Hot Jobs in Cybersecurity: Charting Your Career Path
Top cybersecurity jobs, salary expectations, and the essential skills needed to thrive in this ever-evolving field.
The cybersecurity job outlook and field are experiencing record growth, fueled by an influx of security incidents and the rising cost of data breaches. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) expects employment for cybersecurity professionals will increase by 33% from 2023 to 2033. Organizations are determined to protect their customers — and business leaders recognize that they need considerable guidance from cybersecurity experts to accomplish this goal. If there is a silver lining to this risk-filled digital landscape, it is the proliferation of cybersecurity roles.
Decoding the Role of Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity is a diverse field that references the numerous initiatives, systems, and solutions implemented by experts in the hopes of thwarting cyberattacks. The role of cybersecurity is to identify threats and implement measures to minimize the risk of cyberattacks while improving response times.
The Need for Digital Security
Digital transformation enables businesses to remain innovative, improve processes, as well as save time and money. However, it comes with a major caveat: Sophisticated threat actors consistently develop new strategies for breaching security systems and gaining access to sensitive information. Cybersecurity analysts play an instrumental role in combating these threats by using cutting-edge techniques to uncover weaknesses and develop more effective strategies for keeping threat actors at bay.
The BLS reports that information security analysts are among the top five fastest-growing occupations in the U.S. as of 2023. Employment opportunities span a range of industries with key qualifications including both analytical and creative skills as well as being a strong communicator and problem-solver.
The Impact of Cybersecurity on Businesses and Individuals
Data breaches often result in immediate and sometimes devastating financial consequences for organizations. Insights from IBM’s 2024 Cost of a Data Breach Report reveal that the average cost of a single breach reached $4.88M, a 10% increase over last year. Meanwhile, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received an astounding 880,418 complaints in 2023. “The financial toll of cyberattacks has spurred an unparalleled demand for cybersecurity expertise,” shared Renita Folds, director of professional education at Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI). “Organizations need to prioritize workforce development, focusing on essential skills like cloud security, threat intelligence, and malware analysis, while fostering a comprehensive understanding of evolving threats and proactive risk management strategies.” Strong cybersecurity strategies can safeguard sensitive personal data, maintain brand reputation, and reduce costs and damage associated with cyberattacks.
Entry-Level Jobs in Cybersecurity
From first breaking into the field to progressing into higher-level cybersecurity positions, there is a vast range of job opportunities for professionals that may fall under more than one career level. For context, a global shortage of almost 4 million cybersecurity professionals means that more than half of public organizations lack the necessary resources and skills for adequate cyber resilience. Nearly three-quarters of these entities report having unfilled cybersecurity positions. Thus, the potential impact of developing valuable, sought-after skills (and advancing) in this field is high.
Interactive career pathway maps are available to show the assorted transition opportunities available and the skillsets needed for those in the cybersecurity field.
Types of positions are listed below, all of which provide graduates and professionals with the opportunity to apply their newly acquired technical skills to tackle today’s most significant cybersecurity threats.
Cybersecurity Specialist
Cybersecurity specialists develop targeted technical expertise for addressing cybersecurity concerns. They may be asked to deploy or manage specific cybersecurity tools. According to CyberSeek data, these specialists earn an average of $88,149 per year.
Cybercrime or Digital Forensic Analyst
Often supporting organizational security initiatives or even law enforcement, cybercrime analysts investigate incidents to reveal what methods cybercriminals have used to gain access to systems and data. These insights, alongside collected digital evidence, can help inform future cybersecurity strategies. Also holding titles such as digital forensic analyst or cyber threat analyst, these professionals earn an average annual wage of $100,150.
Incident and Intrusion Analyst
Responding to security incidents, these targeted analysts gather extensive evidence and perform root cause analyses. As a result of their work and recommendations, containment measures must be implemented to prevent additional damage, followed by recovery efforts to return systems to normal operations. Depending on specific job expectations, this may either be performed by the analyst themself or another professional. Salary data suggest that incident and intrusion analysts earn $101,130 on average.
IT Auditor
Evaluating a range of information technology (IT) systems and processes, IT auditors identify areas for improvement, especially as they relate to compliance concerns or organizational objectives. On average, these auditors earn $85,221 per year.
Mid-Level and Advanced Positions in Cybersecurity
Upon gaining a few years of experience in the IT realm and additional education or certifications, cybersecurity professionals may move into mid-level or advanced positions. Typically, these roles call for graduate-level training. Desirable opportunities include the following:
Cybersecurity Analyst
As one of the most important positions in cybersecurity, the role of cybersecurity analyst entails continuous monitoring and threat analysis, along with incident response as needed. Cybersecurity analysts make extensive use of firewalls, antivirus software, and intrusion detection and prevention systems. A cybersecurity analyst's salary averages $115,795 annually.
Penetration and Vulnerability Tester
Often referred to as ethical hackers, penetration testers simulate cyberattacks to identify weaknesses in organizations' networks or applications. This role emphasizes reconnaissance, in which ethical hackers gather extensive information about target systems or networks.
Ethical hackers leverage advanced tools to reveal vulnerabilities like open ports as well as strategies like SQL injection for gaining access. Their insights help businesses correct weaknesses and retest as necessary once recommended security solutions are implemented. Data indicates average earnings of $132,457 for penetration testers.
Cybersecurity Consultant
Bringing a valuable outside perspective to organizations experiencing cybersecurity concerns, consultants help enterprises identify security weaknesses and recommend strategies to help their clients overcome these issues. Many consultants are specialists focused on cloud security or compliance. This role can be appealing because it promotes flexibility and autonomy. Earnings vary considerably depending on preferred workloads or specialties but average $125,243 annually.
Cybersecurity or Application Security Engineer
Cybersecurity engineers play a crucial role in creating and implementing the security systems responsible for safeguarding sensitive data. They perform numerous tasks associated with cybersecurity analysts by blending computer science and engineering principles to develop and implement cybersecurity solutions — installing firewalls and intrusion detection systems, for example, or monitoring network traffic to pinpoint patterns indicative of suspicious activity.
More specifically, application security engineers work closely with development teams to ensure that software architectures are secure. They are tasked with preventing or revealing vulnerabilities within software applications — as well as making these applications more resilient. They may also conduct dynamic application security testing or automated security testing tasks. Salary data suggests that these professionals earn, on average, $143,992 per year.
Cybersecurity Architect
Similar in many respects to cybersecurity engineers, cybersecurity architects direct the creation of IT network security systems. However, their roles delve more into the strategic components of cybersecurity, while engineers are technical, hands-on professionals. This position calls for considerable collaboration with development teams, engineers, and business leaders. Cybersecurity architects can bring in annual average earnings of $150,989.
Cybersecurity Manager
While cybersecurity analysts address the hands-on aspects of digital security, managers reveal the strategic possibilities of this field. This role places a greater emphasis on policy development, with many involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, and compliance. The average cybersecurity manager earns an annual $152,403.
Cybersecurity Risk and Compliance Manager
Risk management is a core concern in the cybersecurity space. While some element of risk will always exist, it is increasingly imperative for organizations to quantify this risk and prioritize risk mitigation strategies accordingly.
Risk and compliance managers identify the likelihood of certain cybersecurity risks along with their potential impacts. They also confirm compliance with relevant cybersecurity rules and regulations. Salary insights (per ZipRecruiter) reveal annual average earnings of $132,962.
Essential Skills for a Career in Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity professionals must develop and maintain a diverse skill set that includes a distinct blend of hard and soft skills to effectively uncover or mitigate cybersecurity risks.
Soft Cybersecurity Skills
Hard skills tend to attract the bulk of the attention, but future cybersecurity analysts should also prioritize soft skills such as communication, problem-solving, and analysis. These competencies are increasingly prioritized by recruiters, especially if they can be cohesively integrated with a solid technical skill set. Other key soft skills include:
- Attention to detail
- Ability to translate complex information for non-technical audiences
- Time management
- Creativity
- Root cause analysis
- Critical thinking
- Adaptability
- Precision
“Getting into the mind of an attacker, or adversarial thinking, is one of the most important skills for a cybersecurity professional,” says Mustaque Ahamad, professor in Georgia Tech’s School of Computer Science and Information Security track director for the Master of Science in Cybersecurity. “This requires both analytical skills and deep knowledge of the technologies that are targets of their attacks.”
Hard Skills
All aspiring cybersecurity analysts should commit to developing fundamental technical skills — including, at minimum, a firm grasp of today's most relevant programming languages. Other core technical skills include:
- Firewall and router configuration
- Proficiency with vulnerability scanning tools
- Experience with penetration testing tools
- Understanding of cryptographic techniques
- Ability to use relevant tools for network monitoring
- Cyber threat intelligence
Investing in Your Future: Taking the Next Step
Georgia Tech offers multiple programs that equip students for today's top cybersecurity opportunities. Georgia Tech's Online Masters of Science in Cybersecurity program can equip you with the technical and policy skills needed to lead a secure, connected enterprise,” says Brenden Kuebris, program executive director and research scientist II in the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts School of Public Policy. If you are ready to develop new skills, build your professional network, and advance your career in cybersecurity, explore Georgia Tech’s Online Master of Science in Cybersecurity or Master of Science in International Security, Online, along with Georgia Tech Professional Education’s Cybersecurity Certificate.
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