What is Cyber Security?
Every business wants to keep their data safe. If a business stores important customer info such as location, credit card numbers, or even their birthday or social security number, all risks must be minimized. A cyber breach, either due to accident or a cyber-attack could be a death knell to a business. Therefore, many businesses have a cyber security division as part of their information technology department. Cyber security is a growing field that’s only going to increase in both importance and demand as the world increasingly embraces technology. When everyone is walking around with a computer system in the palm of their hand, the programs and applications that run it must be protected from attack.
After all, not only are there more and more issues with cyber security, but the country, and indeed the world, is currently facing a shortage of well-trained experts in cyber security. If you choose to get into the field now, you will have your choice of nearly any industry and any position in the field you want as the shortage of workers in cyber security is in the millions. Even if you choose to move out of the state or country, there will still be plenty of positions available to you. This will last until someone solves all the holes in our cyber security systems or all of the open positions are filled.
A cyber security specialist is part of an organization’s information technology department. The position usually reports directly to either the security director, chief information security officer (CISO), or the chief operating officer (COO). A cyber security specialist may be tasked with implementing and running the security framework that keeps an organization’s network and electronic data safe from cyber-invasion. This most often means working as part of a team of IT techs, making sure the network they created is as secure as possible and used the correct technology to protect it and ensuring company employees know how to recognize a possible threat. Specialists are well educated, often hold several IT certifications, and have been working in the IT and cyber security fields for at least five to 10 years. Although they are referred to as cyber security specialists throughout in this brief, those in this position could also hold a variety of titles within the cyber security field, including the title deputy information security director, information assurance officer, or senior IT manager, depending on their experience and certifications.
Featured Online Programs
Top Ranked Campus & Online Cybersecurity Programs in Colorado
Colorado School of Mines
Score: 82.24
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $21,186
- Out-of-State:$44,376
- Net Price: $29,425
- Acceptance Rate: 58%
- Retention Rate: 94%
- Graduation Rate: 82%
- Total Enrollment: 7,403
- Undergrad Students: 5,714
- Graduate Students: 1,689
- Grads Salary: $83,000
- Student-to-faculty: 17:1
Colorado College
Score: 81.01
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $67,932
- Out-of-State:$67,932
- Net Price: $33,178
- Acceptance Rate: 16%
- Retention Rate: 91%
- Graduation Rate: 86%
- Total Enrollment: 2,203
- Undergrad Students: 2,180
- Graduate Students: 23
- Grads Salary: $73,000
- Student-to-faculty: 10:1
Regis University
Score: 80.21
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $43,980
- Out-of-State:$43,980
- Net Price: $26,377
- Acceptance Rate: 76%
- Retention Rate: 72%
- Graduation Rate: 67%
- Total Enrollment: 4,668
- Undergrad Students: 2,398
- Graduate Students: 2,270
- Grads Salary: $89,000
- Student-to-faculty: 9:1
University of Colorado Boulder
Score: 78.08
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $16,430
- Out-of-State:$41,943
- Net Price: $21,836
- Acceptance Rate: 81%
- Retention Rate: 88%
- Graduation Rate: 75%
- Total Enrollment: 39,585
- Undergrad Students: 31,034
- Graduate Students: 8,551
- Grads Salary: $76,000
- Student-to-faculty: 18:1
Colorado State University-Fort Collins
Score: 77.71
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $12,896
- Out-of-State:$33,751
- Net Price: $16,926
- Acceptance Rate: 91%
- Retention Rate: 86%
- Graduation Rate: 67%
- Total Enrollment: 33,403
- Undergrad Students: 25,777
- Graduate Students: 7,626
- Grads Salary: $77,000
- Student-to-faculty: 17:1
University of Denver
Score: 72.66
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $59,340
- Out-of-State:$59,340
- Net Price: $42,423
- Acceptance Rate: 78%
- Retention Rate: 88%
- Graduation Rate: 77%
- Total Enrollment: 13,734
- Undergrad Students: 6,151
- Graduate Students: 7,583
- Grads Salary: $77,000
- Student-to-faculty: 8:1
University of Colorado Denver
Score: 71.09
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $10,017
- Out-of-State:$28,209
- Net Price: $16,079
- Acceptance Rate: 75%
- Retention Rate: 70%
- Graduation Rate: 44%
- Total Enrollment: 23,744
- Undergrad Students: 14,055
- Graduate Students: 9,689
- Grads Salary: $78,000
- Student-to-faculty: 17:1
University of Northern Colorado
Score: 69.36
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $12,010
- Out-of-State:$26,204
- Net Price: $18,310
- Acceptance Rate: 79%
- Retention Rate: 75%
- Graduation Rate: 52%
- Total Enrollment: 9,380
- Undergrad Students: 6,728
- Graduate Students: 2,652
- Grads Salary: $69,000
- Student-to-faculty: 14:1
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Score: 68.13
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $9,712
- Out-of-State:$20,492
- Net Price: $16,990
- Acceptance Rate: 85%
- Retention Rate: 67%
- Graduation Rate: 43%
- Total Enrollment: 11,431
- Undergrad Students: 9,540
- Graduate Students: 1,891
- Grads Salary: $74,000
- Student-to-faculty: 15:1
Colorado Christian University
Score: 68.11
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $39,266
- Out-of-State:$39,266
- Net Price: $23,313
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 83%
- Graduation Rate: 61%
- Total Enrollment: 8,964
- Undergrad Students: 7,602
- Graduate Students: 1,362
- Grads Salary: $67,000
- Student-to-faculty: 16:1
Colorado Mesa University
Score: 66.02
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $9,712
- Out-of-State:$24,312
- Net Price: $15,085
- Acceptance Rate: 82%
- Retention Rate: 76%
- Graduation Rate: 39%
- Total Enrollment: 8,905
- Undergrad Students: 8,681
- Graduate Students: 224
- Grads Salary: $69,000
- Student-to-faculty: 18:1
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Score: 64.48
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $10,780
- Out-of-State:$29,503
- Net Price: $14,805
- Acceptance Rate: 98%
- Retention Rate: 63%
- Graduation Rate: 29%
- Total Enrollment: 16,995
- Undergrad Students: 15,848
- Graduate Students: 1,147
- Grads Salary: $76,000
- Student-to-faculty: 16:1
Western Colorado University
Score: 63.57
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $11,083
- Out-of-State:$23,683
- Net Price: $16,672
- Acceptance Rate: 92%
- Retention Rate: 77%
- Graduation Rate: 47%
- Total Enrollment: 3,548
- Undergrad Students: 3,095
- Graduate Students: 453
- Grads Salary: $60,000
- Student-to-faculty: 16:1
Colorado State University-Global
Score: 59.99
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $8,400
- Out-of-State:$8,400
- Net Price: $14,826
- Acceptance Rate: 97%
- Retention Rate: 33%
- Graduation Rate: 36%
- Total Enrollment: 9,565
- Undergrad Students: 6,433
- Graduate Students: 3,132
- Grads Salary: $68,000
- Student-to-faculty: 15:1
Colorado Technical University
Score: 54.77
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $12,760
- Out-of-State:$12,760
- Net Price: $16,106
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 46%
- Graduation Rate: 20%
- Total Enrollment: 24,808
- Undergrad Students: 22,393
- Graduate Students: 2,415
- Grads Salary: $73,000
- Student-to-faculty: 31:1
Red Rocks Community College
Score: 53.47
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $4,707
- Out-of-State:$16,947
- Net Price: $9,807
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 86%
- Graduation Rate: 39%
- Total Enrollment: 6,470
- Undergrad Students: 6,375
- Graduate Students: 95
- Grads Salary: $38,000
- Student-to-faculty: 22:1
Community College of Aurora
Score: 51.86
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $4,030
- Out-of-State:$15,680
- Net Price: $7,340
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 61%
- Graduation Rate: 25%
- Total Enrollment: 8,343
- Undergrad Students: 8,343
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $42,700
- Student-to-faculty: 13:1
Front Range Community College
Score: 50.51
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $4,740
- Out-of-State:$16,974
- Net Price: $9,186
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 59%
- Graduation Rate: 27%
- Total Enrollment: 19,449
- Undergrad Students: 19,449
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $44,500
- Student-to-faculty: 21:1
Arapahoe Community College
Score: 49.97
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $4,308
- Out-of-State:$16,542
- Net Price: $9,691
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 52%
- Graduation Rate: 27%
- Total Enrollment: 12,636
- Undergrad Students: 12,636
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $46,400
- Student-to-faculty: 23:1
Community College of Denver
Score: 45.02
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $4,902
- Out-of-State:$17,136
- Net Price: $9,633
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 55%
- Graduation Rate: 18%
- Total Enrollment: 7,292
- Undergrad Students: 7,292
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $39,000
- Student-to-faculty: 20:1
