The world today has gone almost entirely digital. A tap on our mobile screens can do wonders and people are spending more and more time on the Internet. While Internet has enabled us to do thousands of things, it has its share of disadvantages. Security in the digital space has been a matter of rising concern for many. In this article, we will cover the prospects of pursuing Masters (MS) in Cybersecurity in USA.
MS Cybersecurity in USA
Co-authored by Sampurna Panigrahi
Introduction
With the increase in the threats on the Internet, the demand for Cybersecurity experts has also gone up. Institutions of all kinds today hire cybersecurity experts to protect themselves from any potential threats.
A constant increase in cybercrime exposes the shortcomings of the tools and services we’ve grown to rely on. We are compelled by this anxiety to consider what cyber security is, why it is crucial, and what we can learn about it.
Why is Cybersecurity Critical?
In the media, the phrase “cyber security” has become a catch-all to refer to the process of safeguarding against all types of cybercrime, from identity theft to the deployment of global digital weaponry. However, for people without a computer science degree or prior expertise in the digital business, these designations fall short of describing the fundamental nature of cyber security.
According to Forbes, a variety of alarming cyber security concerns rose in 2022, including supply chain disruption, greater threats from smart devices, and a continuous shortage of cyber security experts.
By 2025, cybercrime will cost the world $10.5 trillion annually, according to Cybercrime Magazine. In addition, during the following four years, costs associated with cybercrime are expected to increase globally by about 15% annually.
A target-rich environment is being created for criminals to take advantage of thanks to ideas like the pandemic, bitcoin, and the rise of remote labor.
Related Article: Cybersecurity in the Banking and Financial Services Sector – IoT Threats, Potential Solutions, and Blockchain
Data Security and Privacy are Critical for both Individuals and Organizations
Cybersecurity is crucial since it guards against the theft and destruction of many types of data. This covers delicate information, personally identifiable information (PII), protected health information (PHI), personal data, data pertaining to intellectual property, and information systems used by the government and businesses. Your company cannot protect itself from data breach operations without a cybersecurity program, making it an unavoidable target for cybercriminals.
All types of data are protected from theft and harm by cybersecurity, which is why it is crucial. Information systems used by the government and business sectors as well as sensitive data, personally identifiable information (PII), protected health information (PHI), personal information, and intellectual property data are all included. The absence of a cybersecurity program exposes a company to threats and makes it an easy target for hackers.
Apart from threats at a company level, there are thousands of personal threats as well. The increasing usage of cloud services to store information has also led to a lot of misuse of personal information. There are potential threats like identity theft, unconsented personal information storage, etc.
Career and Job Prospects in Cybersecurity
Professionals in cybersecurity are employed by a variety of sectors, including the government, banking, and healthcare. They work to find weaknesses, defend businesses from potential cyber dangers, and respond instantly to online threats to safeguard sensitive data and vital systems.
According to CyberSeek, which monitors data about the cybersecurity employment market, there were more than 1 million persons engaged in the cybersecurity profession between May 2021 and April 2022. Additionally, during that time, more than 700,000 cybersecurity-related job postings were published online.
The top-performing job titles in the Cybersecurity sector are:
- Cybersecurity analyst
- Software Developer
- Cybersecurity consultant
- Penetration and vulnerability tester
- Cybersecurity manager
- Network Engineer
- Systems Engineer
- Senior software developer
- Systems administrator
Top Universities for MS Cybersecurity in USA
A computer-based MS in Cyber Security degree program covers topics such as communication networks and technologies, as well as legal and ethical concerns related to computer security. You can apply for full-time, part-time, on-campus, online, and Master in Cyber Security programs in the USA.
You can learn about forensic issues that aid in tracing the origin of a data hack while studying in the USA. Most institutions require students to complete a research or thesis project as part of the curriculum, allowing them to concentrate on a particular area of interest.
Some of the best-known universities to pursue MS Cybersecurity in USA are listed below:
- Carnegie Mellon
- University of Maryland
- George Washington
- Georgia Tech
- Purdue
- George Mason
- MIT
- UC Berkeley
- Stanford
- UIUC
- Indiana – Bloomington
Other Top Universities for MS Cybersecurity in USA
- Northeastern University
- CSU Dominguez Hills
- Florida International University
- Mississippi State University
- DePaul University
- Marshall University
- Missouri State University
- University of Tampa
- SUNY Polytechnic Institute
- George Mason University
- University of Central Missouri
- New Jersey Institute of Technology
- New York Institute of Technology
- Wright State University
- National University
- Murray State University
Eligibility for Pursuing MS Cybersecurity in USA
Most colleges ask for a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, or any other related field. The usual lookout on a GPA is of 3 or more (4-grade scale) in the last two years of graduation.
Ideally, if you are applying from India and targeting the top 10-12 universities, you are expected to have a CGPA of 8.75 (10-point scale) or 83% in the final two years of undergraduate studies. For other universities, a CGPA of 7.2 or 68% should be fine.
Anyone planning to undertake MS in Cybersecurity must have knowledge of core subjects like:
- Calculus
- Mathematics (e.g. linear algebra, discrete mathematics, differential equations, etc.)
- Computer Science (e.g. programming, data structures, computer architecture, etc.)
The students also need to be proficient in English in order to qualify for these universities. So, IELTS or TOEFL is also required. Few universities would also ask for a valid GRE score.
Tuition and Other Expenses
- Tuition: USD $30,000 – $50,000
- Living Expenses: USD $8,000 – $14,000 per annum
Cybersecurity Salaries in USA
Because of the growing professional options, students who want to study abroad are increasingly interested in pursuing a master’s degree in cyber security from the USA. According to reports, by 2028, there will be a 32% increase in job opportunities for information security analysts, which is substantially faster than the 5% national average.
The average salary for all computer jobs is only 88,240 USD per year, whereas the pay grade for an information security analyst is 99,730 USD annually. Finance and insurance, earning up to 103,510 USD per year, are the top hiring sectors for cybersecurity graduates in the USA. With 5 to 9 years of experience, a cyber security analyst’s salary rises to 87,000 USD annually.
About Sampurna:
Sampurna is currently pursuing PG Diploma in Journalism from Xavier Institute of Communications, Mumbai. She did her graduation in Journalism and Mass Communication from Amity University, Kolkata. Sampurna has got a great knack for reading, writing, PR, and business development. You can connect with her on LinkedIn.
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