Rates, 2026
What should a cybersecurity consultant charge in a smaller market?
About $1,300 a day for a cybersecurity consultant who is working and booked in a smaller US market. $975 in the first years, $1,625 when senior. A security assessment runs about $8,400. Also called: pen test, compliance, soc 2.
Other markets: New York or LA · a major city · remote
First years
$975
a day · $125 an hour
Working, booked
$1,300
a day · $175 an hour
Senior, sought after
$1,625
a day · $200 an hour
The rate card, working level
- Day rate$1,300 per day
- Hourlyfor anything that does not fit a day$175 per hour
- A security assessment$8,400 per project
- Monthly retainer$6,725 per month
Sold by the day, a project fee, a monthly retainer. The day is the unit; half days run 60%.
What to charge for each thing
Ranges for a smaller US market: the low end is the first years, the high end is senior. Working and booked sits in the middle.
- Penetration test$3,500 to $17,500 each
- SOC 2 or compliance prep$2,800 to $10,500 each
- Incident response$150 to $275 per hour
- Security training session$700 to $2,100 each
How the number is made
Cybersecurity consultants at this level in this market day at about $1,300 ($1,200 to $2,500 in New York and LA). Put in the year you actually want on the perfect price page and the number moves with it.
A security assessment runs $4,000 to $20,000 and takes about 40 hours of your time; at your hourly that is $7,000. The number is the higher of the two, because the client is buying the outcome, not the hours.
A retainer is the month, not the hours: a set scope, paid up front on the 1st. It is priced about 20% under the same work bought one at a time, in exchange for the certainty; three months minimum, or it is not a retainer.
Questions
- What is a fair day rate for a cybersecurity consultant in a smaller US market?
- About $1,300 a day for someone working and booked, $975 in the first years, $1,625 when senior and sought after. Half days usually run 60% of the day.
- How much is a security assessment?
- $8,400 at a working level in this market. The client is buying the outcome, so the price is the higher of what the market pays for it and what your hours in it are worth.
- What does a monthly retainer look like for a cybersecurity consultant?
- Around $6,725 a month. About 20% under the same work bought one piece at a time, in exchange for certainty; three months minimum.
- Are these rates a rule?
- No. They are US 2026 ranges for the role, placed by level and moved for the market. What a client actually paid you beats all of it. The tool has a box for that, and it wins.
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