Cyber Security Jobs
Cyber Security jobs command a premium over other internet technology (IT) careers. IT jobs typically pay 50% more than other private sector careers. Cyber Security IT jobs pay another 9% premium on top of that.
As the number and frequency of cyber attacks increases, the demand for cyber security experts increases. Experts are needed to help secure the computing systems in many industries – medical cyber security, retail, banking and of course defense. There are jobs available in every sector and there is a shortage of qualified individuals.
Education and training can come from various sources. Many jobs do require a Bachelor’s Degree or more. However, IT cyber security career training come also come from military experience, vocational courses, and community colleges. Although many computer programmers are self-taught, formal education is generally a requirement for the best paying jobs.
After formal college, candidates may also need certifications. Security clearances are required for many governmental cyber security jobs.
According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), there are currently over 500,000 cyber security jobs available. Although many of these are private sector careers, many are private sector jobs. DHS lists their jobs on the Federal jobs website, https://www.usajobs.gov/ On this website, job applicants can search for opportunities from DHS as well as from other government agencies. Applicants can also upload resumes and apply for jobs directly.
The future of US Federal government hiring is in part, contingent upon the signing of an executive order from the Trump Administration. The executive order to add cyber security mandates to Federal Agency heads had not yet materialized. Although portions of the new order have leaked to the public, the order has still been signed into law. When it is finally enacted. The cyber security executive order is expected to add approximately $80 Billion to the annual $14 billion cyber security budget. It is not clear how those monies will be portioned to various agencies or IT systems. It is expected that a large part of it will go to fund upgrades to the aging federal IT systems. However, there should be an allocation for professional services needed to install and set up those new systems.
Federal agencies that hire cyber security experts
- Department of Agriculture
- Department of Defense
- Department of Homeland Security
- Department of the Army
- Department of the Navy
- Internal Revenue Service
- Library of Congress
- Office of the Inspector General
- Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
- U.S. Courts System
- US Marines
According to a report by cyber security recruiting firm, Silver Bell, Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) is one of the top paying cyber security careers. The salary ranges from $136k to $345k annually. As expected, one of the best locations for CISO jobs, based on salary, is in Washington DC. However, New York (including New Jersey), Chicago, Atlanta, San Francisco, and Loa Angeles are also top locations for candidates.
Source:
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Examples of Cyber Security Careers
- Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)
- Cyber Security Auditor
- Cyber Security Analyst
- Computer/Network Analyst
- IT Security Specialist
- IT Compliance Analyst
- IT Specialist (INFOSEC/NETWORK)
