How Cybersecurity Programs Grow College Enrollment And Help Companies

The Rising Demand For Cybersecurity Education

The urgency for trained cybersecurity professionals can't be overstated, with incidents such as the 2023 MOVEit cyberattack that impacted nearly 900 educational institutions. Cyberattacks aside, the recent CrowdStrike outage that paralyzed airlines and several other industries showcases the need for highly skilled cybersecurity professionals across industries. A 2024 IBM report highlighting a significant rise in the cost of breaches—up 10% to an average of $4.88 million—underscores the increasing stakes.

This growing threat landscape is prompting a surge in student interest in college cybersecurity programs. From 2016 to 2021, cybersecurity program completions jumped from 10,013 graduates to 23,746, marking an annual growth rate of 19%, according to research from Gray Di.

These numbers not only demonstrate a clear demand for education in this field but also hint at the potential for job placement post-graduation, with over 334,000 job postings in related fields in just the first half of 2023. The demand extends across various educational levels, from associate to doctoral degrees, indicating broad opportunities for institutions to expand their offerings.

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