In today's digital world, cybersecurity has become essential to every company's sustainability, security, and growth strategy. As businesses grow, the demand for cybersecurity talent will only continue to grow in 2023 and beyond.
Cybersecurity is a growing industry that still needs skilled professionals. The global cyber security market is expected to grow from $170 billion in 2017 to $202 billion in 2023.
The demand for cyber security jobs has risen significantly over the past few years. More than 1 million cybersecurity jobs will be available by 2023, but less than 400,000 cybersecurity professionals will be trained by then. Cybersecurity is an ever-growing industry. It is projected to grow by 11% in 2023 and 20% in 2025. This is a fast-paced career with a median salary of $81,000.
Many companies prefer candidates with certification to validate knowledge of best practices. Hundreds of certifications are available, from general to vendor-specific, entry-level to advanced.
In this blog, we will be discussing the top cybersecurity jobs of 2023. We will also discuss the career and salary prospects for each position and what certification requirements are needed to become qualified in these fields.
Table of Contents
Before you spend your money and time on a certification, finding one that will give you a competitive advantage in your career is essential. Here are the number of US job listings across three job sites that require these cybersecurity certifications.
Certifications | Indeed | Simply Hired | Total | |
159,122 | 14,8780 | 8780 | 183,093 | |
37,606 | 7,688 | 4,019 | 49,313 | |
7,366 | 10,161 | 3,235 | 20,762 | |
16,402 | 2,425 | 1,468 | 20,295 | |
8,436 | 4,145 | 2,573 | 15,154 | |
4,335 | 3,062 | 2,308 | 9,705 | |
4,046 | 3,013 | 2,160 | 11,865 | |
3,783 | 1,125 | 868 | 5,778 | |
3,166 | 2,010 | 1,403 | 6,569 | |
2,095 | 1,850 | 946 | 4,91 |
Number of US job search results for each certification as of December 2022
The CISSP certification from the cybersecurity professional organization ISC2 ranks among the most sought-after credentials in the industry. Earning your CISSP demonstrates that you’re experienced in IT security and capable of designing, implementing, and monitoring a cybersecurity program.
This advanced certification is for experienced security professionals looking to advance their careers in roles like:
Chief information security officer - $181,529
Security administrator - $61,655
IT security engineer - $99,946
Senior security consultant - $108,379
Information assurance analyst - $85,083
Requirements: To qualify to take the CISSP exam, you’ll need five or more years of cumulative work experience in at least two of eight cybersecurity domains. These include Security and Risk Management, Asset Security, Security Architecture and Engineering, Communication and Network Security, Identity and Access Management, Security Assessment and Testing, Security Operations, and Software Development Security.
This credential from the IT professional association ISACA helps demonstrate your expertise in assessing security vulnerabilities, designing and implementing controls, and reporting on compliance. It’s among the most recognized certifications for careers in cybersecurity auditing.
The CISA is designed for mid-level IT professionals looking to advance into jobs like:
IT audit manager - $109,050
Cybersecurity auditor - $77,583
Information security analyst - $83,109
IT security engineer - $99,946
IT project manager - $94,137
Compliance program manager - $91,915
Requirements: You need at least five years of experience in IT or IS audit, control, security, or assurance. A two- or four-year degree can be substituted for one or two years of experience.
CompTIA Security+ is an entry-level security certification that validates the core skills needed in any cybersecurity role. With this certification, demonstrate your ability to assess an organization's security, monitor and secure cloud, mobile, and Internet of Things (IoT) environments, understand laws and regulations related to risk and compliance, and identify and respond to security incidents.
Earning your Security+ certification can help you in roles such as:
Systems Administrator - $75,676
Help desk manager - $80,298
Security engineer - $92,117
Cloud engineer - $102,622
Security administrator - $61,655
IT auditor - $74,108
Software developer - $88,568
Requirements: While there are no strict requirements for taking the Security+ exam, you’re encouraged to earn your Network+ certification first and gain at least two years of IT experience with a security focus.
Ethical hacking, also known as white hat hacking, penetration testing, or red team, involves lawfully hacking organizations to try and uncover vulnerabilities before malicious players do. The EC-Council offers the CEH Certified Ethical Hacker certification. Earn it to demonstrate your skills in penetration testing, attack detection, vectors, and prevention.
The CEH certification helps you to think like a hacker and take a more proactive approach to cybersecurity. Consider this certification for jobs like:
Penetration tester - $90,673
Cyber incident analyst - $62,445
Threat intelligence analyst - $101,393
Cloud security architect - $125,252
Cybersecurity engineer - $91,933
Requirements: You can take the CEH exam if you have two years of work experience in information security or complete an official EC-Council training.
With the CISM certification, also from ISACA, you can validate your expertise in the management side of information security, including topics like governance, program development, and program, incident, and risk management.
Earning your CISM could be a good choice if you want to pivot from the technical to the managerial side of cybersecurity. Jobs that use the CISM include:
IT manager - $105,134
Information systems security officer - $80,751
Information risk consultant - $79,429
Director of Information Security - $153,898
Data governance manager - $107,126
Requirements: To take the CISM exam, you need at least five years of experience in information security management. Satisfy up to two years of this requirement with general information security experience. You can also waive one or two years with another certification in good standing or a graduate degree in an information security-related field.
This certification from the Global Information Assurance Certification (GIAC) is an entry-level security credential for those with some information systems and networking background. Earning this credential validates your skills in active defense, network security, cryptography, incident response, and cloud security.
Consider taking the GSEC exam if you have some background in IT and wish to move into cybersecurity. Job roles that use the skills demonstrated by the GSEC include:
IT security manager - $119,246
Computer forensic analyst - $76,419
Penetration tester - $90,673
Security administrator - $61,655
IT auditor - $74,108
Software development engineer - $128,410
Requirements: There are no specific requirements to take the GSEC exam. First, set yourself up for success by gaining some information systems or computer networking experience.
With this intermediate security credential from ISC2, you can show employers you have the skills to design, implement, and monitor a secure IT infrastructure. The exam tests expertise in access controls, risk identification and analysis, security administration, incident response, cryptography, and network, communications, systems, and application security.
The SSCP is designed for IT professionals working hands-on with an organization’s security systems or assets. This credential is appropriate for positions like:
Network security engineer - $107,889
System administrator -$78,885
Systems engineer - $111,721
Security analyst - $83,167
Database administrator - $84,034
Security consultant - $106,486
Requirements: Candidates for the SSCP need at least one year of paid work experience in one or more of the testing areas. This can also be satisfied with a bachelor’s or master’s degree in a cybersecurity-related program.
The CASP+ is designed for cybersecurity professionals who demonstrate advanced skills but want to continue working in technology (as opposed to management). The exam covers advanced topics like enterprise security domain, risk analysis, software vulnerability, securing cloud and virtualization technologies, and cryptographic techniques.
The CASP+ can open up opportunities for advanced architecture, risk management, and enterprise security integration roles. Possible job titles include:
Security architect - $126,281
Security engineer - $92,117
Application security engineer - $119,261
Technical lead analyst - $101,493
Vulnerability analyst - $94,391
Requirements: There’s no formal prerequisite for taking the CASP+ exam. CompTIA recommends it only for experienced cybersecurity professionals with at least ten years of IT administration experience (including five years of broad hands-on experience with security).
Earning the GCIH validates your understanding of offensive operations, including rd attack techniques and vectors, and your ability to detect, respond, and defend against attacks. The certification exam covers incident handling, computer crime investigation, hacker exploits, and hacker tools.
This certification is meant for anyone working in incident response. Job titles might include:
Security incident handler - $48,757
Security architect - $126,281
System administrator - $78,885
Requirements: There are no formal prerequisites for taking the GCIH exam, though it’s an excellent idea to understand the Penetration Testing with Kali course completion security principles, networking protocols, and the Windows Command Line.
The OSCP from Offensive Security has become one of the most sought-after certifications for penetration testers. The exam tests your ability to compromise a series of target machines using multiple exploitation steps and produce detailed penetration test reports for each attack.
The OSCP is a good option for jobs like:
Penetration tester - $97,465
Ethical hacker -$105,548
Threat researcher - $57,612
Application security analyst - $96,140
Requirements: There are no formal requirements to take the exam. Offensive Security recommends familiarity with networking, Linux, Bash scripting, Perl, or Python.
Career in Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity is a growing industry with many opportunities for growth and development. It is an industry that has the potential to be lucrative, but it also comes with a lot of responsibility.
Cybersecurity professionals protect their company's information and data from attacks by hackers, viruses, or other cyber threats. These professionals work in teams with other IT specialists, such as software developers or programmers.
Here are some of the many benefits of this career path:
The ability to make a difference in the world by protecting people and businesses from cyber threats.
The opportunity to develop new skills and knowledge related to the field.
A chance to work remotely or on location.
Now, let’s understand how one can land one of these jobs. It is important to remember that cyber security certifications are rampant if you want to become a cyber security professional. If you hold a cyber security certification, your opportunities and visibility increase dramatically.
Chauster offers a Post Graduate Program in Cyber Security, which will equip you with the skills you need to become an expert in the cybersecurity domain. This course provides foundational, intermediate, and advanced security skills through industry-leading certification courses, including all Top 10 certifications.
Are you ready to get certified and advance your career as a cybersecurity professional? Do you have any questions for us concerning cybersecurity jobs? Contact us, and we'll set you on the best path. Get in touch, and our qualified experts will get back to you.
Comments