The rise in cybercrimes and security breaches around the world have increased the need for cybersecurity experts. As a result, cybersecurity careers have become one of the most lucrative professional paths in today’s marketplace.
In this guide, you will find a list of high-paying cybersecurity careers you could move into in 2020.
Lucrative Cybersecurity Careers
The following are some of the highest-paid cybersecurity jobs in 2020.
Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs)
As far as cybersecurity is concerned, chief information security officers have a lot of responsibilities on their shoulders. Most companies now store important records and valuable data online. Hence, the need to ensure there are no security loopholes.
Chief information security officers inspect and confirm that the security framework for the organization is up-to-date and reliable.
In 2020, many employers are ready to pay huge sums to persons who can effectively carry out these duties. Te pay usually depends on the specific job description stated by the employer. However, CISOs would usually receive between $185,000 – $500,000 per annum.
Cybersecurity Systems Engineer
Cybersecurity systems engineering is another well-paid cybersecurity career path. A cybersecurity systems engineer has the responsibility of designing, developing, and installing security features and networks that can block off cyber attacks and online security threats.
With enough experience as a systems engineer, you develop specific transferrable skills. These skills can help you begin a career in cybersecurity engineer, security architect, cybersecurity analyst, and related career paths. Once you’ve got what it takes to do the job well, you’re likely to have many clients coming to you.
Their salaries are between $115,000 and $200,000.
Ethical Hacking (also known as Penetration Testing)
Companies with valuable data would stop at nothing to ensure that their information is safe. One of the ways to test the susceptibility of an online network to cyber thieves is to carry out several vulnerability tests.
The penetration tester carries out a thorough test of the entire framework and sees whether there are any features or modules that can be breached.
After successfully going through the training and becoming an ethical hacker, you could be earning around $75,000 to $130,000.
Cybersecurity Consultants
Cybersecurity consultants have multifaceted job descriptions and are one of the most potentially lucrative cybersecurity careers. Essentially, they carry out assessments of individual cybersecurity structures and compare them to benchmarks. They also give recommendations on the best line of action to take, in cases of existing or possible cybersecurity threats.
This consultant should be able to communicate cybersecurity ideas in a way clients and other professionals can understand and execute. Asides from communicating ideas, a cybersecurity consultant should be able to produce useful cybersecurity modules like data encryption and firewalls.
Cybersecurity consultants get paid between $81,000 and $120,000.
Software Security Engineer
The services of a software application security engineer are critical to companies that are primarily technology-based. The software security engineer basically would ensure that the applications consistently follow the latest security and privacy protocols.
If companies continue to build internet-based applications (which would most likely be), then more professionals in this niche are a necessity. Currently, a software security engineer takes home between $119,000 and $180,000.
Today, there are several opportunities for qualified individuals who take up any of the above-listed cybersecurity careers.