If you are considering an online MBA in Cyber Security, chances are you would first like to know the employment rate, salary range, employment opportunities and growth outlook for this field. The information that follows will provide you with the knowledge you need to make an informed decision.
What Is Cyber Security?
Cyber security is the information technology field devoted to defeating hackers — those who seek to obtain others’ sensitive information for malicious intent. The mission of a cyber security expert is to put safeguards in place to make it as difficult as possible for anyone to compromise the security of this information.
Who Hires Cyber Security Professionals?
Cyber security professionals are in demand in all sectors. Government entities require cyber security professionals to protect classified information ranging from employee information to military secrets. Public entities require cyber security professionals to protect proprietary information as well as sensitive employee information. In the private sector, retail operations require firewalls that keep hackers away from transaction data that jeopardizes clients’ privacy. Meanwhile, healthcare professionals must safeguard patient information to avoid HIPAA violations.
In a world where internet, cloud, and mobile computing systems are the norm on an international level, there are few entities — from individuals to governments — who don’t have legitimate concerns about the security of networked information.
What Sort of Coursework Does an MBA in Cyber Security Require?
The online MBA in Cyber Security typically requires between one and three courses that involve case studies or projects that challenge students to identify the risk to a network and suggest steps to mitigate the weakness. One of these courses is likely to cover the history of cyber security, the tools involved, hackers’ methodologies, and flags that can alert cyber security professionals to immediate threats.
General MBA Courses
The coursework for an MBA in Cyber Security also includes those courses required for a general MBA. The general courses include management accounting, human resource management, and law. Understanding resource allocation and the evaluation of potential capital projects, as well as exposure to investment parameters and marketing efforts, is also commonly a part of the program’s curriculum.
What Is the Job Outlook?
The predicted growth in the cyber security field surpasses many other fields. Salaries also start at a higher rate and show more growth potential. This is due to the increasing use of the internet for retail transactions, the expanding use of mobile networks, the increasing use of cloud computing and data storage, the move to online health records, and the ongoing threat posed by hackers. With each new threat to networks, the need for cyber security professionals grows. Considering the damage to a company’s reputation that can result from a single data breach, it makes good business sense to invest in cyber security.
What Jobs Are in Demand in This Field?
Cyber security jobs in demand range from IT positions (responsible for installing and updating firewall programs) to information technology officers (responsible for every possible precaution to safeguard sensitive data). The demand for cyber security professionals runs from entry level to management level. The experience, past performance, and education level of the individual will determine where in the field a person begins and how far they advance.
What Are Typical Salaries and Employment Rates?
Currently, there are more jobs in the cyber security sector than there are qualified professionals to fill them. This is because a cyber security manager must often have information technology experience and a degree in cyber security. The BLS reports that the median wage for information security analyst positions in 2016 was about $92,6000. The BLS also predicts growth of 18 percent in this field from 2014 to 2024.
What Is the Potential for Career Growth?
The figures provided by the BLS encompass several branches of the computer and information technology field. As such, it is important to recognize that growth will not occur in only one branch. Forbes magazine recently published an article about the potential for promotion and career growth, specifically in the cyber security field. They forecast one million job openings in 2016. Not only that, they report that postings for jobs in cyber security are up 74 percent since 2011. They also report that more than 200,000 cyber security jobs in the U.S. are currently open. Not all of these positions are managerial positions, but all of them pay more on average than jobs in related fields. In addition, the demand for cyber security professionals is global.
Are There Opportunities in Texas?
A search of recruitment sites returns a consistent number of open positions in the state of Texas. The positions include Senior Cyber Security Engineers, IT Security Analysts, Cyber Risk Data Protection Consultants, Cyber Security Risk Analysts, and Cyber Security Operations Managers.
The cyber security field is growing rapidly, and opportunities are available to those with an MBA in Cyber Security. These positions exist in the government, public, private and healthcare sectors. There are ample open positions in Texas, and the forecast predicts many more to come.
Learn more about UT Tyler’s MBA in Cyber Security online program.
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