What you need to know if you are considering a career in cybersecurity
A recent Cybersecurity Ventures Jobs Report predicts that by 2021 there will be more than 3.5 million unfilled cybersecurity jobs across the globe. The report notes that “over the eight-year period tracked, the number of unfilled cybersecurity jobs is expected to grow by 350 percent, from one million positions in 2013 to 3.5 million in 2021.”
For those who are considering a career in cybersecurity or going back to school to earn a Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity, the job prospects have never looked better.
Our new infographic, shown below, offers a quick overview of the cybersecurity career outlook. You’ll find key data points including average entry-level salaries, projected job growth, top industries for employment as well as data related to the increasing rate of security breaches.
The prevalence and complexity of cybersecurity breaches is rapidly increasing the demand for cybersecurity professionals. According to the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC), a nationally recognized non-profit established to support victims of identity theft, in 2017, 179 million records were exposed, compared to 37 million the previous year. In 2018, the ITRC tracked 790 breaches through July, with 27.3 million records exposed. Hacking was the primary type of breach incident, followed by unauthorized access.
Beyond the increasing complexity of our interconnected world, another big driver for the demand of cybersecurity professionals is a new shift among employer expectations. According to the above Cybersecurity Ventures report, almost all IT-related positions are becoming cybersecurity positions as employers expect everyone to be involved with protecting data, devices and infrastructure.
However, many of the candidates who are applying for cybersecurity positions today are unqualified. Various public and private sector partnerships are working to address this talent shortage through formal education and training programs. As the rate of demand is growing at a far faster pace than the supply, some industries are feeling the talent shortage more than others. For example, industries with the greatest number of openings for information security analyst jobs are computer and systems design related services followed by management of companies and enterprises.
William Woods’ online Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity program is designed to prepare students to enter the workforce equipped to create innovative solutions to protect information in the face of hackers and growing cybersecurity threats. In addition to rigorous coursework, students gain hands-on experience working in the cybersecurity lab in areas such as cyber-attacks and defenses, cloud security, and cybercrime and information warfare.
For more information, visit our Online Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity program page.