The Arizona Department of Administration reported in 2018 that there were 200 brute force attempts on Arizonans’ data each day at that time. Furthermore, Arizonans experienced 500 Trojan attacks daily, 35,000 malware attacks monthly, and 500 SQL injection attacks monthly. The Arizona Cybersecurity Team was created in 2018 to address these issues and protect Arizonans from cyberattacks. The state’s Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), Mike Lettman, noted that his top priorities were to build visibility of cyberattacks, to build partnerships with other agencies and businesses, to close cyber gaps in state government agencies, and to identify and lower cyber risks in Arizona. He brought knowledge from serving as CISO in Wisconsin to the job in Arizona.
Protecting the cybersecurity and cyber health of Arizonans is more than a full-time job, which is why Lettman has a team of experts working for and with him. In order to work in the field of information security in Arizona, you need at least an associate degree or certificate in cybersecurity. If you would like to break into this exciting field, keep reading to discover how to set yourself upon this career path.
Cybersecurity in the News in Arizona
Community colleges in Arizona recently announced that they are launching a program to help those who were the most affected by job losses during the pandemic. Reskilling and Recovery Network is designed to train people for modern jobs and help them get back to work. Jobs targeted include cybersecurity, IT, artificial intelligence and computing. Organizations in Arizona that are helping the community colleges in this effort include the Governor’s Office, Arizona Commerce Authority, Axchieve60AZ, Greater Yuma Economic Development Corp., Arizona Community College Coordinating Council, the Boeing Company, and Pinal County Economic and Workforce Development Department. The program will provide additional training, mentors and jobs for those studying in these fields.
Arizona Information Security Jobs for Associate Degree and/or Certificate Holders
Earning an associate degree or certificate in Arizona can help you to obtain Arizona information security jobs like:
- Junior Network & Cyber Security Analyst – Mosaic451, LLC, Phoenix
- Service Desk Analyst – TEKSystems, Tucson
- InfoSec Specialist – Prosum, Tempe
- Product Support Specialist/Jr. Web Security Analyst – Nextiva, Scottsdale
- Cyber Security Specialist – IntraEdge, Phoenix
- Information Security Specialist – ISC Consulting Group, Sierra Vista
- Information Security Analyst – Parker Lynch, Phoenix
- Cybersecurity Analyst – PayPal, Scottsdale
- Cloud Security Analyst – Deloitte, Gilbert
- Information Security Analyst III – American Express, Phoenix
Associate Cybersecurity Degrees in Arizona
Some titles of associate degrees in cybersecurity in Arizona are:
- Associate in Applied Science in IT and Power Systems Security
- Associate in Applied Science in Cybersecurity
- Associate in Applied Science in Information Security
- Associate in Applied Science in Cybersecurity & Network Support
- Associate of Applied Science in Networking & Cyber Defense
- Associate of Applied Science in Programmer/Cyber Security Analyst
- Associate of Applied Science in Computer Networking Technology – Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity Associate Degree and Certificate Programs in Arizona
Remember when you are selecting a school at which to study cybersecurity in Arizona, be sure to choose one which is accredited by an agency listed with the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
Centers of Academic Excellence (CAE)
The National Centers of Academic Excellence program, created by the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security in 1999, gives special designation to cybersecurity degree and certificate programs as Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD).
Arizona Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education
These associate degree and certificate cybersecurity programs in Arizona have been recognized as Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CDE):
- Estrella Mountain Community College –
—Associate in Applied Science in IT and Power Systems Security
—Certificate of Completion in IT Security Associate
Networking Technologies Institute, Cybersecurity Center of Excellence
3000 North Dysart Road
Avondale, AZ 85392
CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2024
Thomas Pollard, Computer Information Systems Faculty
(623) 935-8559; thomas.pollard@estrellamountain.edu
- Glendale Community College –
—Associate in Applied Science in Cybersecurity
—Associate in Applied Science in Information Security
—Certificate of Completion in Linux System Administration
—Certificate of Completion in Cybersecurity Fundamentals
—Certificate of Completion in Cyber Operations
—Certificate of Completion in Cyber Engineering
Computer & Information Technology
6000 West Olive Ave.
Glendale, AZ 85302
CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2024
Martin Bencic, Contact
(623) 845-3237; martin.bencic@gccaz.edu
More Associate Degree and Certificate Cybersecurity Programs in Arizona
Additional Arizona programs to consider include:
- Mohave Community College –
—Associate of Applied Science in Cybersecurity & Network Support
—Certificate of Proficiency in Cybersecurity & Network Support
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
Computer Information Systems – Lake Havasu City Campus
1977 Acoma Blvd. West
Lake Havasu City, AZ, 86403
Peter Burgess, Lead Faculty
(928) 505-3322; pburgess@mohave.edu
- Pima Community College –
—Associate of Applied Science in CyberSecurity
—Associate of Applied Science in Networking/Cyber Defense
—Associate of Applied Science in Programmer/Cyber Security Analyst
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
Division of Business & IT – East Campus
4305 E. Broadway Blvd.
Tucson, AZ 85709-1010
Dean – (520) 206-7694
- University of Phoenix – Advanced Cyber Security Certificate (Undergraduate) (online)
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
4025 S. Riverpoint Pkwy.
Phoenix, AZ 85040
(844) YES-UOPX
- Yavapai College –
—Associate in Applied Science in Computer Networking Technology- Cybersecurity concentration
—Cybersecurity Specialist certificate
—Cybersecurity Technician certificate
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
1100 E. Sheldon St.
Prescott, AZ 86301
Greg Tomsho, Contact
(928) 776-2104; greg.tomsho@yc.edu
Arizona Cybersecurity Associate Degree Program Courses
Courses that most associate degree programs in cybersecurity in Arizona include within their curricula include:
- Introduction to Networking
- Linux Operating System
- Legal, Ethical & Regulatory Issues in Information Technology
- Ethical Hacking & Network Defense
- Cisco Network Administration & Security
- A+ Exam Prep
- Python Programming
- Information Security Fundamentals
- Computer Forensics Foundations
- Advanced Computer Forensics
- Linux System Administration
Cybersecurity Certificates in Arizona
Other certificates in cybersecurity that are available at colleges and universities in Arizona include (but are not limited to):
- Certificate of Applied Science in Cybersecurity – Northland Pioneer College
- Enterprise Security Graduate Certificate (online) – University of Arizona
- Network Security Training Certificate (online) – University of Arizona
- Applied Cybersecurity Certificate – Arizona State University
- Certificate of Completion in Cybersecurity – Grand Canyon University
Salary for Cybersecurity Professionals in Arizona
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics states that as of May 2019, Arizona’s information security analysts earned an annual mean wage of $97,470. Those working in the Phoenix/Mesa/Scottsdale metropolitan area earned a higher than average wage of $98,640; while information security analysts employed in the Sierra Vista/Douglas area earned even higher wages, at $100,580.