Best Entry-Level Careers for Women in Cybersecurity

Skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics — or STEM — are the building blocks of today’s top emerging industries.

From computer and architecture roles, to life and physical science professions, STEM encompasses a variety of in-demand career fields. Right now, this area is growing faster than most with a 10% expected increase of available careers by 2032.^1,2

STEM spans so many occupations that in 2021, there were nearly 35 million adults between ages 18-74 working in STEM careers, with cybersecurity being one of the fastest-growing areas of the workforce.³ In fact, the number of positions for information security analysts alone is expected to increase by a whopping 32% by 2032.⁴

Of the millions of STEM professionals, however, only about 35% of them are women, and only 24% of cybersecurity professionals are women.^3,4

Research shows that companies with diverse gender representation reap better financial rewards. In fact, companies that employ men and women in top-level leadership roles are shown to be 21% more likely to meet or even surpass financial goals.⁵

Why Enter Cybersecurity?

Cybersecurity is essential for every business, regardless of size or industry. A cyber attack could damage a company’s customer base, profits, and reputation.

An estimated 480,000 cyber attacks were reported by businesses in 2022.⁷ About 22% of attacked businesses showed losses of more than $100,000 in damages.⁸ For some companies, the devastation from cybersecurity attacks prompts them to close their doors for good.

Cybersecurity professionals work to ensure cyber attacks don’t happen, which is why many businesses choose to invest in cybersecurity defenses to prevent the consequences of a data breach. As a result, cybersecurity professionals experience strong job security and earn some of the most competitive and rewarding salaries available.

In-Demand Careers in Cybersecurity

Pursuing cybersecurity requires having the right education and an understanding of which cyber career path suits you best.

The American Women’s College of Bay Path University (TAWC) offers an online Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity degree with three career-focused major options, all designed to fit the full-time schedules of working women.

In many cases, a bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity provides the foundation you need for competitive entry-level jobs, many of which offer six-figure salaries. Other cybersecurity positions may require work experience, an internship, or a master’s degree in the field to be considered for advanced career opportunities.

Let’s explore some of today’s most in-demand cybersecurity careers and the ways that TAWC’s bachelor’s degree can prepare you for the professional role you want.

Information Security Analyst⁴

Ideal For: Goal-oriented women who thrive in collaborative settings and want to contribute to solving big picture problems

Education Requirements: Bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity

Median Annual Salary: $112,000

Job Description: Information security analysts identify the cyber risks of a business and design security measures to defend against potential data breaches. Their responsibilities may include compiling and presenting risk information to an information technology (IT) department and designing company-wide best practices for protecting data. Additionally, professionals in this role may collaborate with security engineers and database administrators to ensure all IT systems and programs of a business are following cybersecurity protocol.

Security Engineer⁹

Ideal For: Women who think technically and thrive in solo work environments that also provide some opportunities for collaboration

Education Requirements: Bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity

Median Annual Salary: $94,999

Job Description: Security engineers play a major role in building IT networks and cybersecurity programs for a business. Similar to mechanical engineers who build components of machinery, security engineers build components of cyber defenses. The main goal of these professionals is to create solutions for protecting data, so their role may require them to collaborate with other members of an IT department to identify the security needs of a business and plan for future data breaches.

Cybersecurity Consultant¹⁰

Ideal For: Solution-driven women who thrive in leadership positions and want a career that will allow them to travel and work with diverse businesses

Education Requirements: Bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity

Median Annual Salary: $125,133

Job Description: Cybersecurity consultants work with businesses that already have cybersecurity measures in place to identify potential areas for improvement. Their responsibilities may include observing and testing current cybersecurity systems to determine potential weaknesses. They then follow this by designing solutions to improve the functionality of these programs.

Incident Responder¹¹

Ideal For: Women who are confident in taking control in dire situations and making fast decisions that impact an entire organization

Education Requirements: Bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity

Median Annual Salary: $76,400

Job Description: Incident responders, or cyber incident response analysts, monitor cybersecurity measures for a business, respond to unusual activity that may indicate a data breach, and react quickly after a cyber attack occurs. Their responsibilities may include detecting potential hackers and identifying areas for improvement within a security program. They may work closely with other members of an IT department after a data breach to determine how hackers were able to access information and what measures need to be taken to prevent similar attacks in the future.

Database Administrator¹²

Ideal For: Women who thrive in leadership positions who are dedicated to meeting deadlines and determined to solve diverse problems

Education Requirements: Bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity

Median Annual Salary: $112,120

Job Description: Database administrators design and maintain data storage networks for a business. The main goal of these professionals is to protect employee and customer data, including payment and bank information, personal addresses, and more. They must identify the information that needs to be protected and create digital storage units from the ground up to keep this sensitive data secured.

Your Cybersecurity Career is Within Reach

Whether you’re entering the workforce for the first time or are interested in branching out on a new career path, the online Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity degree from TAWC will open the door to opportunities that can help you create a better future for yourself and your family.

With TAWC, you can take advantage of these opportunities and develop cutting-edge skills to fight cyber crime in less than four years.

This online program is taught by industry experts who understand the field and are committed to helping you thrive as a cybersecurity professional. All courses are delivered entirely online through an interactive classroom, allowing you to study on your schedule from the location of your choice as you balance your family commitments with your education.

Choose from three career-focused cybersecurity majors:

• Digital Forensics and Incident Response
• Information Assurance
• Risk Management

You don’t need professional technology experience to apply for TAWC’s online BS in Cybersecurity program. All you need is determination and the confidence to take the lead in a male-dominated field.

Sources

1. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employment Projections. “Employment in STEM occupations.” (September 6, 2023). Retrieved February 23, 2024, from https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/stem-employment.htm#2
2. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. “OEWS Topics.” (November 15, 2023). Retrieved February 23, 2024, from https://www.bls.gov/oes/topics.htm#stem
3. National Science Foundation. “Diversity and STEM: Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities.” (N.D.) Retrieved February 23, 2024, from https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf23315/report/the-stem-workforce.
4. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook. “Information Security Analysts.” (September 6, 2023). Retrieved February 23, 2024, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/information-security-analysts.htm.
5. LinkedIn. Vargo Group. “Gender-diverse businesses do better.” (March 8, 2023). Retrieved February 23, 2024, from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/gender-diverse-businesses-do-better-vargogroup/.
6. ISC2. An (ISC)² Cybersecurity Workforce Report. “Women in Cybersecurity.” (N.D.) Retrieved February 23, 2024, from https://www.isc2.org/-/media/Project/ISC2/Main/Media/documents/research/ISC2-Women-in-Cybersecurity-Report.pdf.
7. Statista. “The impact of cybercrime on companies in the U.S. – Statistics & Facts.” (February 5, 2024). Retrieved February 23, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/topics/1731/smb-and-cyber-crime/#topicOverview.
8. Statista. “Monetary loss of companies in the United States as a result of cyber attacks as of 2022.” (February 1, 2024). Retrieved February 23, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1334399/us-common-results-of-cyber-attacks/.
9. Salary.com. “Entry Level Security Engineer Salary in the United States.” (N.D.) Retrieved February 23, 2024, from https://www.salary.com/research/salary/posting/entry-level-security-engineer-salary.
10. Salary.com. “Security Consultant Salary in the United States.” (N.D.) Retrieved February 23, 2024, from https://www.salary.com/research/salary/posting/security-consultant-salary.
11. Salary.com. “Cyber Incident Response Analyst I Salary in the United States.” (N.D.) Retrieved February 23, 2024, from https://www.salary.com/research/salary/alternate/cyber-incident-response-analyst-i-salary.
12. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook. “Database Administrators and Architects.” (September 6, 2023). Retrieved February 23, 2024, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/database-administrators.htm.

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