Colorado is well-known for its breathtaking beauty, ski resorts, tourism economy, and reputation as an adventure playground. Colorado has been diversifying its economy for decades, which is a little-known fact. For a long time, it was also one of the fastest-growing state economies in the United States, though growth has slowed in 2019. On the other hand, the labour market in Colorado is exceptionally tight, which has curbed the state’s growth rate. The unemployment rate in the state is significantly lower than the national average. Government, professional business services, education and health services, manufacturing, and leisure and hospitality were the major employers in Colorado’s economy in 2019, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Financial services is the state’s sixth largest employer. Technology-related occupations are predicted to be among Colorado’s fastest-growing. This is due in part to the reliance on technology that these leading businesses have. What does this signify for those working in the field of cybersecurity? Financial services, government, professional business services, and health services are some of the industries that use cybersecurity services the most. In addition, a tight labour market means that there are few applicants for any given job positions.
Growing Importance of Cybersecurity in Colorado
As Colorado’s economy grows and diversifies, the companies that are emerging as leaders are some of the most significant employers of cybersecurity employees and services. Because information security is so important in government, financial services, healthcare, and professional business services, there will undoubtedly be a surge in demand for cybersecurity professionals in Colorado. When you combine it with the state’s already limited labour pool, the Rocky Mountain state should be a fertile field for cybersecurity for many years to come. Colorado’s state government has been one of the most forward-thinking in the country since 2016. The state legislature has enacted legislation to ensure that governmental resources are used effectively to tackle the growing threat of cyber-attacks. This awareness sparked a slew of new efforts. In Colorado Springs, the National Cybersecurity Center, an infosec think tank, was created in 2016. Colorado Springs, which is located near Pikes Peak, is swiftly establishing itself as one of the nation’s leading cybersecurity centres, and not just because of the National Cybersecurity Center. According to the Colorado Springs Cybersecurity Project, approximately 3,000 cybersecurity specialists are employed by over 125 cybersecurity firms in the Pikes Peak region. More than 80 of these businesses are focused on cybersecurity. There are also five military installations looking for cybersecurity workers, as well as five institutions with cybersecurity programmes that have been designated as Centers for Academic Excellence by the National Security Administration (CAE). A number of prominent enterprises with significant cybersecurity demands have operations in the Pikes Peak area. Boeing, Apogee Enterprises, Booz Allen Hamilton, Cisco, General Dynamics, Hewlett Packard Enterprises, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft, Northrop Grumman, Oracle, Raytheon, Verizon, and VMWare are just a few of the companies involved. Furthermore, Colorado Springs is home to two cybersecurity groups, both of which have regional chapters. The Information Systems Security Association (ISSA) has a wealth of resources for information security professionals and those considering a career in the field. ISSA holds yearly conventions and offers several networking and knowledge-sharing opportunities in addition to educational options. The Pikes Peak Region has a chapter of (ISC)2, one of the most well-known cybersecurity certification organisations.
Cybersecurity Education in Colorado
The list of higher education programmes offered by Colorado educational institutions demonstrates the state’s emphasis on cybersecurity as a future-ready skill. Students have a wide range of degree programmes and certification options to choose from. And students who live in the state will find a fast expanding job market with an insufficient number of competent applicants for open positions. Students in other states, however, will discover a solid selection of online schools that provide all degrees and a variety of certifications.
ASSOCIATE’S DEGREE
For people who don’t have the time or resources to complete a full four-year degree programme, an associate’s degree in cybersecurity is a viable method to break into certain entry-level employment. Professionals can then advance their careers by earning industry certifications or maybe using the associate’s degree to complete a bachelor’s degree programme with this educational base and a starting position. Campus-based associate’s degrees in Colorado Five Colorado community colleges offer cybersecurity associate’s degrees through campus-based programmes (Front Range Community College, Pikes Peak Community College, Pueblo Community College, and Red Rocks Community College). In addition, Pikes Peak Community College provides a dual degree programme that allows students to earn associate’s degrees in both cybersecurity and computer networking. The ACC Cyber Center is located on the Arapahoe Community College Castle Rock campus and is a state-of-the-art cyber learning centre with hands-on lab equipment, a full-scale NDG-Netlabs virtual lab environment, and a game-based cyber range. At the Sturm Collaboration Campus of CSU Pueblo, students can receive an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in Cybersecurity and a BS in Computer Information Systems with a focus in Cybersecurity. More details can be found in the table below. CYBERSECURITY ASSOCIATE’S PROGRAMS IN COLORADO Online associate’s degrees in Colorado Pueblo Community College is currently the only Colorado community college that offers associate’s degrees in cybersecurity online.
BACHELOR’S DEGREE
Most information security employment paths now require a bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity. Specific cybersecurity degree options vary a lot, with many specialising on a specific category of cybersecurity. However, majoring in a cybersecurity discipline isn’t required for aspiring cybersecurity professionals to land a job in the field. Many people who work in cybersecurity have a broad background in computer science or information technology. Others have received training in a variety of STEM fields, many of which are unrelated to computer technology. There are now four bachelor’s degree programmes in Colorado that are specifically dedicated to cybersecurity, two on-campus and two online. Metropolitan State University of Denver offers two of these, one on campus and one online. The United States Air Force Academy offers the other campus-based programme. Colorado Technical University offers the other online degree option. Cybersecurity Bachelor’s Programs in Colorado
MASTER’S DEGREE
A master’s degree in cybersecurity can also lead to consultancy, academic, or research employment for people who want to work outside of the traditional corporate framework. Colorado institutions offer a total of seven master’s degree programmes for cybersecurity professionals, including three on-campus programmes and four online programmes. Campus-based cybersecurity master’s degrees in Colorado The University of Colorado offers two of the three campus-based master’s degree programmes, one in Boulder and the other in Colorado Springs, as shown in the table below. The University of Denver offers the other campus programme. Cybersecurity Master’s Programs in Colorado Online cybersecurity master’s degrees in Colorado Of the four online master’s degree programs, two are provided by the University of Colorado – one in Boulder and the other from the Denver branch. The University of Denver offers an online master’s degree program and Regis University rounds out the list. See below for more information and links. Cybersecurity Online Master’s Programs in Colorado
Ph.D. DEGREES
Currently, only two colleges provide cybersecurity education degrees leading to a Ph.D. A Ph.D. in engineering with a security specialisation is available at the University of Colorado in Colorado Springs. The Ph.D. programme in computer science at Colorado School of Mines includes cybersecurity research. Both are classroom sessions that take place on campus.
CERTIFICATIONS
Certification programmes are a fantastic way for anyone working in the cybersecurity field to expand their education. They’re also an excellent place to start if you want to get into cybersecurity. Certification programmes can serve as an excellent introduction to cybersecurity as well as a springboard into a bachelor’s or associate’s degree programme. Campus-based cybersecurity certifications in Colorado There are now four community colleges that provide certification courses on campus. Front Range Community College, Pikes Peak Community College, Pueblo Community College, and Red Rocks Community College are all part of the Front Range Community College system. Pueblo Community College offers four different types of certifications. Colorado State University, the University of Denver, and Regis University are among the universities that offer cybersecurity certifications. More details can be found in the table below. Online cybersecurity certifications in Colorado There are currently three Colorado learning institutions offering cybersecurity certifications via online portholes. These are listed below: Cybersecurity Online Certification Programs in Colorado
OTHER CYBERSECURITY EDUCATION OPTIONS
SecureSet Academy operates two campuses in Colorado, in addition to the traditional college alternatives. SecureSet is a cutting-edge education institute dedicated on bringing cybersecurity specialists to the workplace in a short amount of time. The curriculum lasts five months and requires 40 hours each week. provides graduates with a wonderful opportunity to begin their careers in cybersecurity right away. The average graduate was hired at a salary of around $75,000 per year. The academy also offers a curriculum to assist start-up businesses with a cybersecurity goal in considerably reducing the time it takes to be up and operating.
Cybersecurity jobs in Colorado
The demand for cybersecurity workers is surpassing supply around the world, and the disparity is widening. The same thing is happening in the United States, with Colorado’s deficit far above the national average. Colorado has a total employment cybersecurity workforce of little over 26,000 people, according to Cyberseek. At the same time, 17,400 cybersecurity job postings were reported to remain unfilled. Colorado’s computed “location quotient,” which measures the concentration of cybersecurity job demand, is roughly two-and-a-half times the national average, placing it in the top six states in the US, according to Cyberseek. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, security analysts earned an average hourly income of $49.43 per hour in May 2018. The average yearly compensation for a security analyst was $102,820. Both of these figures are significantly higher than the national average. So we can add a large unmet need for cybersecurity professionals and high compensation to the list of reasons why Colorado should be a top choice for people contemplating a career in the field.
Cybersecurity in Colorado
Whether you want to explore the Rocky Mountains or ski Colorado’s legendary slopes, cybersecurity professionals are likely to find no finer location in the United States. The government’s measures have aided in the growth of the information security business. Colorado already has a cybersecurity think tank, two cybersecurity industry professional organisation chapters, dozens of cybersecurity service companies, five federal government military locations, and a plethora of mega-international enterprises based in the state. By far the most active and vibrant place for cybersecurity in Colorado is the Pikes Peak/Colorado Springs region. There are numerous cybersecurity educational alternatives available, including both campus-based and online programmes for state residents, as well as SecureSet’s five-month curriculum. In conclusion, Colorado is establishing itself as a refuge for cybersecurity businesses and professionals. And if nature experiences are your thing, Colorado could well be the best spot on the planet.
