According to the Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Opportunity, as of 2020, 70 percent of all jobs in Michigan require postsecondary education. Cybersecurity is one of these jobs. A minimum of an associate degree or certificate is usually necessary in order to obtain an entry-level job in cybersecurity in Michigan. The department noted that as of 2017, 45 percent of Michigan’s workers had a postsecondary certificate or degree of some sort.
The demand for trained and educated cybersecurity talent is growing and is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. Michigan’s IT industry has seen a 25 percent increase in employment since 2009 and is projected to see double-digit growth through 2026.
As of 2020, associate degrees in cybersecurity can be earned through programs at six Michigan schools. Certificates are offered by at least three institutions. Additionally, an employer-led Michigan IT Council has provided IT education and workforce training statewide.
Michigan’s Governor Gretchen Whitmer hopes that by 2030, 60 percent of all Michiganders will have a postsecondary certificate or degree (compared with the current total of 45 percent). If you would like to work in the field of cybersecurity in Michigan, getting a certificate or associate degree is a great first step. Keep reading to discover how you can get started in reaching your educational and career goals.
Cybersecurity Law in Michigan
Although the state of Michigan has been considered a leader among states when it comes to cybersecurity law, a recent incident involving fraudulent charges at a state credit union points to problems in gaps in Michigan’s cybersecurity law. Thousands of fraudulent charges relating to an international televangelist network appeared on the accounts of cards issued by Lansing’s Michigan State University Federal Credit Union (MSUFCU). The reason that this was not caught by cybersecurity experts is that unlike other states, Michigan does not require its financial institutions to alert state officials in cases of potential security breaches or fraud. The only reason that this incident came to their attention was the media coverage it received.
There is a bill pending in the Michigan House of Representatives that call for creating a new law, called the Data Breach Notification Act, that would require all nonprofit organizations, businesses and governments to protect personal and sensitive identifying information, investigate potential and actual security breaches, and notify those affected by security breaches. The bill is still pending, however.
Getting an Education in Cybersecurity in Michigan
Jobs like the following in information security in Michigan may be obtainable with an associate degree or certificate:
- Product Engineer, Cyber Security, Entry Level – Nexteer Automotive Corporation, Saginaw
- Cyber Security Technician – Navy Recruiting District, Albion
- Cybersecurity Analyst – KLA, Ann Arbor
- Cyber & Physical Security Analyst – Consumers Energy, Jackson
- Network Technician – AIETA, Detroit
- Information Security Analyst – Trinity Health, Livonia
- Cybersecurity Enablement Engineer- Fast Switch, Great Lakes
- Cyber Fusion Network Security Manager- Deloitte, Detroit
- Information Security Engineer- Randstad, Ann Arbor
- Technology and Cybersecurity Analyst – Comerica, Auburn Hills
Cybersecurity Associate Degrees in Michigan
Titles of associate degrees in cybersecurity in Michigan include:
- Associate of Applied Science in Cyber Defense
- Associate of Applied Science in Computer Science & Information Technology – Cyber Security Concentration
- Associate of Arts in Pre-Cyber Security
- Associate of Applied Science in Cybersecurity
- Associate of Applied Science in Computer Science – Concentration in Cybersecurity
Michigan’s Cybersecurity Associate Degree and Certificate Programs
When you are deciding which cybersecurity associate degree and/or certificate program to choose in Michigan, only consider those that are at schools accredited by agencies recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
Centers of Academic Excellence (CAE)
The National Centers of Academic Excellence program was set up by the National Security Agency (NSA) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in 1999. It highlights the best cybersecurity degree programs in the country, signifying them as Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD).
Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education in Michigan
These associate degree and certificate cybersecurity programs in Michigan have been deemed Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CDE):
- Davenport University – Associate of Applied Science in Cyber Defense (online and on campus)
Information Security & Assurance Center
Grand Rapids, MI
CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2020
Dr. Lonnie Decker
(989) 794-1941; Lonnie.Decker@davenport.edu
- Delta College – Associate of Applied Science in Computer Science & Information Technology-Cyber Security Concentration
Computer Science & Information Technology Dept.
1961 Delta Road
University Center, MI 48710
CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2024
Kevin Wyzkiewicz, Coordinator
(989) 686-9127; kmwyzkie@delta.edu
- Grand Rapids Community College – Associate of Arts in Pre-Cyber Security
Center for Cyber Security Studies
143 Bostwick Ave NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503-3295
CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2023
(616) 234-3670; cis@grcc.edu
- Henry Ford College –
—Associate in Applied Science in Cybersecurity
—Certificate of Achievement in Cybersecurity
Cyber Center
5101 Evergreen Rd.
Dearborn, MI 48128
CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2022
Marrci Conner, Program Director
- Macomb Community College – Certificate in IT – Network Security Professional (Cybersecurity)
Cybersecurity Center
14500 E. 12 Mile Road
Warren, MI 48088
CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2024
(866) MACOMB1; answer@macomb.edu
- Washtenaw Community College –
—Associate in Applied Science in Computer Science – Cybersecurity
—Principles of Cybersecurity Certificate
Cybersecurity Center
4800 E. Huron River Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48105-4800
CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2025
(734) 677-5431; bct.division@wccnet.edu
Courses in an Associate Degree Cybersecurity Program in Michigan
Coursework in an associate degree in cybersecurity program in Michigan should include:
- Introduction to Computer Programming
- Linux I
- Microcomputer Operating Systems
- Database Design and Development
- Principles of Information Security
- Computer Forensics
- CyberOps
- Pen Testing
- Computer Science II
- Linux II
Cybersecurity Certificates in Michigan
In addition to the cybersecurity certificates noted above, the following cybersecurity certificate programs also exist in Michigan:
- Graduate Certificate in Cybersecurity – Central Michigan University
- Undergraduate Certificate in Cybersecurity – Central Michigan University
- Certificate in Cybersecurity – Ferris State University
- Certificate in Cybersecurity: Ethical Hacking – Ferris State University
- Certificate in Computer Information Systems: Cyber Security – Oakland Community College
Salaries for Cybersecurity Professionals Across Michigan
Information security analysts working in Michigan as of May 2019 earned an annual mean wage of $91,750, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Those working in some of Michigan’s metropolitan areas earned salaries higher or lower than this state average, as you can see below:
- Ann Arbor: $101,830
- Dearborn: $91,520
- Detroit: $91,520
- East Lansing: $82,810
- Flint: $104,580
- Grand Rapids: $83,340
- Lansing: $82,810
- Lower Peninsula: $81,370
- Warren: $91,520
- Wyoming: $83,340