Security Engineer | Epic Systems Global Negotiation Guide

Negotiation DNA: Private Company / No Public Equity / Bonus-Only Variable / PHI Security

Region	Base Salary	Bonus	Profit Sharing	Total Comp
Verona WI	$125K–$180K	10–12%	Variable	$140K–$205K
Remote (rare)	$115K–$170K	10–12%	Variable	$130K–$195K

CRITICAL: Epic's Unique Compensation Structure

Epic is privately held — no RSUs, stock options, or public equity. Security engineers receive a slight premium over standard SWE bands given the critical nature of PHI protection across 300M+ patient records.

Negotiation DNA

Security Engineers at Epic protect the EHR platform that stores and processes medical records for 300M+ patients across 2,800+ hospitals. This is one of the most sensitive security portfolios in all of technology — a breach of Epic's systems could expose the medical records of nearly every American. Epic's security team works across application security (code review, SAST/DAST, secure development lifecycle), infrastructure security (network segmentation, access controls, encryption), identity and access management (provider authentication, patient identity matching), and compliance (HIPAA Security Rule, HITRUST, SOC 2). The healthcare sector faces escalating cyber threats — ransomware attacks on hospitals have become a national security concern. Epic's security posture directly affects whether hospitals can operate, and security engineers carry outsized responsibility for clinical continuity of care. [Source: Epic Security and Compliance 2025]

Level Mapping: Epic Security Engineer = UHG Security (lower TC) = Cerner/Oracle Security (lower TC)

Global Levers

1. 300M Patient Record Protection: "I'm protecting medical records for 300M+ patients — nearly every American. The sensitivity and scale of this security mandate justifies maximum base compensation. A breach here isn't a data leak; it's a national healthcare crisis."
2. No-Equity Security Premium: "Security engineers at competing companies receive $50K-$155K in equity plus security premiums. Epic's base needs to compensate — I need top-of-band to make the cash comp competitive with CrowdStrike, Optum, or Oracle."
3. Healthcare Security Scarcity: "The global cybersecurity talent shortage is 3.4M+, and healthcare security specialists are an even smaller subset. I bring HIPAA/HITRUST security expertise that takes years to develop."
4. Clinical Continuity Stakes: "Hospital ransomware attacks have become a national security concern. Epic's security posture determines whether hospitals can continue treating patients. The clinical safety implications of my work justify premium comp."

Negotiate Up Strategy: "I'd like the base at $175K with a 12% bonus. My healthcare security experience — specifically [HIPAA compliance / application security / threat detection] — means I can protect Epic's 300M+ patient records from day one." Epic will counter at $140K-$165K with 10% bonus. Accept if base exceeds $155K. Push on both base and bonus.

Evidence & Sources

• [Epic Security and Compliance Framework 2025]
• [Glassdoor Epic Systems Security Engineer Comp 2025-2026]
• [Healthcare Cybersecurity Threats — HHS Report 2025]