According to the latest Cybersecurity Workforce Study from (ISC)2, the world’s largest nonprofit association dedicated to IT security, there is currently a massive global cybersecurity workforce shortage. To fill the current estimated global need for 4.07 million cybersecurity professionals would require a 145% increase in the number of cybersecurity professionals across all cybersecurity roles.
In the United States alone, the present shortage is roughly 498,480. The current pool of qualified professionals is far short of the current need to protect government agencies. As well as fortune 500 companies, and small and mid-sized businesses. CSU College of Law’s online Master of Legal Studies (MLS) program in Cybersecurity and Data Privacy aims to address this critical need. They do this by providing a part-time program of online courses that takes less than two years to complete.
The report finds high job satisfaction among cybersecurity professionals. Two-thirds (66%) of these professionals are reporting they are “very satisfied” or “somewhat satisfied” with their careers. The positions command substantial salaries, with the average salary in North America reaching $90,000. For professionals with security certification, the average salary is $93,000.
The report highlights the value of cybersecurity training. It recommends that employers highlight relevant training and professional development programs in this field to help meet growing demand. Equally important, the report recommends organizations cast a much wider net for talent. Instead of limiting their search only to applicants with a certain background or with certain security qualifications, organizations can recruit candidates from non-traditional fields, as well as train and develop their organization’s internal talent. Lastly, the report found that over half (58%) of current cybersecurity professionals moved into the field from a different discipline.
