The Uptime Report · Research

IT and Cybersecurity Jobs Outlook 2026: What BLS Data Shows

Data journalism by The Uptime Report · Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data · Last updated October 2026

The 2026 IT labor market is splitting in two. Information security analyst jobs are projected to grow 21% from 2025 to 2035, adding 40,600 positions, while general IT support and system administration roles are projected to decline 3% to 4% as routine work automates, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Key findings

• Security pays a 105% premium over support. The 2025 median for an information security analyst was $129,180, versus $62,890 for a computer user support specialist, a gap of $66,290 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025).
• Security roles are projected to grow 21% through 2035, adding 40,600 jobs, the fastest among the IT roles examined (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook).
• Support and administration roles are projected to decline. Computer user support specialists are projected to fall 3% (a loss of 24,300 jobs) and network and computer systems administrators 4% (a loss of 13,200), even as both still generate tens of thousands of replacement openings a year (BLS).
• Support remains the largest IT role by headcount at 903,100 jobs in 2025, nearly five times the size of the security analyst workforce (192,900), so the automation pressure touches a very large base (BLS).
• Replacement demand outlasts the decline. Despite projected contraction, BLS still projects about 48,700 annual openings for support specialists and 13,400 for sysadmins, largely to replace workers who change careers or retire.

What the numbers mean for managed service providers

The divergence has a clear operational reading. The routine, high-volume work that fills a Tier 1 help desk, password resets, common how-to questions, is exactly the work automation and self-service tools are absorbing, which is reflected in the projected decline for support specialists. The work that is growing, and paying a six-figure median, is security.

For an MSP or MSSP, that means the center of gravity is shifting from staffing routine support toward security services, where demand is projected to grow 21% and talent is scarce enough to command a $129,180 median. The providers positioned for the next decade are the ones building security capability, not just help desk capacity.

What is new in this release

These figures reflect the BLS 2025 median pay reference year and the 2025-2035 employment projection cycle, the most recent available as of October 2026. The projected decline for support and administration roles is a change in direction from prior cycles, when both were projected to grow, and reflects BLS’s assessment of automation and cloud consolidation reducing per-seat IT labor.

Original analysis: the security premium

We calculated the security pay premium directly from BLS 2025 median pay figures. The information security analyst median of $129,180 divided by the computer user support specialist median of $62,890 yields a ratio of 2.05, a 105% premium. The absolute gap is $66,290. This is a derived metric; both inputs are BLS 2025 medians, and the calculation assumes median-to-median comparison, which does not account for regional cost-of-living or experience distribution.

Secondary questions

Which IT job pays the most?

Among the roles examined, information security analysts have the highest median pay at $129,180 per year (BLS, 2025), followed by network and computer systems administrators at $99,130.

Is IT support a declining career?

BLS projects computer user support specialist employment to decline 3% from 2025 to 2035, but the role still generates about 48,700 openings a year, mostly to replace departing workers. It remains a common entry point into higher-paying IT careers.

Which IT job is growing fastest?

Information security analyst is the fastest-growing role examined, projected to grow 21% from 2025 to 2035 (BLS), much faster than the average for all occupations.

Frequently asked questions

What is the median salary for an information security analyst?

$129,180 per year, or $62.11 per hour, as of the BLS 2025 reference year.

How many information security analyst jobs are there?

192,900 in 2025, with 40,600 more projected by 2035 (BLS).

What is the median salary for IT support?

Computer user support specialists had a median of $62,890 per year in 2025 (BLS).

Are IT support jobs being automated?

BLS projects a 3% decline in support specialist employment through 2035, consistent with routine tasks shifting to automation and self-service, though tens of thousands of openings remain each year.

What does a network administrator earn?

The median for network and computer systems administrators was $99,130 per year in 2025 (BLS).

Why are security jobs growing while support jobs decline?

Routine support work is increasingly automated, reducing demand, while rising cyber threats drive demand for security analysts, which BLS projects to grow 21% through 2035.

How many IT support openings are there each year?

About 48,700 annual openings for computer user support specialists are projected over the decade, mostly to replace workers who leave the field (BLS).

Is cybersecurity a good career in 2026?

By the BLS data, it is among the strongest IT careers: a $129,180 median and 21% projected growth through 2035. This is data as published, not career advice.

What is the source of this data?

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025 median pay and 2025-2035 employment projections.

How current is this report?

It reflects the BLS 2025 reference year and 2025-2035 projection cycle, the latest available as of October 2026.

Methodology

How to cite this report

References

1. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Information Security Analysts. Accessed October 2026.
2. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Computer Support Specialists. Accessed October 2026.
3. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Network and Computer Systems Administrators. Accessed October 2026.