Security Engineer Salary Amsterdam 2026: €55K–€115K Complete Guide

Amsterdam has become one of Europe's most active cybersecurity hiring markets. Its dense concentration of global tech companies, financial institutions, and multinational headquarters — combined with generous Dutch tax incentives for international talent — makes it a compelling destination for security engineers at every level.

This guide covers what security engineers actually earn in Amsterdam in 2026: salary ranges by seniority and specialism, the employers shaping the market, how Amsterdam compares to Berlin and London, and the Dutch-specific factors that affect your real take-home.

For a broader multi-city view, see the Security Engineer Salary Guide 2026.

Amsterdam Security Engineer Salary Ranges 2026

Bonus and equity: Financial employers (ING, ABN AMRO) add 10–20% annual bonus capped by EU banking regulations. Tech scale-ups offer RSUs and performance bonuses of 10–25%. Global vendors like Palo Alto Networks and Akamai include variable pay on top of base. Total compensation: Senior engineers at well-funded tech companies or financial institutions realistically reach €120K–€155K total comp including all variable elements.

Salary by Specialism

Cloud Security (+€8,000–€15,000 premium) Cloud-native security is the fastest-growing and best-paid specialism in Amsterdam. Booking.com, TomTom, and Akamai need engineers who can architect zero-trust environments, manage IAM at cloud scale, and deploy runtime security tooling. AWS Security Specialty or Google Professional Cloud Security certifications are strong negotiation leverage. Expect €80K–€130K at mid to senior level. Penetration Testing / Red Team — €70K–€115K Amsterdam's offensive security market is anchored by global vendors and specialist firms. Palo Alto Networks' Unit 42, Darktrace, and Dutch consultancies (Madison Gurkha, Deloitte Cyber) hire pentesters actively. OSCP is a minimum for mid-level roles; OSED and OSEP unlock the upper ranges. Internal red team roles at major banks offer stability with slightly lower rates. Application Security (AppSec) — €75K–€120K AppSec engineers at Booking.com, TomTom, and fintech scale-ups earn among the highest security salaries in the city. Secure SDLC, threat modelling, and SAST/DAST pipeline integration are in constant demand. Developer-facing communication skills are as valued as technical depth. SOC Analyst vs Security Engineer vs CISO Track The market draws a clear pay hierarchy across career tracks. SOC analysts (L1–L3) earn €45K–€80K and represent the entry point into security operations. Security engineers building detection tooling and SIEM infrastructure earn €70K–€115K. The CISO track — progressing from security architect through security director to CISO — starts at €120K and reaches €200K+ at major financial institutions. Moving from SOC analyst to security engineer typically requires Python or PowerShell scripting fluency and a platform specialism such as Splunk or Microsoft Sentinel. GRC and Compliance — €65K–€105K NIS2 Directive implementation, DORA (Digital Operational Resilience Act) compliance, and ISO 27001 audits are driving strong GRC demand from Amsterdam's financial sector. CISM and CISSP add meaningful leverage at senior GRC levels. GRC roles sit 10–15% below hands-on technical roles at equivalent seniority.

Top Amsterdam Employers for Security Engineers

Booking.com — One of Amsterdam's largest tech employers. Security engineers work at scale across AppSec and CloudSec, with strong base pay (€90K–€125K senior), RSU participation, and relocation support. English is the working language. ASML — The world's only manufacturer of extreme ultraviolet lithography machines. The security team covers product security, OT/ICS security, and supply chain security. Critical national infrastructure designation makes this one of the most strategically important security roles in the Netherlands (€85K–€120K senior, exceptional benefits). ING — One of Europe's largest banks. ING's Amsterdam security team covers cloud security, SOC operations, AppSec, and GRC (€80K–€115K senior, regulated bonus, strong pension). ABN AMRO — Second-largest Dutch bank; security roles span identity management, threat intelligence, incident response, and compliance. Solid pay (€78K–€110K senior), excellent pension, stable environment. Philips — Global health technology company. Security team covers product security, medical device cybersecurity, and enterprise security. IEC 62443 expertise is valued (€80K–€115K senior). NXP Semiconductors — Global leader in embedded security and secure connectivity. Hardware security, secure element engineering, and automotive cybersecurity roles. Rare specialisms command premium rates. TomTom — Navigation and mapping company. Security team covers cloud infrastructure security, secure development, and platform security (€75K–€110K senior). Akamai Technologies — CDN and security vendor with Amsterdam as its EMEA hub. Threat research, DDoS mitigation, and web application security roles on a global pay scale (€80K–€120K senior). Palo Alto Networks — Global cybersecurity leader. Cortex and Unit 42 teams hire cloud security and threat intelligence specialists at competitive global PANW pay bands with RSU upside. Darktrace — AI-powered cybersecurity vendor with an Amsterdam office. Security analysts and threat hunters earn €65K–€100K plus variable pay. Good exposure to cutting-edge AI detection technology.

Amsterdam vs Berlin vs London

Amsterdam's nominal senior salaries are broadly comparable to Berlin and below London's gross figures. The critical differentiator is the 30% ruling: an internationally recruited engineer at €100K gross pays Dutch income tax on only €70K, significantly improving net take-home. For non-EU hires, Amsterdam's effective net pay often exceeds London's after accounting for UK income tax and London rental costs.

For London data, see Security Engineer Salary London 2026. For the Berlin breakdown, see Security Engineer Salary Berlin 2026. For a full European comparison, see Tech Salaries Europe 2026: Country Comparison.

Dutch Employment Benefits

30% Ruling: Internationally recruited engineers qualifying as highly skilled migrants can exempt 30% of gross salary from Dutch income tax for up to five years. This is the single largest financial lever available to international hires in Amsterdam and is actively used by tech and financial employers as a recruitment tool. Vakantiegeld (holiday allowance): All Dutch employees receive a mandatory 8% annual holiday allowance paid each May or June. On a €100K base salary this equals €8,000 in additional annual income — automatic and statutory. Pensioen (pension): Most employers participate in sector-wide pension funds or operate corporate schemes. Employer contributions of 8–15% of pensionable salary are standard, among the highest pension contribution rates in Europe. Reiskostenvergoeding (commute allowance): Dutch law allows up to €0.23/km reimbursement for commuting, or full public transport reimbursement. Most Amsterdam employers cover OV-chipkaart (public transport) costs. Training budget: Security roles attract €2,000–€5,000/year for certifications (OSCP, CISSP, AWS Security Specialty) and conferences (One Conference, Black Hat EU).

Certifications: Market Value in Amsterdam

CISSP is the most widely recognized senior credential across Amsterdam's financial and corporate employers. OSCP is effectively a prerequisite for offensive security roles. AWS Security Specialty has strong traction at Booking.com, Akamai, and cloud-forward employers. CEH is recognized but lacks the technical depth expected by Amsterdam's more sophisticated hiring teams.

Negotiation Strategy

Lead with the 30% ruling. If you qualify, the ruling changes your effective salary significantly and gives you leverage to push for a higher gross — which compounds the tax benefit. Use Amsterdam-specific benchmarks. National Dutch averages include non-tech sectors. Reference Amsterdam-filtered data from Levels.fyi, LinkedIn Salary, and the CareerCheck salary tools. Certifications are concrete leverage. Name the certification, cite the premium, and tie it to the employer's tech stack — AWS Security Specialty at a cloud-native employer carries more weight than a general credential. Counter Dutch-style. The Netherlands has a direct negotiation culture. A polite, data-backed counter of 10–15% above the initial offer is expected and respected. Startups have more flexibility; regulated financial employers have tighter bands but more room on benefits and pension matching.

Amsterdam's cybersecurity market in 2026 rewards technical depth, cloud fluency, and international mobility. The combination of global employer density, strong base salaries, and Dutch tax advantages — particularly the 30% ruling — makes it one of the most financially attractive security engineering markets in Europe.