Reasons Why a Cybersecurity Degree is Worth It

There are countless reasons why a degree in cyber degree is worth the investment. In fact, by one crucially important metric you could avg.com/retail  say there are 3.5 million reasons — that’s the estimated avg internet security number avg antivirus free of unfilled cybersecurity jobs worldwide by 2021, up from roughly 1 million unfilled positions today.Or, you could say there are 420,000 reasons why earning a cybersecurity master’s degree is well worth Install Avg With License Number activation  the investment ($420,000 is the upper end of the salary spectrum for a Chief Information Security Officer in San Francisco; overall average: $240,000, according ). And yes www.avg.com/activate, you will need a master’s degree for that job.

Why are there so many unfilled cybersecurity jobs? And why is this fast-growing industry paying top dollar for top talent? Well, you could say there are 6 trillion reasons — CybersecurityVentures.com estimates www.avg.com/activate that the cost of cybercrime worldwide will skyrocket to by 2021, with hackers working round the clock to hit such high-profile targets as Target avg antivirus free, Uber, Equifax, the FBI and many, many more.

Bottom line: The threat is urgent, the stakes are incredibly high andthere are not enough highly educate avg.com/retail  and qualified workers to meet the demand . That’s why companies are paying high salaries for well-trained cybersecurity professionals — and that’s Install Avg With License Number activation  also why earning a cybersecurity master’s degree could be the best investment you ever make.

The Value of a Master’s Degree in Cyber Security

With increasing awareness and concern www.avg.com/activate over the growing cyber threats facing organizations avg internet security, governments and individuals avg antivirus free alike, many universities and colleges have created new graduate degree programs in cybersecurity.

While many of these programs are still in their infancy, others have been thoughtfully designed with input from field practitioners, local and national stakeholders, and industry thought leaders with the goal of training cybersecurity professionals with lifelong learning skills and the ability to defeat adversaries from theoretical as well as tactical perspectives.

Today, most employers seek www.avg.com/activate a combination of both experience and education and, while a master’s degree is not avg.com/retail  necessary for all jobs, according to Tripwire.com, the the advantage of earning higher degree in cybersecurity include high pay job security and expanded career option avg antivirus free. Not all cybersecurity option is created equal, however, which is why it is important to be especially discerning when choosing a graduate program.

Cybersecurity is  a national priorityand requires a team approach regarding education — meaning that close collaboration with the cybersecurity community is necessary for an effective program. When Install Avg With License Number activation  considering cybersecurity degree programs, look for curriculums that have been designed by a diverse group of industry leaders to specifically address lifelong learning and programming skills — skills not taught in the majority of cybersecurity programs.

1. A Degree in Cybersecurity Equals Job Security

If there was ever a time to enter the cybersecurity field, it is now. With cyber threats and attacks increasing in  both avg.com/retail  frequency and sophistication, the demand for cybersecurity professionals avg internet security is far outpacing the supply. This means that for qualified cybersecurity specialists, job security is practically guaranteed.

In a report on the critical shortage www.avg.com/activate of skilled cybersecurity professionals, forecasts that by 2019 there will be 6 million avg antivirus free information security job openings but only 4.5 million qualified professionals to fill those roles.

“The cybersecurity job market is on fire” Veronica Mollica, founder and executive information security recruiter at Indigo Partners, “Our candidates are facing competing offers from multiple companies with salary increases averaging over 30%. Current employers are scrambling Install Avg With License Number activation  to retain talent with counter offers including 10% and higher salary increases for information security team members to remain on board.”

2. Cybersecurity Professionals Earn High Salaries

Due to the severe shortage avg.com/retail  of skilled workers, cybersecurity professionals are among the most highly www.avg.com/activate compensated avg antivirus free in the technology sector, over IT jobs in general.

Once you climb further up the cybersecurity career ladder, for example to Chief Security Officer (CSO) or Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), your earning potential gets considerably higher.

In an article in BusinessInsider.com  University of San Diego cybersecurity professor Ashton Mozano reports that even entry-level jobs can start at $80,000.

To sum things up, the cybersecurity job outlook is fantastic — salaries are high and demand is soaring. But in order to avg internet security land the best jobs in cybersecurity with the best companies Install Avg With License Number activation , you need a degree and when it comes to cybersecurity, the higher the degree, the better.

3. Investment in Advanced Cybersecurity Education Pays for Itself

Tuition for a master’s Install Avg With License Number activation  degree varies from school to school but the total cost of a degree in cybersecurity will typically run www.avg.com/activate anywhere from $20,000-$70,000. While that is a significant investment, thepayoff proves avg.com/retail  it is worth it. As Alec Ross, senior adviser for innovation at the State Department avg internet security, told the avg antivirus free , “If any college student asked me what career would most assure 30 years of steady, well-paying employment, I would respond, ‘cybersecurity.'”