Security Pros Get Their DueSecurity Pros Get Their Due

There's a growing market for information security expertise, and salaries are reflecting heightened demand. But beware--when it comes to pay, there's essentially no difference between IS workers with high school diplomas and bachelor's degrees, according to the SANS Institute's 2005 Information Security Salary and Career Advancement survey of more than 4,250 IS pros. People with grad degrees can expect to earn significantly more, however.

People "are waking up to the fact that there's a shortage of security talent," says Alan Paller, director of research at SANS, an IT research and education group. IS pros in the United States get a median income, including bonuses, of $81,558.

Another finding of note: Certifications from the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium Inc. and the Information Systems Audit and Control Association translate into greater earnings than others.

Those certifications offer an edge in management or policy-centric jobs--typically highly paid, respondents say. But for hands-on security, the Global Information Assurance Certification, administered by SANS, and certifications from vendors are deemed more advantageous.

Perhaps the most unexpected finding, Paller says, is that survey respondents rated communication skills as more important than technical knowledge when it comes to career advancement.