Cryptographer (Applied)
Median salary, education path, job outlook, and related careers — based on U.S. labor data.
Median salary
$128,000/yr
Typical range
$98,000 – $165,000
Education
Doctoral degree
Time to entry
About 8+ years of higher education
What a Cryptographer (Applied) does
Designs and implements encryption systems and cryptographic protocols for secure communications, financial transactions, and data protection in commercial and government contexts.
Education & path
The typical entry point is a doctoral degree. About 8+ years of higher education.
Estimated cost of that path: ~$110,000. Estimated payback: ~4 years. Estimates only — actual cost varies widely by school and financial aid; payback assumes ~20% of income applied.
Related careers
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- RF (Radio Frequency) Security Researcher — $118,000/yr
- Fantasy Sports Algorithm Developer — $110,000/yr
- Knowledge Engineer — $102,000/yr
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