Information Security Jobs: Potential Salary
Research gathered from national payroll data and job postings reveals strong pay potential for IS jobs. National data from December, 2010 on Salary.com shows the median total pay (including salary and bonus) for systems and application security analysts at $92,714, while those in the 75th percentile brought in total income around $115,442. The top 10% of these IS professionals earned around $134,150 in total cash compensation per year.
Data from Salary.com for December 2010 reveals that IS security managers earned a median total pay of $108,493. The middle 50% earned between $91,680 and $125,306 in total cash income, while the top 10% brought in total cash compensation of approximately $140,310 per year.
IS experts like systems and application security analysts and IS security manager also typically receive benefits beyond salary and bonus. The median benefits package for systems application security analysts reported by Salary.com in December, 2010 was $34,341, while the median benefits figure for IS security managers was $38,359.
Gaining additional experience, pursuing further educational opportunities and earning supplemental industry certification can take your career even higher – with the potential for further increases in earnings. An IS career could take you to high-level positions like officer, director or executive, where the highest salaries in IT jobs are generally found.
For example, according to data compiled by Salary.com in December 2010, chief IT officers earned a median base salary of $227,837, while the top 10% enjoyed a base income in excess of $330,577 per year!
Education and Training Required for Information Security
Landing an information systems security job usually requires a bachelor’s degree at minimum. While requirements vary depending on industry, role and employer, most employers show preference to candidates with a degree and additional information security training and certification.
Many individuals competing for IS jobs hold a degree in computer science, engineering, information systems or other area of study. Those pursuing executive-level IT positions often hold a master’s degree in computer science or a related discipline.
No matter what area of study your bachelor’s degree represents, when considering an IS career, there are a number of industry certifications that can put you head and shoulders above the competition and help you land an IS job.
Many top employers prefer candidates with CompTIA Security+™ or CISSP® or SSCP® certification through ISC2®. To develop the critical skills required in an IS career and prepare for these exams, many professionals enroll in continuing professional education – such as the IS security master certificate programs offered 100% online by Villanova University.
Professionals who complete Villanova’s Master Certificate in IS Security, Information Security Management or Information Security Management – Government have the knowledge and skills to:
- Protect an organization’s information systems against the latest threats and complex cryptographic attacks.
- Create and implement disaster recovery plans for critical business continuity.
- Master sophisticated security concepts impacting today’s global businesses.
- Test to earn Security+™, CISSP® or SSCP® certification.
- Successfully compete for a high-demand, well-paid IS job.
Villanova’s master certificate program consists of three online courses. Students receive a handsomely framed certificate of achievement fromVillanovaUniversityupon completion of each course, and another at the end of the master certificate program.
Position Yourself to Land a High-Demand Information Security Job
The responsibilities of information systems security specialists have increased in recent years – and the demand for their skills continues to increase, as well. Employers in nearly every industry need skilled IS professionals to fight cyber attacks and security breaches.
If you are a manager, finance professional or IT professional with strong problem-solving and analytical skills, enhance your IS employment opportunities through Villanova’s Master Certificate program in IS Security, Information Security Management or Information Security Management – Government.
Acquiring the knowledge and certification employers want not only gives you a competitive edge, it can give you the level of confidence you need to take your IS career to new heights!
