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Information Security Analyst

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AVG. SALARY

$92,350

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EDUCATION

Bachelor's degree

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JOB OUTLOOK

Increasing

What To Learn

High School

What high school courses should you take if you're interested in this career? Get your answers from the Information Technology cluster Information Support and Services pathway, Network Systems pathway.

Education Level

Education training and experience are required at different levels for success in different occupations.

Bachelor's degree

Information security analysts typically need a bachelor's degree in computer and information technology or a related field, such as engineering or math. However, some workers enter the occupation with a high school diploma and relevant industry training and certifications.

Insider Info

Additional Information

So how do you become a computer systems security analyst? Justin Funke is the head and owner of a computer security firm. He recommends you train as a computer programmer.

He also recommends you take courses in the operating system you want to protect. "I recommend picking only one and becoming an expert at it," he says. Once you have mastered one, the others will be much easier to learn, he says.

Generally, this means you should get a degree in computer science.

But there are some in this field who do not have a computer science degree. Instead, they have gained enough experience by working and teaching themselves.

And experience is the most important thing Dave Kennedy looks for when he hires new personnel. Kennedy is the director of research services for an Internet security company.

"It's more important than certification [and] it's more important than education," he says.

Dean Pothorin heads and owns an Internet security company. He agrees. "Generally, we are looking for individuals who have a grasp of the Internet and networks," he says. "We are also looking for people who can communicate fairly well, whether verbally or written."

Enthusiasm is also a good attribute to have, he says. "I like to hire kids who work all day on the computer, then go home and figure something out on their own time," he says.

Extra Requirements

Many employers prefer to hire candidates who have information security certification. Some of these certifications, such as Security+, are for workers at the entry level; others, such as the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), are designed for experienced information security workers. Certification in specialized areas, such as systems auditing, also is available.

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