Associate Penetration Tester Salary in the United States
How much does an Associate Penetration Tester make in the United States?
As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for an Associate Penetration Tester in the United States is $93,551 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $45.
However, an Associate Penetration Tester's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $101,315
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $88,546 to $97,615
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $83,989
10%$83,989
50% (Median)$93,551
90%$101,315
Associate Penetration Tester Salaries by Percentile
Key Factors That Influence Associate Penetration Tester Salaries
An Associate Penetration Tester'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, education
and company size
can directly affect your earning potential.
How Experience Level Affects Associate Penetration Tester Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of an Associate Penetration Tester'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:
How Do Associate Penetration Tester Salaries Vary from State to State?
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 Associate Penetration Testers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $103,579.
California: $103,186.
Massachusetts: $101,811.
District of Columbia$103,579
California$103,186
Massachusetts$101,811
Washington$101,437
New Jersey$101,399
Alaska$101,269
Connecticut$99,978
New York$99,454
Hawaii$97,779
Rhode Island$96,993
Maryland$96,460
Minnesota$95,730
Colorado$95,450
Illinois$95,356
Oregon$95,001
Delaware$94,739
New Hampshire$94,574
Virginia$94,205
Pennsylvania$93,130
Nevada$92,587
North Dakota$92,409
Michigan$92,129
Wisconsin$92,026
Vermont$91,820
Texas$91,249
Maine$91,212
Arizona$91,156
Ohio$91,090
Georgia$90,230
Indiana$89,799
Wyoming$89,715
Utah$89,584
Iowa$89,528
Kansas$89,079
Louisiana$88,948
North Carolina$88,901
Missouri$88,882
Florida$88,518
Montana$88,321
Nebraska$88,134
Kentucky$88,031
South Carolina$87,657
Tennessee$87,423
Idaho$87,329
New Mexico$86,647
Oklahoma$86,497
Alabama$85,945
South Dakota$85,019
Arkansas$84,514
West Virginia$84,242
Mississippi$83,428
Top Paying Cities for Associate Penetration Testers
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:
San Jose: $117,995
San Francisco: $116,703
Oakland: $114,244
San Jose, CA$117,995
San Francisco, CA$116,703
Oakland, CA$114,244
New York, NY$107,713
Paramus, NJ$106,404
Queens Village, NY$106,399
Passaic, NJ$106,310
Bergenfield, NJ$106,302
Stamford, CT$106,096
Huntington, NY$106,057
Newark, NJ$105,366
Bridgeport, CT$105,169
Vallejo, CA$104,982
New Brunswick, NJ$104,945
Petaluma, CA$104,889
Middlesex, NJ$104,711
Somerset, NJ$104,646
Santa Cruz, CA$104,524
Boston, MA$103,953
Monterey, CA$103,625
Seattle, WA$103,411
Santa Rosa, CA$103,392
Los Angeles, CA$103,364
Juneau, AK$103,121
Washington, DC$103,018
Orange, CA$102,685
Santa Ana, CA$102,438
Long Beach, CA$102,344
Anaheim, CA$102,326
Anchorage, AK$102,279
Santa Maria, CA$101,998
Everett, WA$101,980
Danbury, CT$101,650
Bremerton, WA$101,521
Tacoma, WA$101,184
New Suffolk, NY$101,182
Sacramento, CA$101,156
Santa Barbara, CA$101,053
Trenton, NJ$100,950
San Diego, CA$100,950
Brockton, MA$100,848
Fairbanks, AK$100,618
Lompoc, CA$100,380
Lowell, MA$100,304
Ventura, CA$100,286
Nashua, NH$100,268
Stockton, CA$100,258
Modesto, CA$99,575
Poughkeepsie, NY$99,369
Olympia, WA$99,192
Kennewick, WA$99,192
New Haven, CT$99,154
Lawrence, MA$98,817
Hartford, CT$98,724
Riverside, CA$98,705
New Bedford, MA$98,612
Richland, WA$98,612
Bakersfield, CA$98,481
San Bernardino, CA$98,443
New Britain, CT$98,434
Atlantic City, NJ$98,434
New London, CT$98,397
Norwich, CT$98,368
Portsmouth, NH$98,350
Boulder, CO$98,151
Portland, OR$98,022
Worcester, MA$98,013
Minneapolis, MN$97,723
Philadelphia, PA$97,592
Honolulu, HI$97,283
Saint Paul, MN$97,238
Vineland, NJ$97,218
Providence, RI$96,946
Chicago, IL$96,675
Bellingham, WA$96,563
Springfield, MA$96,488
Baltimore, MD$96,460
Chico, CA$96,226
Pittsfield, MA$95,974
Manchester, NH$95,796
Spokane, WA$95,384
Denver, CO$95,375
Albany, NY$94,935
Troy, NY$94,898
Nassau, NY$94,798
Schenectady, NY$94,701
Wilmington, DE$94,626
Burlington, VT$94,495
Salem, OR$94,458
Portland, ME$94,168
Yakima, WA$94,074
Rochester, MN$93,784
Reno, NV$93,738
Fresno, CA$93,738
Milwaukee, WI$93,654
Detroit, MI$93,560
Ann Arbor, MI$93,544
Allentown, PA$93,532
Colorado Springs, CO$93,373
Syracuse, NY$93,326
Carson City, NV$93,326
Houston, TX$93,195
Eugene, OR$93,148
Gary, IN$93,036
Springfield, OR$92,961
Bismarck, ND$92,943
Galveston, TX$92,877
Medford, OR$92,737
Fort Collins, CO$92,699
Concord, NH$92,653
Austin, TX$92,624
Mesa, AZ$92,428
Reading, PA$92,419
Phoenix, AZ$92,409
Dallas, TX$92,381
Saint Cloud, MN$92,291
Madison, WI$92,166
Utica, NY$91,913
Rochester, NY$91,764
Des Moines, IA$91,754
Raleigh, NC$91,745
Atlanta, GA$91,605
Battle Creek, MI$91,577
Salt Lake City, UT$91,549
Lancaster, PA$91,408
Harrisburg, PA$91,277
Kansas City, MO$91,184
Champaign, IL$91,165
Kansas City, KS$91,165
Fort Worth, TX$91,156
Columbus, OH$91,140
Boca Raton, FL$91,118
Pittsburgh, PA$91,081
Richmond, VA$91,043
Indianapolis, IN$91,025
Cleveland, OH$91,015
Las Vegas, NV$90,903
Cincinnati, OH$90,903
Petersburg, VA$90,763
Huntsville, AL$90,622
Lansing, MI$90,560
Lebanon, PA$90,548
Pueblo, CO$90,538
Appleton, WI$90,510
Buffalo, NY$90,473
Dayton, OH$90,445
Racine, WI$90,426
Charlotte, NC$90,417
Saint Louis, MO$90,389
York, PA$90,332
Elkhart, IN$90,332
Gastonia, NC$90,315
Billings, MT$90,292
Beaumont, TX$90,267
Lorain, OH$90,248
Benton Harbor, MI$90,230
Toledo, OH$90,211
Binghamton, NY$90,164
Rock Hill, SC$90,155
Rockford, IL$90,108
Springfield, IL$90,071
Elyria, OH$90,061
Fargo, ND$90,061
Flagstaff, AZ$89,996
Fort Lauderdale, FL$89,940
Duluth, MN$89,883
Miami, FL$89,883
Cheyenne, WY$89,818
Grand Forks, ND$89,818
Bangor, ME$89,612
Cedar Rapids, IA$89,509
Durham, NC$89,470
Louisville, KY$89,462
Grand Rapids, MI$89,444
Hialeah, FL$89,434
Casper, WY$89,303
Scranton, PA$89,191
New Orleans, LA$89,163
Virginia Beach, VA$89,154
Akron, OH$89,107
Peoria, IL$88,985
Sarasota, FL$88,967
Nashville, TN$88,901
Omaha, NE$88,901
Green Bay, WI$88,901
Baton Rouge, LA$88,854
Charleston, SC$88,836
Jamestown, NY$88,789
Davenport, IA$88,789
Tucson, AZ$88,742
Saint Petersburg, FL$88,686
Tampa, FL$88,667
Evansville, IN$88,611
Port Arthur, TX$88,611
Bradenton, FL$88,574
Santa Fe, NM$88,405
Orlando, FL$88,237
Clearwater, FL$88,209
Canton, OH$88,012
La Crosse, WI$88,012
Albuquerque, NM$87,956
Newport News, VA$87,947
High Point, NC$87,919
Ogden, UT$87,881
Corpus Christi, TX$87,807
Norfolk, VA$87,750
Laramie, WY$87,750
Rock Island, IL$87,694
Saginaw, MI$87,676
Jacksonville, FL$87,666
Salisbury, NC$87,648
Boise, ID$87,629
Moline, IL$87,582
Fort Myers, FL$87,554
Memphis, TN$87,535
Tulsa, OK$87,489
Waterloo, IA$87,432
Spartanburg, SC$87,339
Lincoln, NE$87,292
Fort Wayne, IN$87,273
Provo, UT$87,264
Cedar Falls, IA$87,152
San Antonio, TX$87,114
Greensboro, NC$87,077
South Bend, IN$87,068
Savannah, GA$86,965
Muskegon, MI$86,927
Birmingham, AL$86,918
Winston Salem, NC$86,872
Lake Charles, LA$86,647
Anderson, IN$86,628
Lexington, KY$86,600
Augusta, GA$86,572
Greenville, SC$86,572
Lima, OH$86,497
Wichita, KS$86,488
Tuscaloosa, AL$86,488
Columbia, SC$86,403
Springfield, OH$86,385
Asheville, NC$86,235
Bloomington, IN$86,169
Knoxville, TN$85,833
Shreveport, LA$85,823
Wilmington, NC$85,702
Roanoke, VA$85,702
Topeka, KS$85,533
Frankfort, KY$85,523
Oklahoma City, OK$85,458
Chillicothe, OH$85,421
Longview, TX$85,412
Melbourne, FL$85,402
Sioux Falls, SD$85,253
Mobile, AL$85,243
Terre Haute, IN$85,206
Altoona, PA$85,150
Amarillo, TX$85,084
Killeen, TX$85,056
Fayetteville, AR$84,981
Chattanooga, TN$84,953
Sioux City, IA$84,869
Idaho Falls, ID$84,850
Lynchburg, VA$84,776
Gainesville, FL$84,654
Portsmouth, OH$84,607
Little Rock, AR$84,588
Lafayette, LA$84,551
Youngstown, OH$84,551
Daytona Beach, FL$84,495
Clarksville, TN$84,486
Pensacola, FL$84,476
Temple, TX$84,470
Hopkinsville, KY$84,196
Erie, PA$84,177
Florence, SC$84,139
Charleston, WV$83,990
Great Falls, MT$83,943
Macon, GA$83,812
Tallahassee, FL$83,803
Fayetteville, NC$83,784
Waco, TX$83,765
Helena, MT$83,700
Pine Bluff, AR$83,664
Vincennes, IN$83,550
Lubbock, TX$83,513
Alamogordo, NM$83,456
Twin Falls, ID$83,372
Rapid City, SD$83,344
Jackson, MS$83,176
Huntington, WV$83,169
Greenville, MS$83,166
Parkersburg, WV$83,071
Montgomery, AL$83,054
Wichita Falls, TX$82,961
Springfield, MO$82,961
Biloxi, MS$82,914
Monroe, LA$82,820
Johnstown, PA$82,755
Sumter, SC$82,717
Columbus, GA$82,708
Pascagoula, MS$82,530
Abilene, TX$82,530
Kingsport, TN$82,287
Albany, GA$82,287
Gulfport, MS$82,259
Alexandria, LA$81,950
Fort Smith, AR$81,716
El Paso, TX$81,464
Las Cruces, NM$81,043
Harlingen, TX$80,805
Pocatello, ID$80,790
Florence, AL$80,669
Brownsville, TX$80,650
Mcallen, TX$80,454
Dothan, AL$80,323
Columbus, MS$79,767
Altus, OK$79,331
Lawton, OK$79,153
Pierre, SD$78,816
What Skills Can Increase an Associate Penetration Tester's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Planning (Mentioned in 17.28% Job Postings): An act or process of making or carrying out plans. Establishment of goals, policies, and procedures for a social or economic unit city planning business planning.
Aviation (Mentioned in 1.23% Job Postings): Aviation is the activities surrounding mechanical flight and the aircraft industry. Aircraft includes fixed-wing and rotary-wing types, morphable wings, wing-less lifting bodies, as well as lighter-than-air craft such as hot air balloons and airships.
Emergency Management (Mentioned in 1.23% Job Postings): Emergency management is the organization and management of the resources and responsibilities for dealing with all humanitarian aspects of emergencies (preparedness, response, mitigation, and recovery). The aim is to reduce the harmful effects of all hazards, including disasters. The World Health Organization defines an emergency as the state in which normal procedures are interrupted, and immediate measures need to be taken to prevent that state turning into a disaster. Thus, emergency management is crucial to avoid the disruption transforming into a disaster, which is even harder to recover from. Emergency management is a related term but should not be equated to disaster management.[citation needed]
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay.
Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on an Associate Penetration Tester's salary.
Decision Support: Can increase your salary by up to 63%.
Lifecycle Management: Can increase your salary by up to 25%.
Strategic Planning: Can increase your salary by up to 22%.
Associate Penetration Tester Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Associate Penetration Tester roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 38% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Healthcare and Energy & Utilities
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 18% above the average.
In contrast, Associate Penetration Tester positions in Financial Services or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Associate Penetration Tester as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for an Associate Penetration Tester
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare
$110,390
$53.0
18%
Energy & Utilities
$104,777
$50.0
12%
Internet
$104,777
$50.0
12%
Pharmaceuticals
$104,777
$50.0
12%
MFG Durable
$100,099
$48.0
7%
How Education impacts an Associate Penetration Tester's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Associate Penetration Testers enter the field with a Associate's Degree degree,
higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.
According to our 100% employer-reported salary data,
the median salary for an Associate Penetration Tester with a Associate's Degree is between
$84,438
and $90,319).
Associate Penetration Tester Salaries by Degree Level
$92,000
$90,900
$89,800
$88,800
$87,700
$86,600
$85,600
$84,500
No Diploma
High School
Associates
Bachelors
Masters
Doctorate
Typical Education for Associate Penetration Tester
Degree Level
% of user with this level of education
No Diploma
20.0%
High School
20.0%
Associates
12.0%
Bachelors
56.0%
Masters
8.0%
Doctorate
4.0%
Typical Education for Associate Penetration Tester
Understanding how an Associate Penetration Tester'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.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$88,546
Average$93,551/year
$97,615
$7,379
Average$7,796/month
$8,135
$1,703
Average$1,799/week
$1,877
$43
Average$45/hour
$47
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$97,615
$8,135
$1,877
$47
Average
$93,551
$7,796
$1,799
$45
25th Percentile
$88,546
$7,379
$1,703
$43
Salaries of Jobs related to Associate Penetration Tester
Penetration and Vulnerability Director$208,300
Penetration Tester V$174,299
Penetration Tester IV$149,975
Penetration Tester III$130,481
Senior Penetration Tester$128,105
Lead Penetration Tester$114,362
Penetration Tester II$101,754
Security Penetration Tester$90,438
Penetration Tester$88,571
Penetration Tester I$84,538
Junior Penetration Tester$67,304
Salary Trends for Associate Penetration Tester
Salaries for an Associate Penetration Tester can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $87,254 in 2023
to around $85,181 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Associate Penetration Tester salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Associate Penetration Tester Over Time
$???
$87,254
$85,735
$85,181
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$87,254
2024
$85,735
2025
$85,181
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Associate Penetration Tester
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Associate Penetration Tester
Here are companies hiring for Associate Penetration Tester and their salaries, click below for more details.
C$128,509/per year
C R Bard IncBiotechnologythe United States
H$124,697/per year
Henry Schein CanadaBiotechnologythe United States
N$123,899/per year
Nordex IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$120,416/per year
Nipro CorpBiotechnologythe United States
E$115,870/per year
EnovisBiotechnologythe United States
A$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - EnergyBiotechnologythe United States
M$112,110/per year
MiniMed IncBiotechnologythe United States
L$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug DevelopmentBiotechnologythe United States
L$110,229/per year
Life Technologies CorpBiotechnologythe United States
Z$106,224/per year
Zimmer BiometBiotechnologythe United States
P$103,077/per year
Promontory TherapeuticsBiotechnologythe United States
S$102,181/per year
Steris PLCBiotechnologythe United States
G$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty LtdBiotechnologythe United States
E$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicinesBiotechnologythe United States
R$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLCBiotechnologythe United States
P$94,235/per year
Pleno IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$93,666/per year
Simulaids IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CASBiotechnologythe United States
O$86,468/per year
Onward TechnologyBiotechnologythe United States
L$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics IncBiotechnologythe United States
E$84,682/per year
Eyeco LtdBiotechnologythe United States
P$84,523/per year
PaerosolBiotechnologythe United States
I$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$82,815/per year
Stateside PPEBiotechnologythe United States
D$82,041/per year
Digi BioBiotechnologythe United States
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FAQ about Associate Penetration Tester
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Associate Penetration Tester?
The Healthcare industry offers the highest average compensation for Associate Penetration Tester roles,
with salaries approximately 18% above the market median.
Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
