The demand for cybersecurity analysts, auditors, architects, engineers and administrators in Kansas is so great that the number of job listings in this field increased by 168% between 2010 and 2014 according to tech industry job market research firm, Burning Glass Technologies. And job growth isn’t the only thing that’s big when it comes to cybersecurity. According to the Burning Glass Technologies report, the salaries for cybersecurity experts are 9% higher on average than for all other professions related to IT.
Kansas Adjutant General Major General Lee Tafanelli testified about cybersecurity to the Joint Committee on Kansas Security in 2014. The General described a number of efforts underway by the Kansas Intelligence Fusion Center (KIFC), including its work with private industry to improve cybersecurity.
- Grand Canyon University - B.S. and M.S. in Cyber Security
- SNHU - B.S and M.S. in Cybersecurity
- Purdue Global - Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity
- Arizona State University - Online Master of Arts in Global Security
The federal government along with a number of states recognized the Center as a “preferred model for cyber security efforts across the nation.” Fifteen states were in discussions to emulate the KIFC’s model. This model is so successful that it has been able to perform analyses months or years ahead of federal agencies handling similar tasks.
Cyber breaches became more than an academic issue for the nearly 390,000 Kansas citizens whose records were exposed by the 2015 Anthem hack. This cyber attack exposed names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers among other information.
Ransomeware attacks on hospitals have become frequent, and one of the latest breaches took place at Kansas Heart Hospital in Wichita in May 2016. Despite paying a ransom, the cyber criminals did not return full access to the hospital’s files and instead demanded a second ransom, which was not paid.
Small businesses are vulnerable to attack also, and the US Secret Service reported that it deals with an average of 3 cybersecurity breaches a month in the Kansas City area.
Salaries for Key Cybersecurity Professions in Overland Park
According to the Robert Half Technology 2016 Salary Guide, cybersecurity analysts and administrators in Overland Park can expect to earn salaries within the ranges shown here. Cybersecurity professionals with master’s degree have the advanced expertise to earn on the high end of these ranges:
- Data Security Analysts: $109,214 – $153,958
- Information Security Administrators: $104,656 – $148,304
- Network Security Administrators: $102,424 – $145,824
Salaries for Information Security Analysts in the Major Cities of Kansas
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics provides a high level of detail on the salaries for information security analysts in the major cities of Kansas as of 2015. Information security analysts with a master’s degree can expect to earn salaries in the highest percentiles: