As of 2020, ten of the Fortune 500 companies in the United States are located in the state of Wisconsin. They are:
- Northwestern Mutual
- Manpower Group
- Kohl’s
- American Family Insurance
- Fiserv
- Oshkosh
- WEC Energy Group
- Rockwell Automation
- Harley-Davidson
- Schneider National
Why is this important when discussing information security in Wisconsin? These ten companies generate a great deal of the state’s revenue and employ almost 240,000 Wisconsin citizens. Like all businesses in Wisconsin, they are in need of stringent cybersecurity policies and procedures in order to function properly and maintain confidential customer data.
The only way that companies such as these can have the best and most effective information security strategies is to employ people who have been trained in the latest, most up-to-date techniques and processes. Wisconsin is home to many college programs in cybersecurity, from the certificate level, to the associate, bachelor, and master’s degrees, to graduate certificates, to industry certifications. As of 2020, Wisconsin houses 11 cybersecurity programs at the associate degree level as well as many certificate programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. If you would like to work in information security in Wisconsin, you have many programs from which to choose to study. Keep reading to find out more about associate degree and certificate programs in cybersecurity Wisconsin.
Wisconsin Cybersecurity News
Wisconsin’s Department of Workforce Development, Department of Public Instruction, and Division of Enterprise Technology have joined together to create the website Cyber Education Wisconsin. This website focuses on education for cybersecurity in Wisconsin at all levels, cybersecurity careers in the state, conferences in the state, and much more. It is a comprehensive directory of all things cybersecurity in Wisconsin, and even includes free online courses that you can take to see if cybersecurity is right for you.
Cybersecurity Jobs in Wisconsin
Holding an associate degree or certificate in cybersecurity in Wisconsin could help you to land jobs like:
- Entry-Level Network Implementation Technician – AIETA, Milwaukee
- IT Security Analyst – Integral Recruiting Services, LLC, Milwaukee
- Junior Security Analyst – Beacon Technologies, Madison
- Security Analyst – Nordic, Madison
- Information Security Analyst – American Express, Madison
- Cyber Security Analyst – Pegasus Knowledge Solutions, Racine
- Cybersecurity Analyst – Church Mutual Insurance, Remote
- Associate Information Security Analyst – Sentry, Stevens Point
- IT Security Analyst – Ageatia Global Solutions, Milwaukee
- Information Security Engineer – STS Technical Services, Oshkosh
Wisconsin Associate Degree and Certificate Cybersecurity Programs
Any institution in which you choose to study cybersecurity in Wisconsin should be accredited by a national or regional accreditation agency that is in the directory of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
Associate Degree Cybersecurity Programs Offered in Wisconsin
Examples of associate degrees in cybersecurity found in Wisconsin are:
- Associate of Applied Science in Information Technology – Cybersecurity Specialist
- Associate of Applied Science in Information Technology – Information Systems Security Specialist
- Associate of Applied Science in Networking Technology
- Associate of Applied Science in Information Technology & Networking
- Associate of Applied Science in Network Systems Administration
In 199, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and National Security Agency (NSA) established the National Centers of Academic Excellence program to recognize the best cybersecurity programs in the country.
Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education in Wisconsin
Wisconsin houses the following Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CD):
- Madison Area Technical College –
—Associate of Applied Science in Information Technology – Cybersecurity Specialist
—Certificate in Information Technology – Cyber Security in an Industrial Control Environment
School of Applied Science, Engineering and Technology
Truax Campus, Main Building, A2105
1701 Wright Street
Madison, WI 53704
CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2024
(608) 246-6800; ASET@madisoncollege.edu
- University of Wisconsin Stout –
—Cyber Security & Cyber Defense – Secure Software Development Certificate (undergraduate)
—Cyber Security & Cyber Defense – Computer Networking Certificate (undergraduate or graduate)
Center for Cybersecurity and Cyberdefense
712 South Broadway Street
Menomonie, WI 54751
CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2022
Diane Christie, Program Director
(715) 232-1213; christied@uwstout.edu
- Waukesha County Technical College –
—Associate of Applied Science in Information Technology – Cybersecurity Specialist
—Cybersecurity Technical Certificate
—IT Security Administrator Technical Certificate
800 Main Street
Pewaukee, WI 53072
CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2022
Jessica Rolon, Program Advisor
(262) 691-5596; JRolon1@wctc.edu
More Associate Degree and Certificate in Cybersecurity Programs in Wisconsin
Other associate degree and certificate cybersecurity programs in Wisconsin include:
- Fox Valley Technical College – Associate of Applied Science in Information Technology – Cybersecurity Specialist
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
1825 N. Bluemound Drive
Appleton, WI 54912-2277
(920) 735-4740; admissionsspecialist@fvtc.edu
- Milwaukee Area Technical College –
— Associate of Applied Science in Information Technology – Information Systems Security Specialist
—Technical Diploma in Information Technology Digital Forensics Analyst
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
700 W. State Street
Milwaukee, WI 53233
(414) 297-6319; stempathway@matc.edu
- University of Wisconsin Parkside – Cyber Security Certificate Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
Computer Science Dept.
900 Wood Road
Kenosha, WI 53141-2000
Janet Mrazek, Contact
(262) 595-2314; mrazek@uwp.edu
Wisconsin Associate Degree Cybersecurity Program Courses
The curriculum of an associate degree in cybersecurity program will likely include classes such as:
- Managing Windows Operating Systems
- Introduction to Networks
- Network Security
- Linux
- Routing/Switching Essentials
- Information Security Risk Management
- MS Server Administration
- Perimeter Security
- Unix/Linux Administration and Security
- Securing Wireless Devices and Networks
- Computer Forensics
- Web/Application Security
Cybersecurity Certificates in Wisconsin
Other certificate programs in cybersecurity in Wisconsin include:
- Cybersecurity Graduate Certificate – University of Wisconsin Whitewater
- Technical Diploma in Information Technology Network Technician -Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College
- Certificate in Information Technology Networking – Northeast Wisconsin Technical College
- Diploma in Information Technology Assistant – Bryant & Stratton College
- Undergraduate Certificate in Cybersecurity – DeVry University
- Graduate Certificate in Information Security – DeVry University
Cybersecurity Salary in Wisconsin
According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, the annual mean wage for information security analysts employed in Wisconsin was $82,950 as of May 2019. Those working in various parts of the state earned wages higher or lower than this average, as you can see from the figures below:
Appleton: $82,400
Fond du Lac: $61,780
Green Bay: $54,980
La Crosse: $75,590
Madison: $92,940
Milwaukee: $89,740
Neenah: $70,540
Northeastern nonmetro area: $76,890
Onalaska: $75,590
Oshkosh: $70,540
Waukesha: $89,740
West Allis: $89.740