North Carolina’s schools have increasingly turned to virtual learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, as have schools in many other states. Unfortunately, cyberattacks against North Carolina school districts have increased dramatically during 2020, with five reported attacks from January through August of 2020 (there was only one such cyberattack reported in the previous three-year period). School districts that have come under attack include Mitchell County Schools, which faced a ransomware attack in March 2020; Haywood County Schools, which experienced a severe cyberattack in August 2020; Burke County Public Schools, which was attacked March 8; Allegheny County Schools, which experienced a cyberattack on March 16; and Surry County Schools, attacked on July 6.
These types of attacks are likely to keep occurring as virtual learning becomes more prevalent, during and after the pandemic. North Carolina, like other states, needs well-trained, educated cyber professionals to protect their computer networks and systems from attack and prevent such attacks before they even occur.
Do you think that working in the cybersecurity field sounds like a challenge that you wish to take on? Your first step should be to pursue an associate degree or certificate within the cybersecurity arena. If you live in North Carolina and would like to make this happen, please keep reading to discover how you can start upon this exciting journey towards a new career!
Cybersecurity Law in North Carolina
In April of 2019, a bipartisan committee made up of representatives from the state of North Carolina proposed a bill that would revamp the state’s existing cybersecurity law and require businesses in North Carolina to proactively protect residents’ personal information from data breaches. The proposed bill is HB 904, and it would apply to all businesses in North Carolina. If passed, this bill would bring North Carolina into alignment with other states that have already passed similar laws. Lawyers recommend that North Carolina businesses begin creating and implementing cybersecurity procedures and practices now, before the bill becomes law, as it is likely to do.
North Carolina Jobs for Cybersecurity Associate Degree or Certificate Holders
When you earn an associate degree or certificate in cybersecurity in North Carolina, you become more likely to land jobs such as:
- Cyber Security Analyst (Entry Level) – AIETA, Charlotte
- Cyber Security Analyst – Collabera, Cary
- Junior Cyber Security Analyst – NC IT Security Consultancy, Charlotte
- Sales Development Representative, Cyber Security – CyberCoders, Durham
- Entry-Level Security Services Consultant- IBM, Charlotte
- Personal Computer Support Technician – The Logistics Company, Goldsboro
- Cyber Security Intrusion Analyst – Bank of America, Charlotte
- Security Analyst – TEKSystems, Raleigh
- Third-Party Cybersecurity Consultant- Crowe, Charlotte
- Cybersecurity Analyst – Epsilon, Inc., Weaverville
North Carolina Cybersecurity Associate Degree or Certificate Programs
Whether you decide to pursue an associate degree or certificate in cybersecurity in North Carolina, make sure that the program you choose is housed within a university or college that holds regional or national accreditation by an agency listed with the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
Cybersecurity Associate Degrees in North Carolina
Some of the associate degrees in cybersecurity available in North Carolina include:
- Associate of Applied Science in Information Technology- Systems Security (Cybersecurity)
- Associate of Applied Science in Computer Information Technology: Systems Security & Analysis
- Associate in Applied Science in Information Technology: Cyber Security
- Associate in Applied Science in Information Technology- Systems Security
- Associate in Applied Science in Cybersecurity
Centers of Academic Excellence (CAE)
The National Centers of Academic Excellence program was created in 1999 by a partnership between the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the National Security Agency (NSA). It recognizes the most outstanding degree and certificate cybersecurity programs in the country.
Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education in North Carolina
The following cybersecurity associate degree and certificate programs in North Carolina have been designated as Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CD) under the NSA-DHS National Centers for Academic Excellence program:
- Alamance Community College –
—Associate of Applied Science in Information Technology- Systems Security (Cybersecurity)
Dept. of Business, Arts and Sciences
1247 Jimmie Kerr Rd.
Graham, NC 27253-8000
CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2025
Rebecca Pope, Faculty Member
(336) 506-4319; rjpaskins703@alamancecc.edu
- Fayetteville Technical Community College – Associate of Applied Science in Computer Information Technology: Systems Security & Analysis
Cyber Defense Education Center
General Classroom Bldg. Room 202-T
2817 Fort Bragg Road
Fayetteville, NC 28303
CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2023
Chris Herring, Dept. Chair
- Forsyth Technical Community College –
—Associate in Applied Science in Information Technology: Cyber Security (in person and online)
—Certificate in Information Technology: Cyber Security (in person and online)
2100 Silas Creek Parkway
Winston-Salem, NC 27103
CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2024
Kevin Brown, Program Coordinator
(336) 757-3693; kbrown@forsythtech.edu
- Pitt Community College –
—Associate of Applied Science in Information Technology: Cyber Security
—Certificate in Cyber Security
Department of Computer Technologies
1986 Pitt Tech Road
Winterville, NC 28590
CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2025
Joseph Jeansonne, Instructional Coordinator
(252) 493-7275; jjeansonne@email.pittcc.edu
- Sampson Community College – Associate in Applied Science in Information Technology- Systems Security
Cyber Defense Education Center
Occupational Bldg. Room 212
1801 Sunset Ave.
Clinton, NC 28328
CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2024
Nathan McKee, Department Chair
(910) 900-4082; nmckee@sampsoncc.edu
- Wake Technical Community College –
—Associate in Applied Science in Cybersecurity (on campus, hybrid)
—Cyber Operations and Digital Forensics Certificate
—Penetration Testing & Ethical Hacking Certificate
Cybersecurity Center
9101 Fayetteville Road
Raleigh, NC 27603
CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2025
Carolyn DeSimone, Contact
North Carolina Associate Degree Cybersecurity Program Courses
Your courses will have different names depending upon the college or university you attend in North Carolina. However, most of them will cover similar topics, such as:
- Intro to Computers
- Web, Programming and Database Foundations
- Security Concepts
- Operating Systems Concepts
- Network and Security Foundations
- Windows Admin I and II
- Secure Communication
- Intro to Programming/Logic
- Intro to Networks
- Intrusion Detection
- Hardware/Software Support
- Database Concepts
Cybersecurity Certificates in North Carolina
Other certificates in cybersecurity available in North Carolina include:
- Information Technology-Cybersecurity Certificate – Beaufort County Community College
- Network Security Certificate – Central Carolina Community College
- Cybersecurity Technician Certificate – Craven Community College
- Advanced Certificate in Information Technology-Networking & Cyber Defense – Gaston College
- Certificate in Computer Information Systems – Forensic Computing – Queens University of Charlotte
Salaries for Cybersecurity Workers in North Carolina
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) says that as of May 2019, information security analysts working in North Carolina earned an annual mean wage of $101,130. Those working in various parts of the state earned wages that were higher or lower than this average, as you can see from the figures below:
- Chapel Hill: $103,300
- Charlotte: $100,330
- Concord: $100,330
- Durham: $103,300
- Fayetteville:$83,610
- Gastonia: $100,330
- Greensboro: $91,270
- High Point: $91,270
- Raleigh: $103,260
- Wilmington: $56,620
- Winston-Salem: $91,520