Thoughts on a Master's in Cybersecurity (especially for gov work)?
I'm starting college this fall and strongly considering a Computer Science B.S. degree. My end goal would definitely be Cybersecurity, but from what I've read, a Cybersecurity B.S. is less employable and less flexible. There is a Security "concentration" in my CS degree that I would probably choose, although this option isn't ABET-accredited (but the "general CS" option is ABET-accredited). The B.S. in Cybersecurity at my school is NSA CAE-CD accredited. Does the ABET accreditation matter, especially for government jobs?
Speaking of! I want to work in Cybersecurity, but more specifically for the Federal Gov. I personally would rather take the stability and especially the government benefits in the public sector over the higher pay but layoffs, higher stress, and worse benefits in the private sector. This is also partly because I have a chronic health issue and good healthcare coverage is essential for me.
So here's my main question(s): 1. Which degree option is best? CompSci Security? CompSci general? Cybersecurity? And 2. is a Master's in this field worth it? Ever since I was younger, it was my plan to get a Master's I absolutely love learning, so I always just pictured myself continuing my education after my B.S. to gain more in-depth knowledge in the field. I am a huge STEM nerd and really love science and math, so I'm wondering if a M.S. would allow me to do more intellectually challenging / higher level work in this field, especially for the feds. Is a M.S. generally valued by federal employers? If I get a M.S., which would be best? A general CS master's? A CS master's with a specialization in Cybersecurity/some aspect of Cybersecurity? Or a M.S. directly in Cybersecurity?
Also, how competitive is it to land government roles in this industry? Being able to work for the feds sounds a lot more appealing to me than the private sector does and sounds really exciting. Thanks so much in advance!
10 Replies
as someone entering a infosec masters, the biggest thing you'd get from MS is graduating into (hopefully) a much better job market, at least if you're based in USA
thanks 👍
ABET is more important for Engineering than CS.
only problem with going into MS is you do have to be careful with requirements
because the programi was accepted into actually has a very high acceptance rate but very high requirements
so that's a factor
CS is a general purpose degree that will help with entry level jobs in a wide range. If you're specifically looking to get into development, go for it. A Cybersecurity degree will give you a foundation for getting an entry level cybersecurity degree. An MS is more important for getting a raise after you've got some experience. It may or may not help you get an entry level position.
id say in terms of getting a job with your BS... i mean uber will always take you
but at least for the next few months until maybe jan 2026, in terms of gainful employment, you're out of luck
Focus more on getting IT experience or some form of experience while getting your degree. Experience trumps degree 9 times out of 10
Really it depends on what you want to do specifically
if you do go into MS, try to get into a school that can hire you for student work
so you have some relevant student experience either as a IT assistant or a helpdesk or a teaching assistant
Yeah I’ve read that. Problem is it looks like the tech market is totally destroyed right now lol
@Skid Patrol :eyeroll:
@George Brave you can keep discussions here instead of cryptic "dm me" stuff lol