Information security analysts
SOC Code: 15-1212
Information security analysts carries a 45% AI exposure score (High automation risk), with a median annual wage of $124,910 and +28.5% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034 (BLS), affecting approximately 182,800 workers. Full task breakdown, skills, and employer data are below.
Proportion of tasks susceptible to AI automation (O*NET analysis)
At 45% AI exposure, Information security analysts sits 8 points above the 37.2% average across 832 U.S. occupations - more exposed than 79% of them. Most of its core tasks still require human judgment.
Career outlook score
74/100
Information security analysts, weighted across 3 of 3 tracked dimensions
A weighted composite of median wage, projected growth, and AI-automation security (inverted exposure), each benchmarked against every other tracked occupation. It describes this occupation's standing across those three dimensions, not a guarantee of future outcomes.
- Median wage A+ $124,910
Annual median wage, percentile rank vs all tracked occupations
- Projected growth A+ +28.5%
Projected employment change, 2024-2034, BLS Employment Projections
- AI exposure (inverted) F 45% exposure
Lower O*NET task-automability scores lower risk; this dimension scores security, not exposure
Home health and personal care aides is #1 of 832 occupations by employment (4.3M, AI exposure rank #392 at 35%) vs. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks #1 by AI task exposure (95%, employment rank #17 at 1.6M).
Automation-risk inventory
Exclusive cut of 832 occupations by PlainWorkforce automation-risk band. Orthogonal to the continuous AI-exposure distribution chart below and to this occupation's single risk badge, this is the corpus band mix, with Information security analysts in the High band.
Credential × growth standing
Bachelor's bar with above-average BLS growth
Information security analysts sits in the Bachelor's entry band (178 of 832 occupations) and the Much faster pace bucket (31 of 832). That pairing is rarer than the HS / some-college + declining cluster that dominates the BLS map - treat the degree bar as the binding gate while the growth line stays supportive.
Where Information security analysts sits among all occupations
AI-exposure score distribution across 832 U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis). This occupation is marked in rose.
Where Information security analysts sits by AI exposure
AI-exposure score distribution across U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis)
45% Higher than most higher than 79% of 832 occupations
Occupations, banded by AI-exposure score
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor) · BLS 2024–2034
Source: O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor); AI-exposure scores are PlainWorkforce's analysis. As of BLS 2024–2034.
Information security analysts vs. its occupational neighbors
AI exposure (horizontal) vs projected 2024–2034 growth (vertical) for occupations in the same SOC group. Information security analysts is marked in rose; the top-left corner is the most future-proof.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 (growth) and O*NET (AI-exposure analysis by PlainWorkforce).
Employment Projections
Where This Score Comes From
Information security analysts's High automation-risk tier is computed from O*NET Database 30.0 task-level analysis, where each documented task the occupation performs is evaluated against current generative AI, robotic process automation, and machine-learning capabilities. A score in the 40–70% range indicates meaningful automation pressure on specific task categories, but the role as a whole still requires human judgment for coordination, exception handling, or client interaction.
The employment, wage, and education figures above come from a second, separate federal source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034, matched to the O*NET task data by Standard Occupational Classification (SOC 15-1212) code, with the wage figure cross-validated against the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 survey. BLS figures are presented exactly as published, with no adjustment on our part; the SOC-code match is what lets Information security analysts be compared directly against every other tracked occupation on the same basis, not just roles that happen to share a job title.
For career planners, this profile should be read alongside the task, skill, and knowledge breakdowns below and the list of employers whose workforce composition includes Information security analysts. Adjacent occupations shown further down offer lateral moves that preserve industry knowledge while potentially reducing exposure.
Education & Entry Requirements
Top Tasks (O*NET)
- 1. Develop plans to safeguard computer files against accidental or unauthorized modification, destruction, or disclosure and to meet emergency data processing needs.
- 2. Monitor current reports of computer viruses to determine when to update virus protection systems.
- 3. Encrypt data transmissions and erect firewalls to conceal confidential information as it is being transmitted and to keep out tainted digital transfers.
- 4. Perform risk assessments and execute tests of data processing system to ensure functioning of data processing activities and security measures.
- 5. Modify computer security files to incorporate new software, correct errors, or change individual access status.
- 6. Review violations of computer security procedures and discuss procedures with violators to ensure violations are not repeated.
- 7. Document computer security and emergency measures policies, procedures, and tests.
- 8. Confer with users to discuss issues such as computer data access needs, security violations, and programming changes.
- 9. Monitor use of data files and regulate access to safeguard information in computer files.
- 10. Coordinate implementation of computer system plan with establishment personnel and outside vendors.
Key Skills Required
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Complex Problem Solving
- Speaking
- Writing
- Monitoring
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Systems Analysis
- Active Learning
Knowledge Areas
- Computers and Electronics
- English Language
- Administration and Management
- Engineering and Technology
- Telecommunications
- Customer and Personal Service
- Public Safety and Security
- Education and Training
- Mathematics
- Communications and Media
Frequently Asked Questions
Will AI replace Information security analysts?
Information security analysts has an AI exposure score of 45%, indicating a high level of automation risk. Some tasks in this role can be augmented or partially automated by AI, but core responsibilities require human judgment.
What is the job outlook for Information security analysts?
According to BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034, Information security analysts is projected to grow by 28.5% over the decade. Current employment stands at approximately 182,800 workers.
What skills are needed for Information security analysts?
Key skills for Information security analysts include Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking, Active Listening, and others. Typical entry-level education is Bachelor's degree.
How much do Information security analysts earn?
The median annual wage for Information security analysts is $124,910, according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2024). Actual earnings vary by location, experience, industry, and employer. The BLS publishes detailed wage percentiles by region in its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program.
What education is required for Information security analysts?
The typical entry-level education for Information security analysts is Bachelor's degree. Employers generally expect Less than 5 years of related work experience. On-the-job training typically involves None. Requirements can vary by employer and specialization.
Which companies employ Information security analysts?
Information security analysts roles exist across many industries and employers. Workforce composition is estimated from BLS industry-occupation employment distributions matched to SEC-registered public companies.
AI Exposure Rating
High automation risk based on 10 analyzed tasks. A moderate share of tasks may be augmented by AI tools.
Nationwide occupations with similar workforce profiles
Two data-derived peer sets for Information security analysts: AI-exposure neighbors and BLS 2034 growth neighbors (distinct comparison neighborhoods, cross-occupation).
Similar AI exposure score
Nearest O*NET task-automability scores nationwide (45% here).
- Advertising sales agents · AI exposure 45%
- Broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys · AI exposure 45%
- Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment · AI exposure 45%
- First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers · AI exposure 45%
Similar projected growth (2024–2034)
Nearest BLS employment change rates nationwide (+28.5% here).
- Data scientists · growth +33.5%
- Medical and health services managers · growth +23.2%
- Physical therapist assistants · growth +22.0%
- Actuaries · growth +21.8%
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on published BLS + O*NET metrics among occupations with ≥10,000 workers in 2024; corpus ranks above sort the full tracked set.
Related Occupations
Showing 6 of 10 occupations with a comparable automation-risk profile.
What to do with this
Use Information security analysts' numbers above to compare, not just read in isolation.
- Compare Information security analysts side by side against another occupation on wage, growth, and AI exposure. Workforce comparison tool
- Understand how the AI exposure score above is actually calculated before treating it as a verdict. Reading AI exposure scores
- See the full ranked list of occupations with the lowest automation exposure nationwide. Safest occupations from AI
AI exposure scores estimate task automatability from O*NET data; they are not a certainty of job loss, and BLS growth projections are estimates, not guarantees.
Data sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024–2034 and O*NET Database 30.0. Employment figures are rounded. Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (OES).