Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance

Types of Degrees Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many computer & is security graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree	8,865
Master’s Degree	7,695
Basic Certificate	5,272
Associate Degree	4,739
Undergraduate Certificate	2,018
Graduate Certificate	1,207
Doctor’s Degree	112

What Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance Majors Need to Know

People with careers related to computer and information systems security/auditing/information assurance were asked what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. They weighted these areas on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the highest.

Knowledge Areas for Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance Majors

Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance majors often go into careers in which the following knowledge areas are important:

• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Telecommunications - Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
• Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
• Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Skills for Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance Majors

The following list of skills has been highlighted as some of the most essential for careers related to computer and information systems security/auditing/information assurance:

• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
• Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Abilities for Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance Majors

As you progress with your computer and information systems security/auditing/information assurance degree, there are several abilities you should pick up that will help you in whatever related career you choose. These abilities include:

• Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

What Can You Do With a Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with computer and information systems security/auditing/information assurance:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Computer and Information Systems Managers	12.0%	$142,530
Computer Network Architects	6.5%	$109,020
Computer Network Support Specialists	8.2%	$62,770
Database Administrators	11.5%	$90,070
Information Security Analysts	28.5%	$98,350
Network and Computer Systems Administrators	6.1%	$82,050
Telecommunications Engineering Specialists	6.5%	$109,020

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance?

This major tends to be male dominated. About 81% of recent graduates are men.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of computer and information systems security/auditing/information assurance majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	573
Black or African American	1,020
Hispanic or Latino	1,250
White	4,834
International Students	237
Other Races/Ethnicities	951

Geographic Diversity

Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance appeals to people across the globe. About 2.7% of those with this major are international students.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance

Some degrees associated with computer and information systems security/auditing/information assurance may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to computer and information systems security/auditing/information assurance have obtained the following education levels.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	1.5%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)	8.5%
Some College Courses	9.7%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	13.9%
Bachelor’s Degree	49.7%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.	5.4%
Master’s Degree	9.6%
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level.	1.4%
First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession.	1.0%

Online Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance Programs

The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	0	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	196	45
Certificate (2-4 Years)	5	1
Associate’s Degree	329	74
Bachelor’s Degree	138	56
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	238	103
Post-Master’s	13	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	12	6
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Majors Related to Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to computer and information systems security/auditing/information assurance.

Major	Number of Grads
Network & System Administration/Administrator	4,702
Computer Support Specialist	3,872
Information Technology Management	3,201
Information Technology Project Management	2,608
System, Networking, & LAN/WAN Management/Manager	1,818
Web/Multimedia Management & Webmaster	682

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
• Image Credit: By Craig Dennis under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.