Colorado

Cyber Security Opportunities in Colorado

The Centennial State has a diversified economy, with a high concentration of scientific research and high-tech industries. The U.S. Chamber of commerce ranks Colorado 4th in the nation for STEM-based economies and 4th for high-tech performance, making this state a truly outstanding destination for cyber security opportunities. Of the nine Colorado-based institutes awarding cyber security degrees, six are considered “National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Security” by the NSA.

Colorado Cyber Security Jobs

The majority of cyber security jobs in Colorado revolve around the aerospace and defense sector. Top employers include industry leaders such as Lockheed Martin,
Raytheon and Ball Aerospace. After aerospace, telecommunications is the next-largest cyber security employer, though salaries in this sector are generally not as high. The majority of cyber security jobs are geographically clustered around Colorado Springs, where several aerospace employers are based, followed by Denver. The mean salary for Colorado cyber security jobs is $102,280
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, significantly higher than the national average.

Cyber Security Degrees in Colorado

Associate’s Degrees in cyber security are offered by Front Range Community College and Red Rocks Community College, which the NSA recognizes as a “National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Security” (CAE).

Bachelor’s Degrees in cyber security are offered by just two schools in the state: Colorado Technical University and the United States Air Force Academy. Both have been designated as CAEs by the NSA.

Master’s Degrees in cyber security can be earned at through a total of five Colorado schools, four of them NSA CAEs. Two of these master’s-level cyber security degrees are actually offered as graduate degrees in related fields (engineering and telecommunications), with include cyber security concentrations.

Certificates and Doctoral degrees in cyber security are offered by a number of Colorado institutes. Five offer cyber security certificates, including an online certificate through Colorado State University’s Global Campus. Students at the University of Colorado, another NSA CAE, can earn a doctoral degree in Engineering with a Concentration in Security.

Cyber Security Resources in Colorado

Cyber Security Degree Providers in Colorado

Below we’ve included some of the most pertinent information for choosing a cyber security degree program. Affordability looked at the average in-state tuition rate (where applicable) and divided the range of tuition rates into five bins. Each bin contains a roughly $8,000 jump in tuition. So one $ contains schools from roughly $1,000 in in-state tuition to $9,000, $$’s contains schools from >$9,000 to $17,000, and so forth. Retention rate is one of the best predictors of undergraduate education quality. While the NSA/CAE designation marks programs deemed excellent by the NSA.