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

State Government Entity/Resource

Professional Association

Professional Association

Professional Association

Professional Association

Denver City Sec

Meetup

Other Resource: training and resource center

Other Resource: nonprofit resource center

Other Resource: Conference

Other Resource: Conference

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.

Colorado State University-Global Campus

Greenwood Village, Colorado
N/A
Financial Aid Recipients
N/A%
Retention Rate
N/A%
NSA Designated
No
Degrees
  • Online Certificate of Completion/Degree Specialization in Cyber Security

Colorado Technical University

Colorado Springs, Colorado
$ $ $ $ $
Financial Aid Recipients
80%
Retention Rate
47%
NSA Designated
Yes
Degrees
  • Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice – Cybercrime and Security Master of Science in Cybersecurity Policy Master of Science in Homeland Security – Cybersecurity Policy

Front Range Community College

Westminster, Colorado
$ $ $ $ $
Financial Aid Recipients
62%
Retention Rate
61%
NSA Designated
No
Degrees
  • A.A.S. in Cybersecurity & Cloud Computing Cyber Security Specialist Certificate

Red Rocks Community College

Lakewood, Colorado
$ $ $ $ $
Financial Aid Recipients
54%
Retention Rate
N/A%
NSA Designated
Yes
Degrees
  • Associate of Applied Science in Computer Information Systems – Cyber Security Specialist

Regis University

Denver, Colorado
$ $ $ $ $
Financial Aid Recipients
98%
Retention Rate
80%
NSA Designated
Yes
Degrees
  • Master of Science in Information Assurance – Cyber Security Specialization

United States Air Force Academy

USAFA, Colorado
N/A
Financial Aid Recipients
N/A%
Retention Rate
N/A%
NSA Designated
Yes
Degrees
  • Computer and Network Security major

University of Colorado Boulder

Boulder, Colorado
$ $ $ $ $
Financial Aid Recipients
64%
Retention Rate
86%
NSA Designated
No
Degrees
  • Certificate in Computer and Network Security MS in Telecommunications – Network Security Emphasis

University of Colorado Colorado Springs

Colorado Springs, Colorado
$ $ $ $ $
Financial Aid Recipients
79%
Retention Rate
69%
NSA Designated
Yes
Degrees
  • Certificate in Secure Software Systems Graduate Certificate in Security Intelligence Master of Engineering – Focus in Information Assurance PhD in Engineering – Concentration in Security

University of Denver

Denver, Colorado
$ $ $ $ $
Financial Aid Recipients
86%
Retention Rate
87%
NSA Designated
Yes
Degrees
  • Information System Security Certificate Information Systems Security Master degree MS Cybersecurity