Marcus RichardsCybersecurity is an excellent field to get into if you’re looking for a career with good job security and great salaries. Cybersecurity talent is in high demand, so anyone with the right skills can find that there are plenty of opportunities for them to find tech jobs to fit their goals. If you’re interested in a career in cybersecurity or you’re just curious to find out more about the benefits of a career in the field, there’s a lot to learn that could help you to make a decision about whether it’s right for you.
Read on to get some valuable advice about why cybersecurity could be for you, and how you can obtain a solid career in the sector.
Why Choose Cybersecurity?
There are some fantastic benefits to working in cybersecurity. You can create a long-term career that has excellent job security if you have the skills and experience.
One of the best things about working in cybersecurity is the demand from employers for people with cybersecurity skills and experience. From 2013 to 2021, the number of unfilled cybersecurity positions globally grew by 350%, from one million to 3.5 million. This means that not only is there plenty of work for people in cybersecurity but that employers are desperate to fill their open positions. If you have the right skills in cybersecurity, you could pretty much guarantee yourself a job. Not only that, but your career could take you around the world if you wanted it to.
Another key reason that many people choose cybersecurity is the high salaries. High demand in the industry means that salaries are designed to attract the right talent. Cybersecurity professionals are extremely valuable because they can save organizations a lot of money by preventing costly data breaches. Some of the highest-paying roles could pay more than $200,000 in top positions. Average salaries in the US can typically range from about $75,000 to $120,000, depending on the location. Those in more senior roles with more experience can earn even more.
Not only is there much demand for cybersecurity experts now, but you can guarantee that there will be in the future too. As technology changes and grows, employers will always need to hire the right talent to keep up. There’s plenty of opportunity for advancement, with more senior roles available for those who are ambitious or looking for higher salaries. Plus, there are different types of roles available, from remote work and contracting to self-employment and working abroad.
Cybersecurity Roles
There are many cybersecurity roles you could explore if you’re looking to get into the industry. You might find that there are various names for cybersecurity positions, but most will have “cybersecurity” or “security information” in them, as well as associated terms.
Some cybersecurity roles may involve doing a little bit of everything, while others are more specialist roles that require specialist skills. Some of the job titles that you might see include:
- Information security analyst
- Information security specialist
- Digital forensic examiner
- IT auditor
- Security systems administrator
- Penetration tester
- Security engineer
- Security architect
- Cryptography engineer
- Cybersecurity manager
Of the many roles that are currently in demand, you can also find plenty of cloud security jobs. Most businesses are using the cloud in some way now, and they need security experts to help them keep everything secure.
How Much Could You Earn in Cybersecurity?
The high salaries in cybersecurity are often what attract people to the industry. What you can earn depends on a range of factors, including the skills you have, the role you do, and the location where you work. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, an information security analyst earns a mean salary of $122,000 in New York, while in Montana the mean salary is under $65,000. Of course, the salaries paid are also balanced out by the cost of living in different areas. A higher cost of living in California or New York will mean that your salary won’t go as far.
Overall, the average cybersecurity salary in the US ranges from $88,000 to $164,000, with the median salary just over $117,000. As well as base salaries, people in the field also often benefit from bonuses and stocks, and profit sharing.
Starting a Career in Cybersecurity
If you’re interested in starting a career in cybersecurity, you need to make sure you have the right skills and knowledge. Many people who become cybersecurity specialists start by earning a bachelor’s degree in computer science or cybersecurity. However, you don’t have to have a degree to start working in cybersecurity. There are other routes into the career if you want to work your way up.
To learn the technical skills that you need to work in cybersecurity, you can take a course. There are classes you can take in person or you can learn online, which can provide more flexibility. Many bootcamp courses will give you a crash course on the skills that you need to give you good foundational knowledge. Although a degree isn’t always necessary, it’s a good idea to have some sort of certification or way to demonstrate your skills and knowledge. Another great way to start developing some core skills in IT and cybersecurity is to look for an apprenticeship or internship where you can learn on the job.
There are entry-level cybersecurity roles that you can look for when you’re first starting out. This might include an IT role such as a help desk technician or a network administrator, or you could start out as a junior information security analyst.
You could consider a few different areas when you’re going into cybersecurity. Some career paths to consider include:
- Engineering and architecture
- Incident response
- Management and administration
- Consulting
- Testing and hacking
There are multiple routes you can consider to get into cybersecurity. You can benefit from entering the field in some great ways, so why not think about whether it could be right for you? If you’re new to cybersecurity, try exploring some different roles and required skills to see if it’s a good fit for you.
