In October 2019, New Jersey began a new “Cyber Savvy Youth” initiative. This was designed to keep New Jersey kids safe online. When the initiative was launched, the state’s Division of Consumer Affairs and the New Jersey State Police announced that in 2018, there were 906 data breaches affecting residents of the state. This number was down almost six percent from the 956 data breaches in 2017. The state’s youth campaign targets breaches and identity thieves that affect children.
Furthermore, the state announced that in 2018, 358,000 New Jersey residents were affected by data breaches, under these top five methods of security breaches:
- Vulnerability, misconfiguration, programming error
- Internal/employee theft
- Internal/employee error
- Hacking/unspecified intrusion
- Phishing/spoofing/unauthorized access to email
The state recommends that parents in New Jersey take advantage of parental control software and adjust their kids’ browser settings to limit access, as well as reviewing their kids’ internet history. They also advise avoiding free Wi-Fi services as they are noted for not being secure, and wiping hard drives before disposing of electronic devices.
Cybersecurity is a concern in New Jersey as it is all over the globe. If you would like to work in the growing field of cybersecurity in New Jersey, your first step is to obtain a bachelor’s degree. Read on to discover how you can get a bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity in New Jersey.
Cybersecurity in New Jersey
The New Jersey Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Cell (NJCCIC) is a state organization that was established in 2015 and is responsible for the sharing of information, threat intelligence, and incident reporting. This cyber fusion center is part of the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness. It promotes statewide cybersecurity and threat/risk awareness, as well as adoption of cybersecurity best practices.
Three main agencies make up the NJCCIC: the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, the New Jersey Office of Information Technology, and the New Jersey State Police. In this way, the agency can cover all the bases of cybersecurity in the Garden State. The NJCCIC also works with many organizations statewide and nationwide, such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General, the US Department of Homeland Security, the New Jersey National Guard, the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center, Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center, Health Information Sharing and Analysis, Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center, and other private sector organizations. All of these partnerships help to ensure that New Jersey has a whole state approach to cybersecurity and data protection and prevention of breaches.
Earning a Degree in Cybersecurity in New Jersey
If you want to get a cybersecurity job in New Jersey, your best bet is to first earn a bachelor’s degree. Then, you will become eligible for jobs such as:
- Cybersecurity Computer Programmer – FCI Cyber, Bloomfield
- Systems Engineer, Security – Prudential, Roseland
- Cyber Security Compliance Analyst – AppleOne, Piscataway
- Analyst, Cybersecurity – American Water, Camden
- Cybersecurity Analyst – Bristol-Myers Squibb, Princeton
- Business Analyst, Cybersecurity – Cognizant, Weehawken
- Cybersecurity Incident Responder- SAIS Service, Jersey City
- Network Engineer, Firewall – OLOOP Technology Solutions, Whippany
- Network Security Engineer- AT&T/ProComm Advanced Quality Solutions, Middletown
- Information Technology/Security Analyst – JAKTOOL, Cranbury
Cybersecurity Bachelor’s Degree Programs in New Jersey
Depending upon the college or university, bachelor’s cybersecurity programs may go by different names. In New Jersey, these include:
- Bachelor of Science in Information Technology- Security & Forensics concentration
- Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity
- Bachelor of Science in Computer Science – Computer Security concentration
- Bachelor of Science in Justice Studies/Criminal Justice – Cyber Security concentration
- Bachelor of Science in Information Technology Management- Cybersecurity concentration
Bachelor’s in Cybersecurity Programs in New Jersey
Bachelor’s in cybersecurity degree programs usually are not accredited at the program level. The institutions in which they are housed, however, are accredited by agencies that are listed with the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Cybersecurity programs that do hold programmatic accreditation at the bachelor’s level are listed below.
Centers of Academic Excellence (CAE)
The National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has established the National Centers of Academic Excellence program to give accolades to outstanding cybersecurity bachelor’s degree programs across the United States. These programs are called Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD).
New Jersey’s Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education
Within the state of New Jersey, the following cybersecurity bachelor’s degree programs have been designated Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CDE):
- Fairleigh Dickinson University –
–Bachelor of Science in Information Technology –concentration in Security and Forensics
–Bachelor of Science in Computer Science- concentration in Cybersecurity
School of Computer Science and Engineering
Metropolitan Campus
1000 River Road
Teaneck, NJ 07666
CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2020
Dr. K. Mondal, Chair
(201) 692-2123; mondal@fdu.edu
- New Jersey City University – Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity
College of Professional Studies
2039 Kennedy Blvd.
Jersey City, NJ 07305
CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2020
Dr. Kutub Thakur, Chair
(201) 200-2230; kthakur@njcu.edu
- Rutgers University – Bachelor of Science in Computer Science- Computer Security concentration
School of Arts & Sciences, Dept. of Computer Science
110 Frelinghuysen Road
Piscataway, NJ 08854-8019
CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2021
Matthew Stone, Chair
(848) 445-8825; matthew.stone@rutgers.edu
- Stevens Institute of Technology – Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity
Schaefer School of Engineering & Science
1 Castle Point Terrace
Hoboken, NJ 07030
CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2021
Susanne Wetzel, Program Director
(201) 216-5610; swetzel@cs.stevens.edu
Alternate Bachelor in Cybersecurity Programs in New Jersey
There are more bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity programs in New Jersey, such as:
- Berkeley College – Bachelor of Science in Justice Studies-Criminal Justice – Concentration in Cyber Security (on campus and online)
Accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
School of Professional Studies
536 Broad St.
Newark, NJ 07102
(800) 446-5400 ext WBW
- Felician University – Bachelor of Science in Computer Science- Concentration in Cybersecurity
Accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
Institute for Information Sciences
One Felician Way
Rutherford, NJ 07070
Robert Clougherty, Ph.D., Vice President for Technology, Design & Innovation
(201) 355-1465
- Kean University –
—Bachelor of Science in Computer Science – Cybersecurity option
—Bachelor of Science in Information Technology – Cybersecurity option
Accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
College of Science, Mathematics & Technology, School of Computer Science & Technology
1000 Morris Ave.
Union, NJ 07083
(908) 737-5326
- Ramapo College of New Jersey – Bachelor of Science in Information Technology Management-Cybersecurity Concentration
Accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
McBride House
505 Ramapo Valley Road
Mahwah, NJ 07430
(201) 684-7300; admissions@ramapo.edu
- Rider University – Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity – Technical and Policy tracks available
Accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, Dept. of Computer Science & Physics
2083 Lawrenceville Road
Lawrenceville, NJ 08648
John Bochanski, Chair
(609) 896-5184; jbochanski@rider.edu
- Thomas Edison State University – Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity
Accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
School of Applied Science and Technology
111 W. State St.
Trenton, NJ 08608
Dr. Amjad Ali, Assoc. Dean
(609) 984-1130, ext. 3197; appliedscienceandtech@tesu.edu
Cybersecurity Certifications in New Jersey
After you earn a bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity in New Jersey, consider becoming professionally certified in one, or more, of the following areas:
- CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional)
- CompTIA Security +
- Comp TIA CASP+
- SSCP Systems Security Certified Practitioner
Outlook for Cybersecurity in the Garden State
Jobs for Information Security Analysts (including cybersecurity professionals) in New Jersey are projected to grow by a whopping 21.3 percent from 2016 to 2026, per the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development. This statistic alone is a great reason to obtain your bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity in New Jersey and break into this exciting field. Your opportunities in the Garden State should be almost limitless if you spend three to four years getting a bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity.