A security engineer at a quant firm protects intellectual property as much as infrastructure: strategy code, research data, credentials and trading access. New York total compensation typically runs from about $160,000 at entry level to $500,000 or more for senior engineers leading detection, identity or offensive security.
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Seniority bands
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How much does a security engineer earn?
A security engineer at a quant firm protects intellectual property as much as infrastructure: strategy code, research data, credentials and trading access. New York total compensation typically runs from about $160,000 at entry level to $500,000 or more for senior engineers leading detection, identity or offensive security.
KnowQuant research desk·Updated 1 September 2026·4 seniority bands across 17 hub markets·Method 2026.1
Live demand for this function
We price this function but do not count it as a separate category in the live job book, so there is no vacancy figure to publish here. Search the live roles at tracked firms to see what is genuinely open today; the pay bands below are modelled and dated separately.
New York reference market, US dollars. Base salary and total compensation.
Security Engineer compensation by seniority in New York, September 2026
Level
Experience
Base
Total comp
Security Engineer
0-3 yrs
$115k – $160k
$160k – $255k
Senior Security Engineer
3-6 yrs
$150k – $210k
$220k – $390k
Staff / Specialist
6-10 yrs
$185k – $255k
$300k – $550k
Head of Security
10+ yrs
$220k – $320k
$400k – $800k
About the role
The threat model here is unusual. The crown jewels are research and strategy code, insider risk is taken as seriously as external intrusion, and controls must not slow a research loop that runs all day. Team shapes vary: at some firms a small group covers identity, endpoint, detection engineering, cloud posture and third-party risk between them, while others staff those areas separately. We do not hold a measured benchmark against corporate security pay, so compare our modelled bands with your own offer evidence rather than assuming a fixed premium.
Skills firms hire for
Detection engineering
Identity and access
Cloud security
Python
Threat modelling
Incident response
Typical backgrounds
-Security engineers from technology or finance
-Penetration testers moving in-house
-Infrastructure engineers who specialised in security
Sourced answers to the questions people bring to this page, each with the figure, the date and the caveat.
How much does a security engineer earn?
A security engineer at a quant firm protects intellectual property as much as infrastructure: strategy code, research data, credentials and trading access. New York total compensation typically runs from about $160,000 at entry level to $500,000 or more for senior engineers leading detection, identity or offensive security. The New York band runs $160k – $800k in annual total compensation, with a modelled reference estimate of $275k. Figures are base salary plus expected performance bonus, excluding sign-on, deferred equity and carry.
What does a security engineer earn at entry level?
An entry hire (Security Engineer, 0-3 years) is typically offered $115k to $160k in base salary and $160k to $255k in total compensation in New York. At the senior end (Head of Security, 10+ years) total compensation reaches $800k.
Where is the best-paid market for a security engineer?
New York leads on headline modelled total compensation at $275k, with London at £184k. Both are modelled reference estimates for the role, not observed medians. Bands are shown in each market's local currency across 17 hub markets, so tax treatment and cost of living still change the net picture materially.
What skills do firms hire security engineers for?
The recurring requirements are Detection engineering, Identity and access, Cloud security, Python, Threat modelling. Typical backgrounds are security engineers from technology or finance, penetration testers moving in-house, infrastructure engineers who specialised in security.
How many security engineers roles are open right now?
No security engineer vacancies are classified as open in the index at this moment. Counts are rebuilt from employer career pages rather than reposted listings, so the figure moves as firms open and close roles.
Can I quote these security engineer figures?
Yes, with attribution and a link. Method 2026.1, last reviewed September 2026. Cite the dated edition rather than the live page if you need the number to stay stable: KnowQuant Quant Compensation Benchmark, Q3 2026 edition, method 2026.1. https://www.know-quant.com/salary/security-engineer
Free to quote and republish with attribution and a link to the source page, under our terms. Method 2026.1, last reviewed 1 September 2026. The methodology sets out how each band is built and what it excludes.
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Methodology
Figures are expressed as annual total compensation (base salary plus expected performance bonus) in the reference market's local currency, converted from a US dollar base. They describe typical market ranges rather than any individual offer, and exclude sign-on payments, deferred equity and carried interest. Portfolio-manager figures reflect formulaic profit-share arrangements and are therefore far more dispersed than any other role.
KnowQuant·Index 2026.1 · Updated September 2026
Modelled bands describe the market, not an individual offer. Where an employer states pay, the stated figure is used and labelled as such.
KnowQuant·Index 2026.1 · Updated September 2026
KnowQuant · Publishes indicative market ranges for information purposes and does not provide financial advice.