17 Universities Producing the Most Cybersecurity Talent Since 2010

The number of unfilled cybersecurity jobs is expected to grow by 350 percent, from one million positions in 2013 to 3.5 million in 2021.

This prediction by Cybersecurity Ventures highlights the cyber-skills shortage and the need to invest in talent. Emsi's analysis on the gap suggests that collaboration is key. Companies should re-skill existing employees, universities should develop curriculum that meets demand, and workforce development organizations should bring these communities together at the city and regional level.

We ran an analysis on CrowdSegment with Steppingblocks data to find people who work in cybersecurity and have graduated in the last ten years with a cybersecurity degree or certificate. Out of this population, we analyzed their education and found 17 institutions who have filled the cybersecurity pipeline the most. Here's a snapshot of their alumni.

Top Undergrad Schools for Cybersecurity (Sorted by Average Salary)

1. University of Maryland

Average Salary: $112,825

64% of University of Maryland grads who work in cybersecurity live in D.C., Maryland, or Virginia. California, Texas, and New York attract the next largest segment of this population.

2. University of Phoenix

Average Salary: $104,465

Almost half of recent cybersecurity grads from the University of Phoenix are veterans. 15% live in California, followed by Colorado, Maryland, and Florida. This population is slightly older than grads from other leading cybersecurity schools with an average age of 40.

3. George Mason University

Average Salary: $101,116

Graduates from George Mason University who earned their degree in the last 10 years are working as Cybersecurity Engineers, Cybersecurity Analysts, and Cybersecurity Specialists. The top three employers hiring these grads include Booz Allen Hamilton, Capital One, and Raytheon. 

4. University of Maryland Global Campus

Average Salary: $99,941

Top industries for University of Maryland Global Campus recent grads include Information Technology and Services, Defense and Space, and Computer and Network Security. Almost half of these grads are veterans. 

University of Maryland Global Campus Cybersecurity Grads Map

5. Northern Virginia Community College

Average Salary: $96,111

Graduates from Northern Virginia Community College who earned their degree in the last 10 years are working at Capital One, Visa, and Deloitte. 88% of this population stayed local after graduation and live in Virginia, D.C., or Maryland. 26% obtained their master's, and an additional 1% earned a doctorate degree.

6. Western Governors University

Average Salary: $91,991

Graduates from Western Governors University who earned their degree in the last 10 years are working as Cybersecurity Analysts, Cybersecurity Engineers, and Cybersecurity Specialists. The top three employers hiring these grads are Booz Allen Hamilton, SAIC, and Lockheed Martin. 

7. Penn State University

Average Salary: $91,350

28% of Penn State grads who work in cybersecurity stayed in Pennsylvania, and 21% moved to D.C. or Virginia for jobs in their field. New York, Florida, and Maryland attract the next largest segment of this population.

8. Community College of the Air Force

Average Salary: $90,914

Graduates from the Community College of the Air Force who earned their degree in the last 10 years are working as Cybersecurity Analysts, Cybersecurity Engineers, and Cybersecurity Specialists. The top three employers hiring these grads include the U.S. Air Force, Booz Allen Hamilton, and SAIC. 59% obtained their master's, and an additional 2% earned a doctorate degree.

9. American Military University

Average Salary: $88,373

Top industries for American Military University recent grads include Defense and Space, Computer Software, and Military. 60% of this population has obtained a master's degree, and an additional 6% earned a doctorate.

10. University of Texas at San Antonio

Average Salary: $75,633

Top industries for University of Texas at San Antonio recent grads include Information Technology and Services, Aviation, and Oil and Energy. Delta Risk and Southwest Airlines are two top employers.

Top Grad Schools for Cybersecurity (Sorted by Volume)

Want to see how your school stacks up to these top producers of cybersecurity pros?

For universities, click here to get a free data snapshot of your university outcomes. Steppingblocks will analyze your institutional alumni from our database of over 100 million real people in the workforce. Understand your impact to prove (and improve) the value of a degree from your university.

For students, get data-powered career exploration with the Steppingblocks Digital Career Counselor. Compare cybersecurity outcomes from your university to national stats to make better decisions with big data.

Photo Credit: Cybersecurity Ventures