Here Are 3 Reasons Why You Should Start a Cybersecurity Career in NYC

As they say, if you can make it in the Big Apple, you can make it anywhere. New York City is home to some of the world’s largest companies. It’s a tech epicenter where industry giants and fast-growing startups thrive with the support of a robust and inclusive community. 

With its importance in the global economy, New York City needs cybersecurity talent. Here’s why you should consider a cybersecurity career in New York City.

Cybersecurity demand is growing

The United States has a cybersecurity talent shortage, according to CyberSeek. New York had an estimated existing cybersecurity workforce of 45,751 in 2017 and that number is expected to increase in the coming years. With 14,698 total cybersecurity job openings in NYC between 2017 and 2018, according to CyberSeek, companies were looking to add close to a third of the existing workforce in just one year. Top jobs in New York include Cybersecurity Engineer, Cybersecurity Analyst, Cybersecurity Manager, and Vulnerability Analyst. The average salary for a cybersecurity analyst in New York City was $87,579, per Glassdoor.

Companies across all industries — including finance, tech, and retail — need to hire cybersecurity talent in response to increased ransomware attacks and data breaches. That’s among the reasons why Computer System and Cybersecurity Analysts occupations increased 3.2% year-over-year in 2018, according to the CompTIA CyberStates report. Speaking of cybersecurity threats…

Data breaches and hacks are on the rise

It feels like there are new ransomware attacks reported every day. Ransomware attacks against enterprise businesses increased 500% in Q1 2019 compared to the same time last year, according to the Malwarebytes Labs Cybercrime Tactics and Techniques Q1 2019 report. While we continue to add more talent to the field of cybersecurity as well as better defend the information we protect, threat actors continue to think of ways to outmaneuver our defenses.  This creates many challenges for individuals working in this field, but also many rewarding opportunities.  

If you are looking for a career where every day is a new puzzle to solve, you should really consider what a career in cybersecurity can be for you. 

Large corporations are not the only targets by the way. In the 2018 Cisco Cybersecurity Report: Special Edition SMB, 53% of midmarket companies said they experienced a breach. Cybercrime damages are predicted to reach $6 trillion by 2021, according to Cybersecurity Ventures. More and more we are seeing small to midsize business becoming victims of information theft or ransom attacks. If you enjoy working in smaller companies, but still want to work in cybersecurity, there is plenty of opportunity here as well.

The capital of cybersecurity?

With so many financial institutions in New York City — along with all the other companies that have offices and headquarters in the city — it makes sense that cybersecurity is a top priority for every industry. One reason why cybersecurity is a top priority for financial institutions is because they are highly regulated by the government. As a result, these financial institutions are starving for cybersecurity talent in order to not only meet the demands of remaining compliant, but also in defending all of our information from nefarious actors. 

For example, the New York Department of Financial Services Cybersecurity Regulation (23 NYCRR 500) came into effect on March 1, 2017. “By March 1, 2019, all banks, insurance companies, and other financial services institutions and licensees regulated by DFS will be required to have a robust cybersecurity program in place that is designed to protect consumers' private data,” reads a memo from Superintendent Maria T. Vulo. Financial institutions in New York need cybersecurity talent to comply with these regulations. There’s also the Cyber NYC initiative, a $100 million private-public partnership that aims to “catalyze 10,000 jobs.” 

Beyond the financial institutions in this thriving city, the private sector has pushed for increased cybersecurity and these efforts have been met with great support from the state and local government.

If you want to be part of this exciting and necessary career field, check out the cybersecurity engineering bootcamp at Flatiron School. In 12 weeks, you can learn the skills you need to become a professional cybersecurity analyst in NYC. Our cybersecurity program allows people with little to no technical experience to succeed in roles such as Threat Intel Analysts, SOC Analysts, Compliance Analysts, and Consultants. 

If you want to learn more about Flatiron School’s New York campus and our course offerings, such as Cybersecurity Analytics, you can contact Flatiron School at Admissions@flatironschool.com. We encourage anyone who’s interested in attending Flatiron School to schedule a 10-minute chat with admissions. They’d be delighted to hear from you!

Disclaimer: The information in this blog is current as of November 5, 2019. Current policies, offerings, procedures, and programs may differ.