OT Cyber Search · 2026 Pay Index
OT Security Engineer Salary: 2026 Pay Index
Pay for ics/scada security engineers, nerc cip architects, ot security architects and ot incident responders depends on more than title. Pick your combination to see a modeled base and contract hourly rate anchored to published wage data, then unlock the upper range, per diem and the employer types that hire.
Model your number
Every figure is a published number with its source shown underneath. Inputs marked “for matching” help us place you and do not change the estimate.
Base Salary
$129,180
BLS May 2025, information security analysts, median
Hourly Rate
$62/hr
BLS May 2025, information security analysts, median hourly
Where these numbers come from
We do not publish our own salary estimates. Each figure is a number from federal wage data, a professional society salary survey or a 2026 employer job posting, and its source is printed under it. Per diem is the federal GSA rate for the hub you pick, times the weeks you would be away. Where no credible source exists, the calculator says so rather than filling the gap.
Base, upper and hourly figures are published wage data or 2026 employer job postings, as cited under each figure. Postings are single employers, not market averages. Per diem is the GSA FY2027 federal rate for lodging plus meals times weeks away; many employers pay less. Inputs marked "for matching" do not change the numbers. BLS does not separate OT specialists from all information security analysts, and no published survey covers OT pay, so the percentile you pick is your judgment of where your experience sits.
Sources
- BLS OEWS May 2025, Information Security Analysts (15-1212), via O*NET OnLine
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Information Security Analysts
- GIAC, Global Industrial Cyber Security Professional (GICSP)
- GIAC, Response and Industrial Defense (GRID)
- ISA, ISA/IEC 62443 Cybersecurity Certificate Program
- GSA per diem rates, FY2027 (lodging and meals and incidental expenses)
- IRS Publication 463, Travel, Gift, and Car Expenses
What gets you hired anywhere, permanent or contract
What employers in this field screen for, drawn from current job postings and the certifying bodies cited on this page. Have these ready and we can put you in front of employers quickly.
- A controls, substation or I&C engineering background before security
- GICSP or GRID, ISA/IEC 62443 certificates, and CISSP for leadership roles
- CIP-005, 007 and 010 evidence you owned through a regional entity audit
- Hands-on time with a passive monitoring platform (Dragos, Claroty, Nozomi or Cisco Cyber Vision)
- CIP-015 internal network security monitoring design experience
- An active clearance for defense and federal-adjacent roles
Frequently asked questions
How much does an OT security engineer make?
No published survey separates OT pay. The closest federal data is BLS for all information security analysts: a May 2025 median of $129,180, a middle half of $97,810 to $163,500, and a 90th percentile of $199,850. Experienced OT specialists with controls backgrounds generally sit in the upper half.
What certifications do OT security engineers need?
The most requested are GIAC's GICSP and GRID and the ISA/IEC 62443 certificates (the 62443 Cybersecurity Expert designation requires four certificates), often alongside CISSP. Hands-on controls or substation experience usually matters more than any single credential.