Career comparison
Cybersecurity Analyst vs. Web Developer
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Cybersecurity analysts earn more at the median ($129,180 vs. $92,650), while web developers usually get to work faster (6 months to 4 years of training). Cybersecurity analysts monitor, detect and respond to cyber threats that target an organization. Web developers build fast, accessible websites and web applications people love to use.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Cybersecurity Analyst | Web Developer | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $129,180 ($62.11/hr) | $92,650 ($44.54/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $75,090 – $199,850 | $48,100 – $162,290 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +21.0% (much faster than average) | +3.8% (about as fast as average) |
| Openings per year | 14,100 | 5,300 |
| Typical entry education | Bachelor's degree | Bachelor's degree |
| Training time | 1–4 years | 6 months to 4 years |
| Key credential | CompTIA Security+ | Portfolio of projects |
| Work setting | Analysts work in offices, SOCs or remotely, at computers most of the day. | Web developers work for agencies, tech companies, corporations, government and as freelancers. |
What each job does
Cybersecurity Analyst
- Monitor security alerts from SIEM and EDR tools
- Investigate suspicious activity, phishing and malware
- Respond to and document security incidents
- Run vulnerability scans and track remediation
- Configure and maintain security controls
Web Developer
- Build web pages and applications from designs and requirements
- Write HTML, CSS and JavaScript
- Develop back-end services, APIs and databases
- Make sites responsive, accessible and fast
- Test, debug and fix issues
How they’re similar
Both careers involve working with information, desk work, problem-solving, and working independently. Both are part of the technology field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose cybersecurity analyst if…
- I’m curious about how systems can be attacked and defended
- I like investigating and solving puzzles
- I can stay calm under pressure
Choose web developer if…
- I enjoy building things on a computer
- I like solving logic puzzles
- I care about design and user experience
Still torn? Take the Cybersecurity Analyst fit quiz and the Web Developer fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, cybersecurity analyst or web developer?
Cybersecurity Analysts earn more at the median: $129,180 versus $92,650 for web developers, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Web Developers typically train faster (6 months to 4 years) than cybersecurity analysts (1–4 years).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects cybersecurity analysts to grow +21.0% from 2025–35, compared with +3.8% for web developers.