It’s not hard to figure out why so many international students flock to the U.S. for an education in cybersecurity.
Global interest in cybersecurity is booming. The risk and security website CSO says the world cybersecurity market stands at $75 billion and will increase to $170 billion by 2020. And in 2014, there were 1 million unfilled cybersecurity jobs globally, according to George Mason University.
To meet the needs of this growing industry, hundreds of colleges and universities in the United States offer cybersecurity degrees, ranging from two-year degrees to doctoral programs.
Cybersecurity encompasses the technologies, processes and practices that protect networks and computers from attack, damage or unauthorized access, said Daniel Vogel, director of technology studies at Hagerstown Community College in Maryland.
“The growing global job market for jobs in cybersecurity, as well as the potential for high earnings,” is spurring student interest in the field, Vogel said.
Dozens of U.S. colleges and universities now qualify as National Centers of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance — a designation that ensures high-quality education in the field, he said.
“Job prospects will be best for college graduates who possess the latest technological skills, particularly graduates who have supplemented their formal education with relevant work experience,” Vogel said.
About 886,000 international students studied in the U.S. during the 2013–2014 academic year. Take the first steps to learn about studying in the U.S. and share the experience already enjoyed by millions from around the world.