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Do you need a master’s degree in cybersecurity?

Introduction

One of the greatest challenges in landing a job in any field is demonstrating that you possess the knowledge and experience required for the role. This is especially true in cybersecurity, where 70% of organizations say half of applicants to their posted positions are unqualified for the role to which they are applying.

This is often pointed to as the explanation behind the paradox that the cybersecurity field supposedly has over 4 million unfilled positions but cybersecurity applicants cannot find jobs. If applicants are unrealistic about their skill sets and compensation requirements and cannot demonstrate that they have the skills for the job, hiring managers may be unwilling to take a chance on them.

One of the simplest ways of demonstrating proficiency and standing out from the competition is by pursuing higher education. Completing a master’s program in cybersecurity results in a diploma that verifies that you have achieved the associated level of knowledge and experience.

Why not get a degree?

The arguments in favor of pursuing a master’s degree in cybersecurity are fairly straightforward. But what are the arguments against pursuing one? Some of the major disadvantages of a master’s degree are the demand for master’s degree holders, the duration of the program and the cost.

Pro: Demand

The principle of supply and demand is a major driver that dictates pricing and competitiveness in the job market. If there are more positions than applicants, hiring packages get better and it’s easier to find a job. Conversely, a saturated job market means that hiring managers have a better range of applicants to choose from.

Pro: Job requirements

CyberSeek is intended to provide hard data on the current cybersecurity job market in order to help close the skills gap in the United States. This data includes information on the desired (Read more...)