Careers in information security

- Every year, "U.S. News & World Report" does a study of the 100 best jobs in America, and information security consistently lands on that list. In fact, information security analyst made it all the way up into the top 10 in 2017, ranking as the seventh best career in America. Why is information security such a fantastic career choice? There are many different reasons. First, there are plenty of jobs available. In fact, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics projects incredible job growth of 32% through 2028 for the information security field. That's more than 2 1/2 times the job growth rate for other information technology jobs and six times the growth rate across all career fields. Those are very optimistic projections if you're looking to break into a new career field. Second, the jobs that are available pay very well. The median salary for an information security analyst in 2018 was more than $98,000. Just look at how that compares to other IT jobs and to all jobs in America. And remember, the median is only the middle salary in the range. 1/2 of all security professionals earn more than that, with the top 10% earning more than $156,000 a year. Information security is certainly a lucrative field. Finally, information security is a professionally rewarding career. The nature of our field is that you get exposure to almost every area of information technology. Information security professionals work with network engineers, database specialists, server administrators, application developers, attorneys, and almost everyone else in the IT organization. They often find themselves in conversations with CIOs and CTOs, as well as top business leaders. Perhaps it's not surprising that some security professionals go on to become chief information officers. Most people begin their careers in information security as generalists in the field, typically in a role called information security analyst or something similar. These entry-level positions provide exposure to many different areas of information security and give the hands-on experience that's necessary to move up in the ranks of both information security and the IT organization. As security professionals develop along their career path, they typically specialize in one or more sub-disciplines of information security. Some security professionals specialize in network security, working with network engineers to ensure that the organization's communication links are secure. Network security professionals work with firewalls, virtual private networks, intrusion detection and prevention systems, and other network security technologies. Others go on to specialize in computer forensics and assist with both internal and external investigations. Forensics experts might work on behalf of private organizations or law enforcement agencies, helping to identify and retrieve critical evidence from information systems. One of the most lucrative career options for a security professional is in the world of security consulting. Consultants work with many different clients, helping them design security strategies and implement highly specialized solutions. This career path often involves a lot of travel, but it's very financially rewarding. No matter which direction your career goes in, you'll find that information security offers many different job options that align with your interests.