According to Statista, close to one-third of the respondents of a September 2018 survey reported that their email or social media accounts had been hacked. Because of the ever-increasing rise in cybercrime, the information security market is projected to grow to $170.4 billion in 2022. As may be imagined, it will also necessitate the deployment of a large number of information security professionals. Some of the top reasons why a career in cybersecurity can be very lucrative:
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Excellent Job Prospects
Growing trends like cloud computing, Big data, IoT, and the digital transformation of business enterprises are all converging to create a challenge like never before for organizations. With technology flattening entry barriers, it is the quality of data that an organization can collect, process, and convert to information of value that will give it a competitive edge. However, with organizations collecting and storing ever-increasing volumes of sensitive data, they are also becoming more attractive targets for cybercriminals. Businesses now need to protect themselves and even get to a stage where they can proactively detect and prevent threats that can impact them negatively. It is creating a huge demand for security+ qualified and competent security professionals, and the demand is expected to be sustained for quite some time, given the current shortage of security professionals.
Great Earnings Potential
The salary of an entry-level security analyst, according to a Payscle.com study is in the range of $49,188-92,293, the media being $65,605. Across all career levels, the average salary is $95,510 according to BLS, with the top 10% earning $153,090 or more. These figures are for only one of the several information security specialties that offer the potential of earning more than a $100,000 salary. For example, network security engineers and application security engineers can earn as much as $172,500 and $182,500, respectively. You need to, however, keep in mind that when starting, you will be earning more modestly. However, very likely, you will be getting far more than many of your peers in other occupations.
Highly Portable Jobs across Geographies and Industries
Most people are accustomed to thinking about cybersecurity in terms of private enterprise requirements, which is why it will come as a surprise to learn that Washing D.C. has perhaps the highest concentration of IT security professionals. It is because the volume of government data is humongous and it can take a small army of security professionals to safeguard it. However, it is worth noting that in the U.S., the demand for computer security jobs is spread across the entire country, and most importantly, in the current context, it is also possible to work remotely, if you so want.
Conclusion
A career in information security is very promising for young professionals. Not only is there a huge demand across industries, but it is relatively easier to find a job because of the availability of jobs at the entry-level. If you are proficient and have the right kind of skills, you can rise rapidly in this profession and also earn handsomely, often much more than if you were in any other comparable occupation. Because all industries demand qualified security professionals, the scope of building a stable and rewarding career across industries is much more.