SOC Analyst
Monitor live security alerts and respond to attacks in real time from a security operations centre.
This UK soc analyst career guide covers what the role involves day to day, typical salary at each stage, the usual entry route, the skills employers expect, and related careers worth comparing.
Quick facts
- Starting salary
- £28,000 - £38,000
- Mid-career salary
- £42,000 - £62,000
- Senior salary
- £75,000 - £110,000
- Work environment
- SOC, often shift work
- Time to entry
- 1 - 3 years
- Degree required
- Helpful, not always required
- Category
- AI, Data and Automation
What a SOC Analyst does
Monitor live security alerts and respond to attacks in real time from a security operations centre.
- Tier 1 Triage - Front-line alert triage in a 24/7 SOC.
- Tier 2 Investigation - Deep investigation of escalated incidents.
- Threat Detection Engineering - Write and tune detection rules and content.
- Cloud SOC - Detection and response across AWS / Azure / GCP.
How to become a SOC Analyst
- Look up SOC Analyst roles on LinkedIn or Indeed and read 5 real job ads
- Talk to someone already working as a SOC Analyst - even a 15-minute call helps
- Find one beginner course or qualification used by people in this role
- Build one small piece of evidence you've explored this (project, shadowing, short course)
- Apply to one entry-level role or related opportunity within the next month
Key skills
- SIEM tools
- Networking
- Triage
- Documentation
- Incident response