Major decision guide
Cybersecurity vs Information Technology
Information technology builds and operates an organization's systems; cybersecurity defends them. The curricula share a foundation in networking and systems administration, then diverge: IT adds breadth across the whole environment, while cybersecurity goes deep on threats, cryptography, incident response, and governance.
How each major is officially classified
Both definitions below are the official U.S. Department of Education (NCES) CIP 2020 descriptions — not CampusPin summaries.
CIP 11.1003
Cybersecurity
Official title: Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance · Family: computer and information sciences and support services
A program that prepares individuals to assess the security needs of computer and network systems, recommend safeguard solutions, and manage the implementation, auditing, and maintenance of security devices, systems, and procedures. Includes instruction in computer architecture, programming, and systems analysis; networking; telecommunications; cryptography; security system auditing and design; applicable law and regulations; risk assessment and policy analysis; contingency planning; user access issues; investigation techniques; and troubleshooting.
CIP 11.0103
Information Technology
Official title: Information Technology · Family: computer and information sciences and support services
A program that focuses on the design of technological information systems, including computing systems, as solutions to business and research data and communications support needs. Includes instruction in the principles of computer hardware and software components, algorithms, databases, telecommunications, user tactics, application testing, and human interface design.
What you actually study
Cybersecurity
- Network and protocol security (TCP/IP, TLS, DNS security, firewalls, IDS/IPS)
- Cryptography fundamentals and applied use
- Penetration testing, ethical hacking, and red-team techniques
- Secure software development practices and code review
- Digital forensics and incident response
- Risk management frameworks (NIST CSF, ISO 27001) and governance
- Security operations center (SOC) workflows
Information Technology
- Network architecture and administration (LAN/WAN, routing, switching)
- Systems administration on Windows, Linux, and macOS
- Cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud)
- Database administration and SQL
- IT project management and ITIL fundamentals
- Business systems analysis and requirements
- Information assurance and basic security operations
Where each major leads
The federal CIP–SOC crosswalk maps each academic program to the occupations it is designed to feed. Comparing the two lists shows where Cybersecurity and Information Technology converge and where they part. Every wage below is the BLS 2024 national median for that occupation — not an outcome for the major, and not a starting salary.
Mapped to both (4)
Occupations the federal crosswalk associates with both programs.
Computer and Information Systems Managers
$171,200 annual median (2024)
Typically enters with: Bachelor's degree. Employment is projected to grow 15.2% 2024–2034.
$124,910 annual median (2024)
Typically enters with: Bachelor's degree. Employment is projected to grow 28.5% 2024–2034.
$130,390 annual median (2024)
Typically enters with: Bachelor's degree. Employment is projected to grow 11.9% 2024–2034.
$135,980 annual median (2024)
Typically enters with: Bachelor's degree. Employment is projected to grow 8.7% 2024–2034.
Mapped to Cybersecurity only (3)
The crosswalk associates these with Cybersecurity but not with Information Technology. Graduates of either major are still hired into many of them.
Computer Network Support Specialists
$73,340 annual median (2024)
Typically enters with: Associate's degree. Employment is projected to grow 1.8% 2024–2034.
$104,620 annual median (2024)
Typically enters with: Bachelor's degree. Employment is projected to decline 0.7% 2024–2034.
Network and Computer Systems Administrators
$96,800 annual median (2024)
Typically enters with: Bachelor's degree. Employment is projected to decline 4.2% 2024–2034.
Mapped to Information Technology only (5)
The crosswalk associates these with Information Technology but not with Cybersecurity. Graduates of either major are still hired into many of them.
$103,790 annual median (2024)
Typically enters with: Bachelor's degree. Employment is projected to grow 8.7% 2024–2034.
Computer and Information Research Scientists
$140,910 annual median (2024)
Typically enters with: Master's degree. Employment is projected to grow 19.7% 2024–2034.
$133,080 annual median (2024)
Typically enters with: Bachelor's degree. Employment is projected to grow 15.8% 2024–2034.
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers
$102,610 annual median (2024)
Typically enters with: Bachelor's degree. Employment is projected to grow 10.0% 2024–2034.
$112,590 annual median (2024)
Typically enters with: Bachelor's degree. Employment is projected to grow 33.5% 2024–2034.
A major does not restrict you to these occupations, and plenty of graduates work outside them. The mapping describes what each program is built to prepare you for.
Which one tends to suit which student
This part is CampusPin’s judgement, not a measurement. Neither major is better; they suit different temperaments.
Cybersecurity may fit if…
You are drawn to the adversarial side — thinking about how something breaks, how an attacker would approach it, and how to detect that it happened.
Information Technology may fit if…
You would rather learn the whole environment before specializing in defending it, and you are comfortable moving toward security later through certifications or on-the-job experience.
Commonly misunderstood
Job titles containing "security" are not always entry-level: many postings expect prior systems, networking, or helpdesk experience, and some graduates reach security work through an IT role rather than straight out of the degree. Ask each program directly where its graduates land in their first year rather than assuming the title on the diploma maps to the first job.
What to ask each department
Curricula vary far more between institutions than between these two majors. These questions surface the differences that actually matter for this choice.
- 1Does the cybersecurity program have a hands-on lab environment, and do students run offensive as well as defensive exercises?
- 2Is the program designated a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity, and does that matter for the employers I want?
- 3How much networking and systems administration is in the security degree? Security without that foundation is a common weakness.
- 4Which certifications does each program prepare me for, and are exam costs included?
How this comparison was built
The occupation lists come from the official NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk, which maps each academic program to the occupations it prepares students for. CampusPin intersects the two programs’ lists to show the shared and distinct destinations; the grouping is arithmetic on a federal dataset, not an editorial ranking.
Wages, projected employment change, and typical entry-level education come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and are attached to the occupation, not to the major. A median is the midpoint for everyone in that occupation nationally, including people with decades of experience, so it is not a starting salary and not a promise.
The “which one tends to suit which student” and “what to ask” sections are editorial judgement, labelled as such. CampusPin does not rank majors and takes no position on which is worth more.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between a Cybersecurity and a Information Technology major?
- Information technology builds and operates an organization's systems; cybersecurity defends them. The curricula share a foundation in networking and systems administration, then diverge: IT adds breadth across the whole environment, while cybersecurity goes deep on threats, cryptography, incident response, and governance.
- Do Cybersecurity and Information Technology lead to the same jobs?
- Partly. The federal CIP–SOC crosswalk maps both programs to 4 of the same occupations — including Computer and Information Systems Managers, Information Security Analysts, Computer Network Architects. It also maps 3 occupations to Cybersecurity that it does not map to Information Technology, and 5 to Information Technology that it does not map to Cybersecurity. A degree is not a restriction — graduates work outside these lists routinely — but the mapping shows where each program is designed to lead.
- Which pays more, Cybersecurity or Information Technology?
- CampusPin does not publish a "higher-paying major" answer, because the data does not support one. BLS reports median wages by OCCUPATION, not by college major, and both of these majors lead to a range of occupations that overlap. The per-occupation medians on this page are the honest version of that question: compare the specific roles you are actually interested in, and remember that pay varies widely by employer, region, and experience.
- Is there anything commonly misunderstood about choosing between Cybersecurity and Information Technology?
- Job titles containing "security" are not always entry-level: many postings expect prior systems, networking, or helpdesk experience, and some graduates reach security work through an IT role rather than straight out of the degree. Ask each program directly where its graduates land in their first year rather than assuming the title on the diploma maps to the first job.
Read the full major guides
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Data sources & methodology
Academic classifications, occupation mappings, and wage figures for Cybersecurity and Information Technology come from federal datasets committed to this site.
Sources used across this page
Not every source informs every figure. Each data point draws on the source appropriate to it see the relevant section and the data dictionary for field-level provenance.
NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020)
Official academic program taxonomy: the code, title, and definition shown for each major.
NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 Crosswalk
The federal mapping from academic programs to occupations. Determines which occupations each major is shown as leading to.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook
Median annual wage, projected employment change, and typical entry-level education for every occupation named.
IPEDS / NCES College Navigator
Federal enrollment, admissions, tuition, retention, and program data. Released annually with a 1–2 year lag.
Where a value is unavailable it is shown as unavailable, never as 0, free, or a negative judgment. Always confirm final details with the institution before applying.
Suggested citation
CampusPin. Cybersecurity vs Information Technology: How to Choose a Major. Retrieved from https://campuspin.com/compare-majors/cybersecurity-vs-information-technology