Cybersecurity Intern Salary in San Antonio, TX (2026)

The average annualized pay for a cybersecurity intern in San Antonio is approximately $41,000 USD as of early 2026, equivalent to roughly $19.74 per hour, according to ZipRecruiter data. The full range runs from about $29,000 for non-cleared undergraduate placements to $58,000 for cleared roles at defense contractors on Joint Base San Antonio. Your position within that range depends primarily on clearance status and employer type.

Cleared or clearance-eligible internships at defense primes - such as CACI, Booz Allen Hamilton, General Dynamics Mission Systems, and Nightwing Intelligence Solutions - represent the top of the pay band, with annualized rates of $52,000 to $58,000 USD. Roles tied to DoD task orders on JBSA or NSA Texas are most likely to reach this tier. Holding an active Secret clearance or being actively in-process for one is typically required.

No, a clearance is not required for most commercial, credit union, or non-defense corporate internships in San Antonio. However, defense contractor roles - which account for a disproportionately large share of the city's cybersecurity internship market - typically require either an active clearance or U.S. citizenship and eligibility for sponsorship. Clearance-eligible candidates earn 20-35% more than non-cleared peers at equivalent skill levels.

San Antonio's average intern pay is broadly comparable to Austin and Dallas for commercial roles, but it exceeds those markets at the top of the band due to its high concentration of DoD and IC contractors. Austin leads for SaaS and cloud security internships, while Dallas is stronger in financial services and consulting. The Baltimore/DMV corridor remains the highest-paying U.S. market for cleared cybersecurity interns at roughly $42,000-$72,000 annualized.

CompTIA Security+ is the most cited baseline certification in San Antonio DoD internship postings and is required by many DoD 8570/8140-aligned roles. CySA+ and CEH move candidates into higher-complexity task orders. Cloud credentials such as AWS Security Specialty or Microsoft SC-900 are valued at commercial and SaaS employers in the Austin-San Antonio corridor. Holding at least one cert before the interview significantly improves both selection odds and starting pay.

Active employers include Booz Allen Hamilton, CACI International, General Dynamics Mission Systems, Nightwing Intelligence Solutions, KBR Government Solutions, Randolph-Brooks Federal Credit Union (RBFCU), SWBC, Maximus Federal, and USAA. Smaller placements also exist at regional managed security service providers and university research centers tied to UTSA's National Security Collaboration Center.

Texas ranks near the bottom of U.S. states by average cybersecurity intern pay according to ZipRecruiter (approximately $39,000-$41,000 annualized statewide vs. a national average closer to $42,000-$45,000). However, San Antonio defense-prime roles and Austin SaaS internships can surpass the national average. The gap is largely explained by Texas's lower cost of living and the preponderance of fixed-rate DoD contract positions, which are not adjusted for local market conditions the way private-sector roles are.

Remote eligibility varies significantly by employer. Commercial and SaaS employers sometimes offer hybrid or fully remote internships, while most cleared defense contractor roles require on-site presence at JBSA facilities or secure contractor offices due to classified work requirements. A small number of unclassified federal contractor roles tied to San Antonio-area task orders are remote-eligible, and these may pay rates benchmarked to the employer's headquarters location rather than local San Antonio rates.