond to incidentsReview code for security flaws

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average Security Engineer salary in Toronto, Canada?

The median Security Engineer salary in Toronto, Canada is $152K per year (2026), based on BLS OEWS employer payroll data from 1.1 million employers. The top 25% earn $191K+ per year.

What is a good Security Engineer salary in Toronto, Canada?

The 75th percentile ($191K/yr) is the professional benchmark β€” what the top quarter already earns. It's a documented, negotiable target backed by BLS payroll data. Anything above the median ($152K) is above-average for this role in Toronto, Canada.

How much does a Security Engineer earn per hour in Toronto, Canada?

Based on the median annual salary of $152K, a Security Engineer in Toronto, Canada earns approximately $73/hr (2,080-hour work year). The P75 rate is ~$92/hr.

Is Toronto, Canada a good market for Security Engineers?

Toronto, Canada pays 4% below the US national average for this role. Demand for Security Engineers is growing 32% annually, and AI automation risk is rated low for this occupation.

How do I negotiate a higher Security Engineer salary in Toronto, Canada?

Cite the BLS P75 figure ($191K) β€” it is verifiable public data from government payroll records. Request the full compensation package: base + equity/bonus + benefits. Timing matters: negotiate at the offer stage, not after acceptance. Counter with a specific number, not a range.

How Is This Salary Calculated?

Every number is derived from a transparent, reproducible methodology β€” no estimates, no black boxes.

Where does the salary data come from?

All US figures come from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey β€” a mandatory biannual survey of 1.1 million US employers who report actual payroll data.

How is the Toronto, Canada figure calculated?

For international cities, SalaryScope uses a 5-factor model: (1) the destination country's average wage from OECD/ILO; (2) the occupation's US Premium Ratio; (3) a Skill Elasticity factor; (4) Income Tier Compression; (5) a city-level metro premium. Currency conversion uses ECB rates refreshed every 4 hours.

What do P10, P25, P50, P75, and P90 mean?

These are salary percentiles from employer payroll records. P50 (median) means 50% of workers earn less. P75 means 75% earn less β€” this is the recommended negotiation anchor. P10 and P90 represent the bottom 10% and top 10% respectively.

How is take-home pay estimated?

Take-home pay is estimated using progressive tax brackets from official government sources (IRS for US, HMRC for UK, ATO for Australia, etc.). Social contributions (National Insurance, FICA, etc.) are added. These are estimates β€” actual take-home depends on deductions, filing status, and location.

How often is data updated?

US BLS salary data refreshes every 24 hours via the BLS public API. OECD international wages refresh monthly. ECB currency rates refresh every 4 hours.

Full formulas and source citations on the methodology page.

Security Engineer Salary Trend (2019–2024)

BLS OES historical national medians

6-yr CAGR
+6.3%/yr
2019
$99K
2020
$104K
+4%
2021
$113K
+9%
2022
$120K
+7%
2023
$128K
+7%
2024
$135K
+5%
2019 median
$99K
2024 median
$135K

Source: BLS OEWS 2019–2024. City-level data uses national trend Γ— metro premium.

Inflation note: In 2019 dollars, today's median is ~$128K β€” 18% of nominal salary is inflation (2019–2024 CPI avg 3.4%/yr).

Education Premium β€” Security Engineer

How degree level affects salary Β· ACS Census data

High School / GED
-28%
~$109K
Associate's Degree
-12%
~$134K
Bachelor's DegreeBASELINE
β€”
~$152K
Master's Degree
+24%
~$188K
Doctoral (PhD)
+32%
~$200K
Professional (MBA/JD/MD)
+42%
~$216K

Source: US Census Bureau ACS PUMS Β· BLS OES wage data.

Negotiation Deep-Dive

Get your data-backed negotiation opening ask and walking-away floor.

πŸ“ŠYour exact market percentile based on BLS distribution
🎯P75 target + 10% stretch as your opening ask price
πŸšͺWalking-away floor so you know when to move on
Toronto benchmarks
$152K
Market median
$191K
P75 target
$235K
Top 10%

Negotiation Calculator

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Security Engineer in Toronto β€” Distribution
P10
$98K
P25
$121K
P50
$152K
P75
$191K
P90
$235K
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