Is Cybersecurity a Good Career Path?

Last updated on August 11th, 2024 at 08:00 pm

Certainly yes! A career in cybersecurity is rewarding. This line of profession is in high demand and offers decent compensation and an exciting work-life balance.

Many companies in the United States are prepared to train young people to be cybersecurity experts. One of those companies is IBM, which is determined to train 150,000 people in cybersecurity skills o of the next three years, according to a Fact Sheet released by The White H to let you know how much of a promising career you can make of cybersecurity. Additionally, IBM will collaborate with more than 20 historically black colleges and universities to establish cybersecurity leadership centres to expand the cyber workforce’s diversity.

Compared to other IT professions, cybersecurity is a relatively new field. As a result, it is easier for someone to pursue it as a career. This is because there are numerous paths one can follow to become a cyber security expert.

The cybersecurity expert job path can vary widely depending on a person’s expertise and industry. Several trends appear to be shared by the majority of cybersecurity experts. Experience, preferences, and personality will all be factors in choosing the best cybersecurity career. Although cybersecurity experts are focused on preventing the compromise of online data, the responsibilities can change between roles.

The following cybersecurity positions may be of interest to you, depending on your level of experience:

Entry-level positions: System Administrator, Network Engineer, Network Administrator, and Security Administrator.

Mid-level positions: IT auditor, security technician, penetration tester, and cybersecurity analyst

Senior-level roles: Chief information security officer, cybersecurity manager, and cybersecurity engineer.

Your love for a particular area of cybersecurity may also influence your search for the ideal position. For instance, you can consider working as a security consultant if you wish to inform people of the consequences of the decisions they want to take ahead of time and develop viable solutions through advice.

Consider pursuing a career as a Security Architect if you enjoy research and are always up to date on IT advancements. Cybersecurity Engineers may be your calling if you have a technical background and want to delve into code to uncover security solutions. You can enter this industry with internship opportunities.

Benefits of Pursuing a Career in Cybersecurity

1. Endless Opportunity Due to the High Demand for Cybersecurity professionals

The fact that there is a lot of demand for cybersecurity professionals is one of the most significant advantages. 2.9 million cybersecurity specialists were needed globally in 2018, according to a 2019 study on the cybersecurity workforce.

The demand for cybersecurity professionals didn’t stop ever since then. Microsoft and American community colleges have launched a national campaign to address half of the nation’s labor deficit in cybersecurity by 2025.

In a full-page advertisement in The Wall Street Journal, Google claims it is preparing 100,000 Americans for critical data privacy and security positions. The business noted in a blog post a few months ago that this commitment is being made through the Google Career Certificate program.

2. Flexibility and Work-life Balance

Because most of the work will be centred on technology and interacting with people worldwide, you can frequently work from home even before COVID-19. Working from home is advantageous for many people, but it can be detrimental for some people who want to socialise at work and leave the house.

3. A Cybersecurity Degree is Not a Must.

Fortunately, you can enter the field without a degree in cybersecurity. There are a lot of self-taught experts and people with degrees in other subjects who have managed to shift into cybersecurity. Additionally, you can use certifications to begin or advance in the area without returning to college or university because they are often well acknowledged in the industry.

4. High Job Satisfaction Rate

In research by ISC2, 36% of North American respondents indicated they were delighted, making up 71% of the total. According to a comparable PayScale survey, the typical cyber security engineer rated job satisfaction at 3.83 out of 5. This is around 10% higher than the 51 per cent national average for US workers.

Because there is such a strong need for experts with these talents, cybersecurity is a fantastic career to pursue right now. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that information security analysts’ employment will increase by 31% between 2019 and 2029. In contrast, the overall average growth rate for all professions is merely 4%.

The cybersecurity industry has a wide range of opportunities. There are opportunities in various sectors and specialisations since businesses in every industry – from healthcare and banking to entertainment and retail – face cybersecurity concerns.

As a cybersecurity expert, you play a vital role in securing organisational’s data. Because of this, it can be satisfying and rewarding and enable you to have a meaningful influence. However, difficulties and stress are also a part of working in cybersecurity. If you want to know if cybersecurity is the correct field for you, ensure you have the right enthusiasm and personality.

High-Paying Jobs in Cybersecurity

Roles and job titles in cybersecurity vary widely. All sectors of society require cybersecurity expertise to safeguard sensitive data, including governments, banks, and retail. Listed below are a few specific cybersecurity job titles.

1. Cybersecurity Analyst

Analysts in cybersecurity protect an organisation’s hardware and network infrastructure from hackers and cybercriminals trying to damage or steal confidential data.

A qualified cyber professional focusing on network and IT infrastructure security is known as a cybersecurity analyst. The cybersecurity analyst works diligently to foresee and stop these attacks by thoroughly understanding malware, cyberattacks, and cybercriminals’ actions. The analyst often has a bachelor’s degree or higher in cybersecurity or a closely connected discipline.

The key responsibilities of the analyst are to thoroughly comprehend the IT infrastructure of the firm, closely monitor it, and assess and evaluate potential security attacks. According to the cybersecurity analyst, the company’s network security is constantly improved, and critical data is protected.

To be eligible, you must possess a bachelor’s degree in information assurance and cybersecurity. Your cybersecurity education will need to cover various topics, including data management, hacking and countermeasures, penetration testing, scripting and programming, and more.

“The estimated total pay for a Cyber Security Analyst is $108,063 per year in the United States area, with an average salary of $78,086 per year, according to Glassdoor 2022 data.

2. Cybersecurity Specialist

A Cyber Security Specialist is an expert in the field of information technology security. Their job entails protecting software development. They work to ensure that networks are safe from external threats like hackers or crackers who want access for malicious purposes.

3. Security Systems Administrator

The primary responsibility of any position holding the title “security administrator,” “systems security administrator,” “network systems administrator,” or “IT security administrator” is to guarantee the integrity and security of any given organisation’s digital information.

A Security Systems Administrator makes on average $95,720 per year or $2,600 (3%) more than the national average annual salary of $93,120, according to Ziprecruiter.

4. Chief Information Security Officer

The executive in charge of an organisation’s information and data security is the chief information security officer (CISO). Unlike in the past, when the function was more defined explicitly along such lines, the term is now frequently used interchangeably with CSO and VP of security, reflecting a more comprehensive range of responsibilities inside the company. Not every business employs a senior security executive: IDG’s 2020 Security Priorities Study found that 61 per cent of the firms it polled do. However, that percentage jumps to 80 per cent for significant enterprises.

In the United States, the average compensation for a chief information security officer is $231,447 as of June 28, 2022, but the range is generally between $202,104 and $290,000.

5. Forensic Computer Analyst

computer forensics analysts gather and examine information about cyberattacks and unlawful online activity. They employ cutting-edge data retrieval and incident analysis techniques in situations involving espionage, organised cybercrime, hacking, fraud, terrorism, and the storage and distribution of unlawful content.

The range of forensic computer analyst salaries in the United States is $66,629 to $87,170, with a yearly average of $76,890.

6. Penetration Tester

The term “good” hacking, which refers to finding security flaws that could result in cybersecurity assaults before malevolent hackers, is penetrating testing. White hat hacking and ethical hacking are other names for it. “Penetration testers assist businesses in locating security holes and weaknesses in their IT infrastructures.

The average salary for a Penetration Tester is $116,078 annually in the United States.

7. Security Architect

A Security Architect is solely responsible for an organisation’s security. Along with this, the person also looks after a lot of things. A “security architect” creates, plans, and implements security solutions for an organisation. Security Architects hold a bachelor’s degree in computer science or an equivalent profession and years of expertise in the area.

They know computer and network systems, cybersecurity, and risk management. Additional security strategies, methodologies, and architecture expertise are available through industry certifications, continuing education programs, and graduate degrees. Basically, a Security Architect is the person in charge of all the security pursuits.

The average Security Architect’s salary in the United States is $126,542 as of June 2022, but the salary range typically falls between $112,939 and $140,000.

8. Security Manager

The average Security Manager salary in the United States is $101,329 as of June 28, 2022, but the range typically falls between $85,993 and $119,502.

9. Information Security Analysts

The base salary for an Information Security Analyst ranges from $74,691 to $93,232, with the average base salary of $83,339.

10. Security Engineer

The average Security Engineer salary is $133,685 as of June 28, 2022, but the salary range typically falls between $116,100 and $151,486

11. Cryptographer

A cryptographer develops algorithms, security systems, and cyphers to encrypt sensitive information. They’ll design code and break it to test the strength of cryptographic security systems and ensure that private information stays out of the hands of cyber-criminals.

The average cryptographer’s gross salary in the United States is $126,241, or an equivalent hourly rate of $61

12. Security Consultant

The estimated total pay for a Security Consultant is $104,741 per year in the United States, with an average salary of $71,045 per year.

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