Report: Only 34% of Security Talent Plan to Stay in Their Roles

Only 34% of cybersecurity professionals plan to stay in their current roles, according to IANS and Artico Search’s recently released 2026 Cybersecurity Talent Report.

The report outlines key insights on compensation, roles, and retention based on a survey of more than 500 security professionals.

CISOs must rethink how to retain talent

The report highlights declining job satisfaction across the field, urging CISOs to take a more proactive and innovative approach to retaining talent and improving employee experience. This comes as both the volume and speed of cyber threats continue to rise.

“Security leaders are being asked to do much more with the same or fewer resources than they had previously, and that fundamentally changes how they need to think about talent,” said Nick Kakolowski, senior research director at IANS.

“As pressure on cyber teams skyrockets, CISOs who double down on mentorship, coaching and career development can create a sense of purpose and progression that helps their employees avoid burnout,” he added.

While compensation remains important, the report found it is not the primary driver of retention. Instead, factors such as clear career progression, workplace culture, and flexibility play a larger role in keeping cybersecurity talent satisfied.

Key findings from the report include:

• Only 34% of cyber professionals plan to stay with their current employer: A majority of respondents said they are either actively considering a change within the next 12 months or remain undecided.
• Wage growth plays a bigger role in retention than absolute pay levels: Employees who receive even modest raises report higher satisfaction and are more likely to stay than those with flat compensation, regardless of salary level.
• Leadership emphasis on security drives staff commitment. 73% of professionals who view security as a core organizational priority report career satisfaction, compared to just 19% among those who perceive little or no support.

A ‘multi-pronged’ approach to managing attrition

The report also emphasizes the need for a more holistic approach to workforce management. Flexible work models were found to strongly correlate with both satisfaction and retention.

In particular, hybrid arrangements, especially one to two days onsite per week, were found to deliver the best work-life balance outcomes.

“Security leaders are navigating a complex talent environment where expectations are rising, but resources are not,” said Steve Martano, IANS faculty member and partner at Artico Search. 

He added: “We still see junior-level cyber professionals commanding high levels of compensation, but it is clear that top-quartile talent is seeking more than just a hearty paycheck. Visibility, career growth, and support from security leadership are necessary to keep high performers.”

Earlier this year, IANS and Artico Search also released their 2026 State of the CISO Benchmark Report. Discover how CISOs are stepping into broader executive leadership roles and what that means for the future of security.