Mixed, San Francisco (4,520 cybersecurity jobs) and Seattle (3,910) accounted for almost 47% of all cybersecurity roles throughout the highest 10 cities. But, regardless of its dimension, Seattle was the one metropolis within the high 10 to put up a unfavourable YoY change in employment at -8.6%. This downturn could sign that Seattle is likely one of the main markets dropping jobs to rising, lower-cost tech hubs. Cybersecurity professionals based mostly there could face larger competitors in a contracting market. Nonetheless, the long-term benefit of getting Microsoft, Amazon, or different tech giants in your resume is a robust incentive to climate the short-term headwinds.
Bonus: Boston
For some cybersecurity professionals, a well-paying job is only a stepping stone. Their purpose could as an alternative be to launch their very own cybersecurity startup — particularly as rising applied sciences akin to AI, blockchain, and IoT create new assault surfaces and corresponding enterprise alternatives. A lot of immediately’s trade giants — CrowdStrike, SentinelOne, Darktrace, Wiz, Irregular Safety, and Snyk — have been as soon as bold upstarts based by area specialists who noticed gaps available in the market.
Others intention to affix a rising tech firm early, securing a cybersecurity position at a high-growth startup with the potential for a major monetary upside. For instance, one survey discovered that 76% of Nvidia staff have been millionaires thanks primarily to their inventory choices — a robust instance of what early-stage fairness can ship.
Boston presents a compelling mix of alternative and entry for professionals with this mindset. Ranked first in enterprise capital, Massachusetts is a nationwide hotspot for startup exercise and scaleup momentum. Boston ranks twelfth on the Cybersecurity Job Index with a rating of 6.3 and noticed a 14.6% YoY enhance in employment to three,920 jobs and a 6.9% YoY wage rise to a $132,810 common. As not only a school city however arguably the very best one, Boston presents founder-inclined cyber execs entry to a deep expertise pool from Harvard, MIT, Boston School, Boston College, Northeastern, and plenty of extra.
The tradeoff is the price of dwelling. Massachusetts ranks forty seventh, making it probably the most costly states to stay in. However for these betting on the following large factor, the potential returns — professionally and financially — may far outweigh the price of eggs. Cyber execs who aren’t drawn to dwelling in Boston however are looking for the same alternative profile could need to think about New York Metropolis in its place.
Bonus: Birmingham, Ala.
As soon as nicknamed the “Magic Metropolis” for its explosive progress within the late 1800s, Alabama could also be incomes that title once more — this time for its rising profile in cybersecurity. Ranked seventeenth on the Cybersecurity Job Index with a rating of 5.9, Birmingham has skilled modest YoY progress in employment of 9.1% to 600 jobs and in wages of 6.5% to $106,010.
What makes Birmingham compelling is its exceptionally low price of dwelling. Alabama ranks third nationally, behind solely Arkansas and Mississippi — two states with no cities featured on Upwind’s record. For professionals pursuing a high-salary, low-cost-of-living technique — akin to these fascinated by monetary independence, retire early (FIRE) — Birmingham presents a uncommon alternative to stretch revenue with out sacrificing profession prospects.
Town can be dwelling to a number of notable tech firms, together with Shipt, McLeod Software program, Atlas RFID Options, EBSCO Industries, and Fleetio, which not too long ago secured a $450 million Collection D. This important inflow of capital right into a Birmingham-headquartered firm suggests rising enterprise capital confidence within the native tech ecosystem — whilst Alabama at the moment ranks solely twenty fifth in enterprise capital. Excessive-profile offers like this will assist draw extra investor consideration to town and, in flip, spur the creation of recent cybersecurity job alternatives.
