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As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for an Incident Response Specialist in Illinois is $123,615 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $59.
However, an Incident Response Specialist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
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Incident Response Specialist Salaries by Percentile
| Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
Weekly Pay |
Hourly Wage |
|
| 75th Percentile | $133,576 | $11,131 | $2,569 | $64 |
| Average | $123,615 | $10,301 | $2,377 | $59 |
| 25th Percentile | $113,858 | $9,488 | $2,190 | $55 |
Dover Corporation - Downers Grove, IL
Synchrony - Chicago, IL
Wilson Elser - Attorneys - Chicago, IL
Paul Davis Restoration of Southeast WI & Northern IL - Waukegan, IL
An Incident Response Specialist's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location and company size can directly affect your earning potential.
Experience is a primary driver of an Incident Response Specialist's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here’s how the average salary grows at different career stages:
| Levels | Salary |
|---|---|
| Cyber Inc... Level Incident Response Specialist | $78,786 |
| Cyber Inc... Level Incident Response Specialist | $92,432 |
| Incident ... Level Incident Response Specialist | $125,648 |
| Cyber Inc... Level Incident Response Specialist | $141,366 |
| Cyber Inc... Level Incident Response Specialist | $163,099 |
What Am I Worth?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Incident Response Specialists. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:
For Incident Response Specialist roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Financial Services and Aerospace & Defense sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average. In contrast, Incident Response Specialist positions in Hospitality & Leisure or Transportation typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Incident Response Specialist as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
| Industry Sector | Average Annual Salary | Average Hourly Rate | Pay vs.Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Financial Services | $148,338 | $71.0 | 20% |
Understanding how an Incident Response Specialist's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.
| Annual Salary | Monthly Pay | Weekly Pay | Hourly Wage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 75th Percentile | $133,576 | $11,131 | $2,569 | $64 |
| Average | $123,615 | $10,301 | $2,377 | $59 |
| 25th Percentile | $113,858 | $9,488 | $2,190 | $55 |
Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Incident Response Specialist job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.
Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital
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Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital | Dekalb, IL
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CSL
KING OF PRUSSIA, PA
CSL | KING OF PRUSSIA, PA
CSL is looking for a highly technical and detail-oriented leader in the DFIR space that specializes in digital forensics, malware analysis, threat detectio... more
28 Days Ago
Kaiser Permanente
COUNTRY PARK ACRES, NC
Kaiser Permanente | COUNTRY PARK ACRES, NC
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Global Medical Response
QUINCY, WA
Global Medical Response | QUINCY, WA
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AMR
BOZEMAN, MT
AMR | BOZEMAN, MT
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