College Degrees

College degrees are still worth it. Some employers do not care if you have a degree, but many do. Roughly, you will not qualify for 50% of jobs without a college degree.

Associate's Degrees

Associate's degree programs tend to be more hands-on and technical. These two-year programs are more focused on building employable skills. If you have an associate's degree, you should have a bachelor's degree on your roadmap. Associate's degrees may open early career opportunities, but bachelor's degrees will enable long-term career progression.

Bachelor's Degrees

A bachelor's degree helps with gaining entry-level work and enabling long-term career progression. The time you spend in a bachelor's degree is typically:

• 30% general education (English, science, math, sociology, etc.)
• 50% cybersecurity
• 20% minor (business, computer science, etc.)

Universities house programs in different schools.

• Business: Business schools typically focus on the application of existing tools in a secure manner. For example, Northern Michigan University's cybersecurity program.
• Computer Science: Computer scientists write code and build tools that the implementers use.
• Computer Engineering: Engineers understand the technical stack of hardware, operating systems, and software.
• Criminal Justice: Technology is an integral part of criminal investigations. These programs focus on the legal and policy aspects of cybersecurity.

Master's Degrees

Some job postings will prefer candidates with a master's degree. If possible, get an employer to pay for it. In the upcoming years, more cybersecurity managers and executives will likely have master's degrees.