Cybersecurity major

Cybersecurity: courses, careers, and where to study

Cybersecurity prepares graduates to defend networks, systems, and data, combining computing fundamentals with offensive and defensive security techniques and the policy frameworks that govern them.

A Cybersecurity major covers network security, cryptography, secure software engineering, digital forensics, incident response, risk management, and the legal and regulatory frameworks (NIST, GDPR, HIPAA, PCI-DSS) governing information security. Most programs share a foundational year with Computer Science before diverging into security-specific upper-division coursework.

Demand has outpaced supply for years, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 33 % growth in information security analyst roles between 2023 and 2033, far above the 4 % average across all occupations. Cybersecurity graduates work in industry, financial services, healthcare, defense, and government.

Academic classification (CIP)

In the federal Classification of Instructional Programs, Cybersecurity maps to CIP 11.1003, Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance, within the COMPUTER AND INFORMATION SCIENCES AND SUPPORT SERVICES family. The official definition:

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.

Source: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020. View on nces.ed.gov

What you'll study

  • 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
  • Cloud security (AWS, Azure, GCP)

Typical careers

  • Cybersecurity Analyst
  • Penetration Tester
  • Security Engineer
  • Incident Response Analyst
  • Security Consultant
  • CISO (career path)

Typical salary range: $72,000–$120,000 early-career (BLS, 2024 information security analysts median $124,910)Ranges are early-career estimates. Any BLS figure shown is the occupation-wide median across all experience levels, not a starting wage, and is informational only.

Related occupations

Occupations the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk associates with Cybersecurity. Linked titles open a CampusPin career page with BLS pay and outlook data; others are listed for reference.

Source: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), Crosswalk: CIP 2020 to SOC 2018. A program of study does not guarantee any specific occupation.

Before you commit to a Cybersecurity major

CampusPin does not rank programs. Use these prompts to pressure-test whether a specific Cybersecurity program fits your goals, they are decision questions, not claims about any school.

Ask the Cybersecurity department

  • Which concentrations or specializations are offered, and which faculty lead them?
  • What does the typical course sequence look like, and how much is required vs. elective?
  • What labs, studios, clinical placements, or research opportunities are available to undergraduates?
  • Is there a capstone, thesis, internship, or co-op requirement?

Ask current students & check the curriculum

  • How heavy is the workload, and how accessible is the faculty?
  • What internships or co-ops did you do, and where do recent graduates end up?
  • Does the required curriculum actually match the careers listed above?
  • How easy is it to add a minor, double major, or switch tracks later?
Accreditation & licensure: Engineering and some computing programs may hold ABET accreditation, which can matter for professional licensure (the PE path) and for some employers and graduate schools. Check whether the Cybersecurity programs you are considering are accredited for your goals.
Degree level & graduate study: Many Cybersecuritycareers are open with a bachelor's degree, but some, such as research, advanced-practice, or licensure-track roles, require a master's or doctorate. Check the typical entry-level education on each linked career page above before assuming a bachelor's is enough.

Find a Cybersecurity program

CampusPin lists U.S. universities and community colleges that offer Cybersecurity programs. Filter by state, tuition, school size, acceptance rate, and campus setting, no account required.

Search Cybersecurity schools

Cybersecurity by state

Related majors

How this guide is sourced

This is an editorial guide from the CampusPin Editorial Team. Career and wage figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupation-wide medians across all experience levels, not starting wages, and link to each career page. Program availability comes from CampusPin's free institution search; CampusPin does not assert that any specific school offers this exact major until that program data is verified. Last reviewed 2026-06-15. How CampusPin sources data · Report a correction.