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Researching what programs and certifications are available is the first step to improving your career. The security certification roadmap by Paul Jerimy is perhaps the single greatest resource for a cybersecurity professional looking to improve their careers. Each link will take you to the vendor website and is consistently updated. The roadmap is organized by a y-axis of experience level and an x-axis of domain. Truly an amazing tool to keep your 5 year plan up to date.
Some of the most respected companies in the industry for certifications include CompTIA, SANS, ISC2, and ISACA. These are vendor-neutral companies meaning that they apply to all types of hardware/software solutions. The best certifications to serve as a baseline for someone entering the technology/cybersecurity world are CompTIA's A+, Network+, and Security+ certifications. When looking at job opportunities, do a search for Security+ jobs. This certification alone is the baseline requirement for MANY entry level cybersecurity jobs and is a great way to get your foot in the door.
Along the way, vendor-specific certifications might be included in your career goals. Some examples of these include Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft, Cisco, and Google. For someone wanting to enter the cloud portion of cybersecurity, we recommend a vendor-neutral certification such as ISC2's Certified Cloud Security Professional before doing an AWS or Azure certification. However, no certification is a bad certification and employers really value vendor-specific certifications. Typically, these vendor-specific certifications can be viewed as intermediate level endeavors where a cybersecurity professional expands their knowledge and grows their expertise.
Often overlooked certifications pertain to frameworks. There are three very common certification paths for frameworks related to the IT world.
ITIL - The IT Infrastructure Library is an IT service management framework that is used heavily throughout IT organizations to deliver value to IT services.
COBIT - Developed by ISACA, this governance framework also serves to implement, monitor, and improve IT management best practices.
SCRUM - This is a project management methodology based on streamlining and providing value. It has been adopted by many IT teams; especially software developers.
Western Governors University and SANS Technology Institute both offer degree plans that give candidates the ability to earn certifications as part of their undergraduate and graduate degree plans. SANS Technology Institute also offers graduate certificates that focus on earning multiple certifications as well. A Bachelors Degree in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance from WGU will cost around $4,300 per 6-month term and a Bachelors Degree in Applied Cybersecurity from SANS Institute Technology will cost around $36,000 for the whole program. The main benefit of WGU is the ability to complete your course work at your own pace. You will work with a counselor and take as little or as much (within reason) time necessary to complete your program. The main benefit of the SANS Technology Institute is the highly respected degree plan with labs that ensure the material is retained.
Another great option for a Master's Program is a Masters program in Cybersecurity from New York University. NYU offers a Cyber Fellows' scholarship which can cover up to 75% of the cost of tuition and they are also one of the founding universities of the Cyber Talent Hub. NYU is paving the way for the next generation of cybersecurity professionals.
For those looking at doctorate level degrees, you most likely already know what you want out of your degree and what you expect to give to the cyber community in return. Dakota State University has become a major player in cybersecurity education and Purdue offers a remote PhD in Technology.
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