# A *starting* six-figure salary is just a short time away This is one of the biggest misconceptions when people are starting out in cybersecurity. Whether a result of misleading influence, news articles, or "fast track" week-long boot camp claims, this is incredibly unlikely to happen as someone who is *just* entering the field. There will always be the exception where this *can* be the case, albeit *very* rare. There are phenomenal opportunities in cybersecurity – many that *do* offer six-figure salaries – but these positions require *years* of experience in the field. As an entry level cybersecurity analyst, you can expect to earn anywhere between $50,000-$70,000 a year on average, depending on key factors such as location and skill level. # When you enter cybersecurity, you'll be hacking like you see in the movies A *small* percentage of cybersecurity professionals perform the type of offensive security work (hacking) that's similar to what's shown in movies. One of the most common roles in offensive security is a [penetration tester](https://www.hackthebox.com/blog/what-is-penetration-testing). You'll hear a lot of times how even penetration testers spend a large portion of their time writing reports and presenting findings to clients, as opposed to just hacking. A much larger percentage of entry level cybersecurity jobs will be blue team jobs – that is, jobs in defensive security, protecting organizations from cyber threats. # Getting this degree or that certification will guarantee you a job in cybersecurity There is no single degree or certification that will be your golden ticket to a cybersecurity job. You also don't *need* a degree to be successful in cybersecurity. Of course, degrees and certifications are beneficial for career development, but they're ultimately not the *only* way to gauge success in the field. What's more important is building a marketable and practical cybersecurity skillset through hands on practice. We talk about this more in the [[College]] section. # You have to be a math wiz or coding expert in order to be good in the field You *do* need foundational mathematical skills and really only need to be a wiz if you plan on going into a field like [[cryptography]]. As for coding, you don't immediately *need* to know how to code, although having the proficiency to read through and understand code could be helpful. In an early career role such as a SOC Analyst, it'll be more beneficial if you can pick up a scripting language such as [Python](https://academy.tcm-sec.com/p/python-101-for-hackers) to be able to automate tasks. As you progress in your career, coding will likely become increasingly beneficial, as the need for custom tools may arise.