There are a lot of benefits to pursuing a career in information and network security. This growing career field offers a lot of opportunities for job seekers in a variety of industries and niches, making cybersecurity one of the most versatile career paths for today’s professionals. The industry’s fast growth also means ample opportunities for early-career candidates and experienced cybersecurity professionals alike, and salaries are high and rising across the industry.
Earning a Bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity lets you access many of these opportunities on its own. Related degrees, like a bachelor’s in computer science or information technology, can often carry equal weight for employers as a cyber security degree. For security management and leadership roles, or specialties like ethical hacker or information security analyst, candidates can gain an edge by entering a Master’s degree program or obtaining one of the popular cybersecurity certifications offered by organizations like the ISC 2 or CompTIA.
The range of roles and types of companies that hire people with cybersecurity skills is the main reason the education background of employees in this sector is so varied. Here are just a few of the many ways you can build a cybersecurity career.
Entry-Level Roles in Cybersecurity
The term “entry-level” can be a bit deceptive when it comes to cybersecurity. These roles are often essential to the continued operation of a business, and even the least demanding roles in the sector require a high level of technical knowledge and training. Because of that, many roles that are labeled as entry-level still require both a Bachelor’s degree and up to three years of experience.
The good news is, that experience doesn’t need to be in cybersecurity. Related roles in IT and other tech fields are common ways recent graduates gain the experience employers look for. Once candidates have a few years of relevant experience, common first cybersecurity roles include Information Security Analyst, IT Auditor, and similar roles related to the monitoring and maintenance of existing systems.
There is a positive side-effect from the lack of true entry-level roles in cybersecurity: once you’re in the field in any role, you can expect to make a high salary. An annual salary of $70,000 or higher isn’t uncommon, even for those with the minimum required experience.
What Are the Best Paying Cybersecurity Jobs?
There are many roles within this sector that have an average annual salary of $100,000 or higher. If you want to earn the highest possible cybersecurity salary, though, your best move is to go into leadership. Executive level roles like Chief Privacy Officer (CPO) or Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) have an average annual base salary of over $200,000, and that being the average they can go much higher. Senior positions within many of the roles listed below can also easily earn upwards of $150,000 a year in base pay.
Jobs in the Public Sector
One reason the cybersecurity job market has grown so rapidly over the past few years is the increase of industries and types of business that need this talent. From retail and hospitality to the legal and financial sectors, companies in nearly every niche today use apps, cloud platforms, and other networked software, and that means a growing need for employees who can keep their data and systems secure.
Most of the roles on this list are not exclusive to any one industry, but in fact are crucial for a number of business sectors. That said, the roles listed below can give you a good idea of what kind of jobs are available for candidates with a cybersecurity degree in each of these areas.
Common Tech Industry Cybersecurity Roles
Cybersecurity Engineer
Average salary: $98,000/year
Typical education: Bachelor’s degree, CISSP or CompTIA Security+ certification
Engineering professionals are the ones who build the security systems others in the field use and maintain. This could mean building a system from scratch or improving and updating existing systems to protect against the latest threats. In either case, you’ll need a strong technical background and in-depth knowledge of common detection and prevention systems. Since you’ll often collaborate with decision makers, communication skills are also helpful, as is the ability to collaborate effectively and respond to feedback productively.
Penetration Tester
Average salary: $88,000/year
Typical education: Bachelor’s degree, CEH certification
There’s no better way to identify where a hacker might strike than to hire your own hacker to find those vulnerabilities. That’s the idea behind penetration testing, also called ethical hacking, which involves using the same strategies as malicious hackers to identify weaknesses and strengthen defense systems. Penetration testers could work directly for organizations or as independent contractors brought in to test new systems or help identify areas that need to be upgraded. Strong problem solving and analytical skills are equally important as tech know-how, and these professionals often need to use their creative brains to see systems from a hacker’s perspective.
Application Security Engineer
Average salary: $104,000/year
Typical education: Bachelor’s degree, CISSP or CompTIA Security+ certification
This is a similar role to Cybersecurity Engineer, and the day-to-day responsibilities are similar. The main difference is the type of system these engineers develop. Rather than building proprietary systems from scratch, Application Security Engineers focus specifically on third-party software and systems used by the company, including hosting sites like Microsoft Azure or AWS, or more specialized CRM, ATS, or workflow management platforms. This requires knowledge of the full software development life cycle and the specific applications the company uses, along with skills like coding and cryptography.
Financial Sector Cybersecurity Positions
IT Auditor
Average salary: $102,000/year
Typical education: Bachelor’s degree, CIA/CISA certification
These IT professionals are in charge of analyzing the computer systems, software, and network used by a company to identify potential risk areas and improve the security practices. Along with evaluating existing information systems, they’ll also suggest new firewalls, intrusion detection systems, security policies, or other additional measures the company can use to reduce risk. Work experience with these kinds of security systems is usually expected in an IT Auditor candidate, as is in-depth understanding of security trends and current best practices and a strong attention to detail.
Information Security Manager
Average salary: $119,000/year
Typical education: Bachelor’s degree, CISSP certification
Large financial institutions don’t just have their own data to worry about. They also deal with customer and client financial records, which can make them a target of cybercrimes like identity theft if it’s accessed by the wrong people. Because of this, they’ll often have someone on staff in charge of overseeing the security of their computer networks, from the development and implementation of new security measures to the day-to-day monitoring and responding to incidents when they occur. Cybersecurity manager positions are ideal job opportunities for professionals with strong project and people management skills as well as a depth of knowledge in a range of security topics.
Cybersecurity Jobs in Healthcare
Internet of Things/Medical Device Security
Average salary: $87,000/year
Typical education: Bachelor’s degree
Fitbits and other wearables aren’t the only connected medical devices these days. Medical equipment like pacemakers, insulin pumps, and even large equipment like CT scanners or MRIs can be linked to wireless networks, opening them up to vulnerabilities and potential attacks. Hospitals and other medical institutions need professionals who can protect these tools from cyberattacks, creating security plans to integrate them into the broader infrastructure without putting patient data at risk of exposure. This is an ideal role for creative problem solvers who have knowledge of HIPAA requirements and network security.
GRC Risk Analyst
Average salary: $104,000/year
Typical education: Bachelor’s degree, GRCP certification
GRC stands for governance, risk, and compliance, crucial concepts in the healthcare world. Medical service providers handle sensitive information that’s subject to HIPAA regulations, making data breaches or security weaknesses a major problem. As you might guess from the title, risk management is one responsibility of GRC Analysts, who also identify potential improvements to existing security systems to prevent future problems. These professionals may work for hospitals or other healthcare businesses directly, or they may serve as a cybersecurity consultant on a freelance basis, or for an entire healthcare network that needs to develop or maintain a security infrastructure across several locations. To thrive in this role, you’ll need a sharp eye for detail and analytical mind, as well as know-how about both computer security and HIPAA and similar regulations.
Incident Responder
Average salary: $105,000/year
Typical education: Bachelor’s degree
Given the kind of sensitive information healthcare providers handle, when there is an attack or breach, it needs to be resolved thoroughly and swiftly. Incident responders identify the source of security breaches, resolve the immediate threat, then make recommendations for new security measures that could prevent similar issues. Since hackers may not wait for regular business hours to attack, these professionals need to be ready to offer their expertise, even in the evening or on the weekends, so flexibility is crucial. Like GRC Analysts, they may work for an organization directly or on a consultant or freelance basis for multiple clients.
Jobs in Academia
Cybersecurity Professor
Average salary: $70,000/year
Typical education: Master’s degree
Students who want to embark on a cybersecurity career path need professors who can teach them the crucial skills and training they’ll need. A position as a cybersecurity professor will often include research and administrative duties as well as work in the classroom, making it an ideal role for people who love learning about new security threats and potential strategies to combat them. Along with an advanced degree, successful candidates often have several years of experience working in cybersecurity, though you may find some roles where this isn’t a requirement.
Information Security Analyst
Average salary: $98,000/year
Typical education: Bachelor’s degree
Universities don’t just need cybersecurity experts in the classroom. They also maintain records on students and employees that need to be kept secure, and that’s the responsibility of information security analysts. These cyber security professionals help prevent security issues in schools by maintaining and proactively improving threat detection and prevention systems. They also serve as first-line defenders against malware, hacking, and similar cyber attacks, which may mean being on-call outside normal working hours.
Jobs in the Private Sector
Many people who graduate from cybersecurity degree programs assume they’ll find an employer in the tech industry, or at the very least somewhere in the private sector. Data and network security is just as important (if not more so) for governments and their agencies as it is for companies. Here are some of the many cybersecurity job openings you’ll find in the private sector.
Government Cybersecurity Careers
Computer Network Architect
Average salary: $75,000/year
Typical education: Bachelor’s degree, CompTIA Network+ certification
Also called a Security Architect, these are the professionals who create communication and information networks for organizations and ensure they meet security and compliance needs. While these roles exist in the private sector, too, there’s a high demand in public sector institutions that need to update and adapt legacy systems to more current technologies like cloud-based servers. This is a role that requires strong communication skills since the architect will typically work closely with company leaders to determine the system requirements. In addition, they’ll typically manage a team of engineers, analysts, and other professionals, so leadership abilities are a definite plus.
Information Security Specialist
Average salary: $86,000/year
Typical education: Bachelor’s degree
Just like private businesses, government agencies need people to keep their data and systems secure. In this role, you’ll serve as a security administrator, overseeing the networking, programs, and devices used by the organization to ensure the safety of data and prepare reports on the status of systems for leaders. This may be an individual contributor or leadership role, depending on the size and needs of the agency. Specific responsibilities often include monitoring and updating the firewall, anti-virus, anti-malware, and other protections, performing risk assessments and penetration tests, and investigating incidents when they occur.
Cybersecurity Jobs in Law Enforcement
Cybercrime Investigator
Average salary: $95,000/year
Typical education: Bachelor’s degree, GIAC certification (GCFE, GCFA, GNFA, etc.)
When a cyber crime is committed, law enforcement agencies need to collect evidence to identify and successfully prosecute the perpetrator. This requires a cybersecurity professional who has both investigative skills and knowledge of common security risks and attack vectors, and it’s common for professionals with this specialization to have work experience in both law enforcement and cyber security on their resume. While they don’t develop security processes, an understanding of computer code, software, and hardware is still necessary to search out attackers and the evidence they’ve left behind in compromised systems.
Computer Forensics Investigator
Average salary: $80,000/year
Typical education: Bachelor’s degree, GIAC certification (GCFE, GCFA, GNFA, etc.)
Similar to a cybercrime investigator, computer forensics specialists gather digital evidence of crimes. This doesn’t necessarily need to be related to cybersecurity issues, however. While they may investigate hacks or data breaches, they can also be called on to gather digital evidence related to other crimes, such as retrieving deleted data from drives or breaking through passwords and encryptions to access evidence. That makes it an ideal role for professionals with a curious mind and a knack for uncovering hidden information.
Jobs in the Intelligence Community
Cyber Threat Intelligence Analyst
Average salary: $104,000/year
Typical education: Bachelor’s degree, CISA or GCTI certification
In the big-picture sense, an intelligence analyst’s work is similar to other analysis roles in the cybersecurity field: gather and analyze data on potential threats and prepare the system to protect against them. The main difference doing this in the intelligence community is the type of threat you’re protecting against. Often, these individuals are employed or called in as consultants by national security organizations like the CIA or NSA in an anti-espionage capacity. This can make it a high-pressure career, often working at a fast pace under tight time constraints, particularly when responding to an incident.
Cryptography
Average salary: $149,000/year
Typical education: Bachelor’s degree, ECES certification
Cryptographers specialize in encryption systems that safeguard data transmitted over networks. They develop the algorithms and ciphers that prevent data from being understood if it is intercepted, and while these skills can also be used to encrypt everything from private emails to online transaction data, they’re especially needed in the intelligence community. Those who thrive in this role have a passion for puzzles and math, as well as expertise with programming languages, coding, and AI/ML algorithms. This makes it an ideal opportunity for candidates from other tech fields who want to get into cybersecurity.
Military Cybersecurity Roles
Network Defense Analyst
Average salary: $88,000/year
Typical education: Bachelor’s degree
You’ll also see this listed under job titles such as Cyber Network Defender, Cyber Defense Operations Specialist, and similar variations. These roles are available in every branch of the United States military, including the Space Force, and are responsible for the development, implementation, administration, and maintenance of security protocols and defense systems. Most of the time, this will mean fairly mundane tasks, but the pressure ramps up when there is an incident, so it’s best-suited for those who can stay calm in stressful situations. You may also be called upon to serve as a subject matter expert on security for new systems and software, or to provide training and leadership in the area of security to other members of the network maintenance team.
Intelligence Systems Engineer
Average salary: $120,000/year
Typical education: Bachelor’s degree
Similar to other cybersecurity engineers, these professionals are responsible for software design and implementation in the area of security. In addition, they’ll often be in charge of all encrypted communication networks and procedures, including that sent using specialized tactical equipment. The stakes are also higher than for a typical engineer since keeping this information safe could be a matter of life or death for the troops on the ground. To excel in this role, you’ll need to be an expert in software development, from initial conception through testing and deployment.
Achieving Your Cybersecurity Career Goals
The sheer variety of jobs with a cybersecurity degree among their education requirements is one of the main factors making this industry so appealing. It’s definitely good news for graduates, who will likely have their pick of opportunities to choose from. This means you can step back and think about the type of work you love and what work environment you prefer, letting that guide your decision about which cyber security role is ideal for you.