The term “hacker” does not always refer to the person who conceals their identity and breaks into computers to steal information. Ethical hackers are professionals who use their hacking expertise for the benefit of corporations. In this article, we will detail some of the best companies for ethical hackers, as well as tips for how to jumpstart your ethical hacking career.
Ethical hacking is an exciting career path. It is a great way to apply your tech knowledge and computer skills to the cyber health of an organization. Through this guide, you will discover what qualifications you need to become an ethical hacker with some of the highest-paying ethical hacker companies.
What Is an Ethical Hacker?
An ethical hacker, sometimes called a white hat hacker, is a professional security expert who is permitted to hack a computer system, detect security gaps, and trace potential threats. They conduct penetration testing and other security procedures to mitigate risks and security vulnerabilities.
Ethical hackers fight criminal hackers, most commonly known as black hat hackers. They use the best security practices to detect and prevent ransomware attacks, spyware attacks, phishing attacks, and Denial-of-Service (DoS) attacks caused by black hat hackers for malicious intent.
How to Get an Ethical Hacker Job
In this section, we will provide you with some essential tips on how to land a successful ethical hacker job. The steps below will give you an idea of what is required to break into the ethical hacking industry.
- Get a bachelor’s degree. The typical education needed to become an ethical hacker is a bachelor’s degree in cyber security, computer science, or any other related field.
- Earn ethical hacker certifications. Enrolling in a program for professional hackers will allow you to get the essential qualifications for this profession, such as the Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) and Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP) certifications. Most employers require certified hackers that possess at least one ethical hacking certification.
- Enhance your skills. Enrolling at ethical hacking bootcamps and attending a certification program will help you learn hacking techniques and develop practical skills through hands-on learning activities. Once you have completed these programs, you will have become a confident, skilled professional.
- Gain experience. Applying for ethical hacking apprenticeships or internships will enable you to gain the required experience for ethical hacking. If you want to apply to prestigious companies or government agencies, you should first gain relevant experience to enhance your hacking skills and enrich your resume.
- Start searching for a job. You can use several job sites such as Indeed or Glassdoor to search for ethical hacking job opportunities. However, you can also visit a company’s official website and search for ethical hacking job titles.
Top 10 Highest-Paying Ethical Hacker Companies
| Company | Salary for Ethical Hackers |
|---|---|
| Tesla | $167,552 |
| Bank of America | $158,947 |
| Lenovo | $145,745 |
| Stellantis | $122,159 |
| $120,000 | |
| HackerRank | $116,355 |
| IBM | $110,457 |
| Little Caesars | $107,861 |
| Test | $102,931 |
| US Army | $96,000 |
Tesla
Tesla is an American company that manufactures vehicles and energy solutions products. The company was founded in 2003 and is now headquartered in Texas, after many years in California. Tesla hires security professionals such as application security developers, threat analysts, security engineers, and infrastructure security engineers.
What Does Tesla Pay Its Ethical Hackers?
Glassdoor reports that Tesla pays its ethical hackers an average yearly salary of $167,552, which is 39 percent higher than the average annual wage of ethical hackers in the United States. Aside from this competitive salary, employees also receive benefits, such as life insurance, dental insurance, paid leave, and retirement plans.
Tesla Reviews
According to several reviews at Indeed, Tesla has a productive workplace and is a great company for career growth. Employees mentioned their pleasant working environment and the numerous employee benefits at the company. However, heavy workloads lead to poor work-life balance. Additionally, some employees said that job security is also unstable.
Bank of America
Bank of America is a finance company headquartered in North Carolina. It was founded in 1998 in San Francisco. This huge company has 200,000 employees working in more than 4,000 offices worldwide. Bank of America provides a variety of financial services such as savings, credit cards, loans, and banking.
What Does Bank of America Pay Its Ethical Hackers?
Bank of America pays ethical hackers an average annual wage of $158,947. Employees receive a generous benefits package that includes a 401k plan, retirement plan, financial assistance, paid leave, medical accommodation support, critical event support, and military support.
Bank of America Reviews
Several previous and present employees mentioned that this company values its employees and gives an excellent benefits package. The frequent change in management and leadership can be a bit challenging. Overall, employees have a great experience at this company.
Lenovo
Lenovo Group Limited is a consumer electronics company that operates in over 60 countries. It is headquartered in Hong Kong, with global headquarters in China and operational headquarters in the United States. Lenovo is known for its hardware products such as personal computers, cell phones, storage devices, tablets, and more.
What Does Lenovo Pay Its Ethical Hackers?
Lenovo pays ethical hackers an average salary of 145,745 every year. This can range from $138,481 to $151,809. The company also offers several employee benefits, including health insurance, employee assistance, and paid holidays.
Lenovo Reviews
Reviews on Glassdoor indicate that this company has a good working environment. You will be working with great people at Lenovo. One review also mentioned that this company has a good business outlook. Employees also love the company culture and the flexible work schedule. However, others said that there is no work-life balance at the company.
Stellantis
Stellantis is a vehicle manufacturing company established in 2021. Currently, the company has 300,000 employees and is headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Some brands that are under Stellantis include Dodge, Chrysler, Abarth, and Alfa Romeo.
What Does Stellantis Pay Its Ethical Hackers?
According to Glassdoor, ethical hackers at Stellantis earn an average salary of $122,159 per year. They also receive generous employee benefits, such as health insurance, relocation assistance, life insurance, and medical insurance.
Stellantis Reviews
This company offers great benefits to employees and high job security, according to several reviews on Glassdoor. Employees love the working environment, and they enjoy pursuing exciting and fun projects. However, others mentioned that the company is fast-paced and employees have heavy workloads.
Google is a popular tech company that offers a wide variety of tech products and services. It was founded in September 1998 in California. Some of its remarkable products are a search engine, cloud computing, and many tech products. Google is a good company to work for, especially for people who are engaged in technology, such as ethical hackers.
What Does Google Pay Its Ethical Hackers?
Google pays ethical hackers an average annual salary of $120,000, according to Glassdoor. The company also offers benefits packages that include health, life, and vision insurance, as well as tuition assistance, and performance bonuses.
Google Reviews
Reviews on Glassdoor show the company has an amazing work culture. You will be working with talented people at Google, and the company has a good learning environment. However, a few employees mentioned that work can be stressful sometimes and they have to work for long hours.
HackerRank
HackerRank is a tech company that provides tech solutions to the business industry. It allows programmers from all over the world to compete with each other in coding a system according to clients’ specifications. The company was founded in 2012 and is currently headquartered in California.
What Does HackerRank Pay Its Ethical Hackers?
Ethical hackers at HackerRank earn an average wage of $116,355 each year, which is 13 percent higher than the average salary of ethical hackers in the United States. This can range from $110,64 to $120,296. They are also given benefit packages that include health insurance, a 401k plan, dental insurance, and vision insurance.
HackerRank Reviews
According to several reviews on Glassdoor, working at this company can be fast-paced, and sometimes, employees are required to work for long hours. However, supportive and amazing colleagues will help you get things done.
IBM
International Business Machines or IBM is a large tech company that offers a wide variety of tech solutions and services such as technical support, business consulting, cloud computing, cyber security, and artificial intelligence. This company was founded in 1911 in New York.
What Does IBM Pay Its Ethical Hackers?
IBM pays ethical hackers an average yearly salary of $110,457. This can range from $90,420 to $132,606. Employees are also given generous benefits such as life insurance, disability benefits, and retirement plans.
IBM Reviews
According to several reviews from employees, IBM is a good company to launch your career since it provides excellent training and mentoring. Employees also love the benefits they are offered and the flexible working hours. Employees work with smart and supportive people, as well. However, some mentioned excessive workloads.
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Little Caesars
Little Caesars is one of the largest pizza chains in the United States. It was founded in 1959 and is currently headquartered in Michigan. Little Caesars hires cyber security analysts, platform engineers, security solutions analysts, and infrastructure architects.
What Does Little Caesars Pay Its Ethical Hackers?
Little Caesars pays ethical hackers an average annual salary of $107,861. This company also offers employee benefits such as life insurance, a flexible spending account, occupational accidental insurance, a retirement plan, and an employee assistance program.
Little Caesars Reviews
Employees on Glassdoor mentioned the fun environment at this company. They believe that this firm is a good place to work in. They also love their flexible working hours. However, a technical support employee mentioned the company’s busy work schedule.
Test
This company was founded in 1982 and is headquartered in Versailles, France. It offers mobility, automotive services, and more. Some of its leading customers are Ford, BMW, and Volvo.
What Does Test Pay Its Ethical Hackers?
Test pays ethical hackers an average salary of $102,931 every year. The company also provides benefits such as dental insurance, life insurance, a flexible spending account, employee assistance, and childcare services.
Test Reviews
Glassdoor reviews show that Test has an amazing company culture and a good working environment. Employees love its supportive management and its flexible working schedule. You will also work with a helpful team at Test. However, several employees mentioned the long working hours.
US Army
This organization is a branch of the United States military and was established in June of 1775. This organization hires several tech professionals such as IT specialists, security specialists, and ethical hackers.
What Does the US Army Pay Its Ethical Hackers
The US Army pays ethical hackers an average annual salary of $96,000. This can range from $92,957 to $99,064. Employees also get benefits such as a flexible spending account, health insurance, life insurance, employee assistance, and paid leave.
US Army Reviews
Several employee reviews emphasized the great benefits that the organization offers. They also mentioned that they have the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technologies and gain excellent work experience. However, others mentioned the lack of work-life balance.
Why You Should Become an Ethical Hacker in 2023
Security threats continue to rise, which leads to the increasing need for robust security measures. Cyber attacks are everywhere, and almost all business industries are affected. The cost of data breaches in 2021 reached $ 4.24 million, which is 10 percent higher than the previous year. With this in mind, business owners hire security professionals to protect their assets and customers.
For tech experts who seek professional development and challenges, a career in ethical hacking is one of the best options. If you want to enhance your problem-solving, analytical, and computer skills, you should become a professional ethical hacker. There are many online ethical hacking courses available to start. You can also opt to work as a full-time employee in a company or be an independent consultant.
Best Companies for Ethical Hackers FAQ
Yes, ethical hacking is in demand. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, information security analyst jobs are expected to grow by 33 percent between 2020 and 2030. An ethical hacking career falls within this industry, which means there will be plenty of opportunities for ethical hackers in the coming years.
Some popular ethical hacking careers include professional penetration testers, information security analysts, security engineers, and security consultants. You can always gain the additional experience you need on advanced hacker techniques by attending certification programs.
To become a professional ethical hacker, you need to acquire relevant technical skills. For example, you need proficiency in Linux, database knowledge, a deep understanding of programming languages such as Python and C++, solid hardware knowledge, and cryptography skills.
There are different types of hackers that are described by color. Color is used to identify the intent of the hacker. A malicious hacker is commonly known as a black-hat hacker, while an ethical hacker is referred to as a white-hat hacker. There are also other types of hackers, such as the gray hat hacker, green hat hacker, and red hat hacker.
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