From: Los Angeles Times
By Paresh Dave
Workers in the cybersecurity industry make an average of $116,000 a year, according to a survey by an organization looking to draw more of that talent to Virginia.
A third of the workers were drawn to cybersecurity in college, and a majority said they’ve been driven by the interesting challenge of defending computer systems from hackers. Less than half had a bachelor’s degree in computer science, math or electrical engineering.
The survey of 500 workers by Semper Secure also revealed that 44% of the workers considered the Washington region as the center of cybersecurity innovation.
California was in second place at 33% even though an equal number of survey respondents came from each location. That sentiment could be worrisome for California’s growing cybersecurity industry.
Semper Secure, a public-private partnership with members from both government and industry executives in Virginia, suggested that companies in their state emphasize ties to Washington and “call out what differentiates” the state.
“For top talent, cybersecurity isn’t about just a job and a paycheck,” Jim Duffey, Virginia’s technology secretary, said in a statement. “It is about the hottest technology, deployed by honorable organizations, for a purpose that is inherently important. It is no surprise that Virginia is an ideal location for these types of people.”
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