--- title: "Cybersecurity Jobs Are Booming in the UK - Here's How to Break In" description: "UK cybersecurity jobs are surging: 71% skills shortage, 14% salary growth, 6,000+ new roles. Practical guide to breaking in - even without a CS degree." canonical: "https://mortit.com/blog/cybersecurity-jobs-booming-uk-how-to-break-in" --- Insights # Cybersecurity Jobs Are Booming in the UK — Here's How to Break In 71% skills shortage, 14% salary growth, 6,000+ new roles. A practical guide to breaking in — even without a CS degree. 5 min read Updated March 2026 TL;DR **71% of UK organisations** report a persistent cybersecurity skills shortage. The sector posted **14% salary growth** for senior roles and **6,000+ new positions** in 12 months — while the broader job market contracted. You don't need a CS degree to break in: CompTIA Security+, a home lab, and targeting SOC Analyst roles is the practical entry path. Seventy-one per cent of UK organisations report a persistent cybersecurity skills shortage — up from 57% the year before. While most of the job market has been contracting for two years straight, cybersecurity just posted a 14% salary increase for senior roles and over 6,000 new positions in the last 12 months. If you're looking for a career move that's actually backed by data, this is it. ## The Numbers That Matter Let's start with what the UK cybersecurity job market actually looks like right now. Approximately 143,000 people work in cybersecurity roles across the UK, a 5% increase year-on-year according to the latest [government labour market report](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cyber-security-skills-in-the-uk-labour-market-2025). Robert Walters' hiring data shows more than [6,000 new security roles](https://www.robertwalters.co.uk/insights/hiring-advice/blog/cybersecurity-hiring-market-update.html) advertised nationwide — a 14% jump over the previous year. And that's against a backdrop where the KPMG/REC Report on Jobs shows the broader UK hiring market only just stopped contracting in February, at its [slowest decline since March 2023](https://kpmg.com/uk/en/media/press-releases/2026/03/kpmg-rec-uk-job-report.html). The pay reflects the demand. Chief Information Security Officers are seeing average salary forecasts rise [14.2%, from £150,250 to £171,625](https://the-european.eu/story-51302/cybersecurity-talent-crunch-drives-double-digit-pay-rises-as-uk-firms-count-cost-of-breaches.html). Even at a more accessible level, the mean salary for UK cybersecurity roles sits at £51,734 — that's 24% above the national average. Nearly half of UK employers — 48% — now list cybersecurity as a [top hiring priority](https://www.itjobboard.co.uk/blog/204/cybersecurity-jobs-uk-2026-guide-skills-salaries-hiring-trends/), with 42% actively planning to recruit more IT security experts in the coming months. The thing is, the gap isn't closing. It's widening. Half of all UK businesses have a basic cybersecurity skills gap, and a third have an advanced one. Employers are desperate, and that desperation is shifting who they're willing to hire. ## You Don't Need a Computer Science Degree This is where it gets interesting for career changers. The skills shortage is so acute that employers are rethinking what “qualified” looks like. The traditional route — computer science degree, five years in IT, then lateral move into security — still works, but it's no longer the only path in. Here's what's actually getting people hired: **Certifications over degrees.** CompTIA Security+ is widely recognised as the entry-level benchmark. It's vendor-neutral, costs around £300–400 for the exam, and covers the fundamentals that hiring managers look for. From there, CompTIA CySA+ (analyst-focused) or the Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) open mid-level doors. **Transferable skills are more valuable than you think.** If you've worked in IT support, network administration, or even compliance and risk management, you already have foundational knowledge that maps directly to cybersecurity roles. SOC Analyst positions — the most common entry point — lean heavily on troubleshooting, pattern recognition, and process discipline. These aren't skills you learn from a textbook. **Apprenticeships and bootcamps.** The UK government's [Cyber Security Skills in the UK Labour Market report](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cyber-security-skills-in-the-uk-labour-market-2025) notes growing investment in alternative training pathways. Twelve-to-sixteen-week intensive programmes from providers like Immersive Labs, BCS, and the SANS Institute offer structured entry routes with industry recognition. ## Which Roles Are Actually Hiring Not all cybersecurity roles are equally accessible. Here's where the demand concentrates: **SOC Analyst (Security Operations Centre)** — the front line. You monitor systems, triage alerts, and investigate incidents. Starting salaries range from £28,000 to £40,000, and employers are more open to non-traditional backgrounds here than anywhere else in the field. This is your entry point. **Penetration Tester** — the “ethical hacker” role that gets all the attention. It's real and it pays well (£45,000–£70,000), but it's also the most competitive entry path because everyone wants it. If you're genuinely drawn to offensive security, start with SOC work and build a portfolio of CTF (Capture the Flag) challenges and bug bounty submissions. **GRC (Governance, Risk, and Compliance)** — the overlooked route. If you have a background in audit, legal, or regulatory compliance, GRC roles are crying out for people who understand risk frameworks. Salaries sit in the £40,000–£65,000 range, and the shortage here is arguably worse than on the technical side because fewer people are aware the roles exist. **Cloud Security** — growing fastest. As UK businesses continue their cloud migration, securing AWS, Azure, and GCP environments is becoming a specialism in its own right. These roles typically require some cloud experience but offer rapid progression and strong pay (£50,000–£80,000). ## The Practical Steps If I were making this move today, here's what I'd do: 1. **Get Security+ certified.** It takes 2–3 months of self-study. Use Professor Messer's free video series and the CompTIA CertMaster practice exams. 2. **Build a home lab.** Set up a virtual environment with tools like Kali Linux, Wireshark, and Splunk. Employers want to see you've actually used the tools, not just read about them. 3. **Do CTFs.** TryHackMe and HackTheBox offer structured challenges that double as portfolio pieces. Complete 20–30 rooms and you'll have something tangible to talk about in interviews. 4. **Target SOC Analyst roles specifically.** Don't spray applications across senior security architect positions you won't get. SOC Analyst is the gateway — optimise your CV for it. 5. **Join the community.** The UK has active cybersecurity meetups — BSides London, OWASP chapter events, local DefCon groups. These are where you hear about roles before they hit job boards, and where hiring managers look when they need to fill seats quickly. ## Why This Matters Beyond the Paycheque The thing about cybersecurity is that it's one of the few sectors where the demand isn't driven by hype or a funding cycle. It's driven by breaches. Every ransomware attack, every data leak, every compliance fine creates more urgency to hire. That's not going away — the 71% skills shortage tells you the supply side isn't keeping up, and it hasn't been for years. For anyone sitting in a job market that feels stagnant — particularly in general IT, help desk, or admin roles — cybersecurity is a genuine path to higher pay, better job security, and work that's actually interesting. The data is as clear as it gets. The gap is there. The salaries are there. The question is whether you'll be on the right side of it. ## Ready to make the move? MORT watches 50,000+ company career pages around the clock for cybersecurity roles, plus boards like LinkedIn, Indeed, and Glassdoor - then scores each one for compatibility with your skills. Tailor your CV for every application in one click. [See How Job Matching Works](https://mortit.com/features/ai-job-matching) [Try MORT Free](https://app.mortit.com/signup) ## Keep Reading ### [53,000 Tech Workers Cut in 2026 — While Their Companies Post Record Profits](https://mortit.com/blog/tech-layoffs-2026-record-profits-ai-paradox) The data behind the AI layoff paradox and what it means for job seekers ### [Best Job Search Sites in 2026](https://mortit.com/blog/best-job-search-sites) Where to find jobs: LinkedIn, Indeed, industry-specific boards, and the hidden job market ### [How to Write an ATS-Friendly Resume](https://mortit.com/blog/ats-friendly-resume-guide) How to format your resume to pass filters and reach human recruiters