Mixed, San Francisco (4,520 cybersecurity jobs) and Seattle (3,910) accounted for practically 47% of all cybersecurity roles throughout the highest 10 cities. But, regardless of its measurement, Seattle was the one metropolis within the high 10 to put up a adverse YoY change in employment at -8.6%. This downturn might sign that Seattle is likely one of the major markets shedding jobs to rising, lower-cost tech hubs. Cybersecurity professionals based mostly there might face larger competitors in a contracting market. Nonetheless, the long-term benefit of getting Microsoft, Amazon, or different tech giants in your resume is a strong incentive to climate the short-term headwinds.
Bonus: Boston
For some cybersecurity professionals, a well-paying job is only a stepping stone. Their purpose might as an alternative be to launch their very own cybersecurity startup — particularly as rising applied sciences resembling AI, blockchain, and IoT create new assault surfaces and corresponding enterprise alternatives. Lots of right now’s business giants — CrowdStrike, SentinelOne, Darktrace, Wiz, Irregular Safety, and Snyk — have been as soon as formidable upstarts based by area specialists who noticed gaps available in the market.
Others intention to hitch a rising tech firm early, securing a cybersecurity position at a high-growth startup with the potential for a big monetary upside. For instance, one survey discovered that 76% of Nvidia staff have been millionaires thanks primarily to their inventory choices — a strong instance of what early-stage fairness can ship.
Boston gives a compelling mix of alternative and entry for professionals with this mindset. Ranked first in enterprise capital, Massachusetts is a nationwide hotspot for startup exercise and scaleup momentum. Boston ranks twelfth on the Cybersecurity Job Index with a rating of 6.3 and noticed a 14.6% YoY improve in employment to three,920 jobs and a 6.9% YoY wage rise to a $132,810 common. As not only a faculty city however arguably the perfect one, Boston gives founder-inclined cyber execs entry to a deep expertise pool from Harvard, MIT, Boston Faculty, Boston College, Northeastern, and plenty of extra.
The tradeoff is the price of dwelling. Massachusetts ranks forty seventh, making it one of the costly states to dwell in. However for these betting on the following huge factor, the potential returns — professionally and financially — might far outweigh the price of eggs. Cyber execs who aren’t drawn to dwelling in Boston however are searching for the same alternative profile might need to think about New York Metropolis as a substitute.
Bonus: Birmingham, Ala.
As soon as nicknamed the “Magic Metropolis” for its explosive development within the late 1800s, Alabama could also be incomes that title once more — this time for its rising profile in cybersecurity. Ranked seventeenth on the Cybersecurity Job Index with a rating of 5.9, Birmingham has skilled modest YoY development in employment of 9.1% to 600 jobs and in wages of 6.5% to $106,010.
What makes Birmingham compelling is its exceptionally low price of dwelling. Alabama ranks third nationally, behind solely Arkansas and Mississippi — two states with no cities featured on Upwind’s record. For professionals pursuing a high-salary, low-cost-of-living technique — resembling these fascinated by monetary independence, retire early (FIRE) — Birmingham presents a uncommon alternative to stretch earnings with out sacrificing profession prospects.
The town can be house to a number of notable tech corporations, together with Shipt, McLeod Software program, Atlas RFID Options, EBSCO Industries, and Fleetio, which just lately secured a $450 million Collection D. This vital inflow of capital right into a Birmingham-headquartered firm suggests rising enterprise capital confidence within the native tech ecosystem — whilst Alabama at the moment ranks solely twenty fifth in enterprise capital. Excessive-profile offers like this may increasingly assist draw extra investor consideration to town and, in flip, spur the creation of recent cybersecurity job alternatives.
