Cybersecurity as a field has been growing at a rapid rate for years. This growth in turn has led to an increased demand for qualified professionals and talents in the industry. This is partly due to the fact that now more than ever, businesses need help with protecting their data from cyber threats. If you have been searching for cybersecurity jobs in the USA with visa sponsorship, this article will guide you through the process.
Lots of positions in the cybersecurity field are still unfilled because of the shortage of talents in the United States. This has pushed many recruiters to sorting for talents outside the shores of the United States.
The Cybersecurity Talent Shortage In The United States
A report from the Center for Cyber Safety and Education stated that there is going to be a global shortage of cybersecurity professionals beyond year 2022. In only the United States, the number of unfilled cybersecurity positions was estimated to be about 300,000. The shortage keeps deepening in this sector and companies are actively scouting for talents. This is where you come in.
Note that a shortage does not mean sub-qualified people will be hired. You need to have the right educational background, skills and experience to be hired for these positions.
Cybersecurity Jobs in the United States with Visa Sponsorship
Companies that hire international candidates to fill their cybersecurity openings often offer a visa sponsorship as part of the job package. This is done to attract the very best in the field. Visa sponsorships will allow their prospective employees relocate from their home countries to live in and work in the United States. For talents like you desiring this, this is a great perk.
As such, the competition for these roles can be equally fierce so you will need to be ready to put in the needed work. Companies offer various visas to employees, with H-1B visa specifically designed for skilled foreign workers.
To get these opportunities, you need more than a background in cybersecurity. You need to chose an area you would like to work in and be very good at it. There are many cybersecurity jobs in the USA with visa sponsorship and some of the most common open positions or titles include:
Security Analysts
Security Analysts are professionals that are charged with the duty of finding or identifying and analyzing possible cyber threats to an organization’s networks and computer systems. Their main responsibility is devising strategies to prevent and mitigate cyber attacks successfully.
Other roles may include watching and analyzing security logs in order to detect threats early on. Even as a security analysts, you are likely to specialize further after years of work. Areas you can specialize in range from artificial intelligence to network security and malware analysis.
Penetration Testers
As a penetration tester, your role is to test networks and systems for security weaknesses and vulnerabilities.
Asides identifying these risk factors, they also collaborate with other cybersecurity professionals in developing strategies to prevent attacks. Specialties in this cybersecurity discipline include network architecture, cryptography, and programming.
Network Security Engineers
Network security engineers are responsible for creating or designing, carrying out or implementing and maintaining the network security infrastructure of an organization. Their work is meant to seal all loopholes that could lead to a cyber attack.
Common specializations for network security engineers are firewalls, intrusion detection systems and network architecture.
Cryptographers
Cryptographers develop and implement encryption algorithms as well as protocols that would secure the databases, networks and computer systems of an organization. They are tasked with the protection of the company’s sensitive data and communications. They also analyze the effectiveness of these encryption technologies routinely.
Cryptographers can specialize in mathematics, cryptography or computer science depending on the foundational education received.
These are common titles you can search for on popular job boards like LinkedIn, and Indeed. You can also try to attend networking events to gain connections that can refer you or inform you of open positions. Job board applications require persistence; keep applying until you secure your dream role.
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Salary Of Cybersecurity Professionals In USA
As organizations continue to digitize their presence and operations while storing sensitive information online, the demand for cybersecurity professionals to protect these data increases and this reflects the salary package.
Average high salary for US cybersecurity pros depends on factors like education, experience, certifications, and job role.
Based on data gotten from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average pay for security analysts in 2020 was $103,590. The top 10% earners were paid over $158,860 and the lowest earners were paid around $57,810. The pay differs widely across states but the range has been consistent between $70,000 and $200,000 yearly.
The salary is also dependent on the industry where the cybersecurity professional works in. For instance, businesses and organizations in finance and insurance pay their cybersecurity professionals more than those in say healthcare or education. A report by CyberSeek showed that the salary disparity between cybersecurity experts in finance and healthcare differed by about $21,000. With those in healthcare earning around $82,000 yearly while those in finance earning $103,000.
Level of education can impact the salary of cybersecurity professionals in the USA. Bachelor’s or higher degrees lead to higher earnings compared to high school diploma or associate degree, though not mandatory.
Also, certifications just like degrees affects the kind of pay that these professionals command. Cybersecurity professionals that possess industry vetted certifications like the CISSP, Certified Information Systems Professional or the CEH, Certified Ethical Hacker will likely earn more compared to professionals with no certification. A professional with the CISSP certification will earn a median wage of $141,452 yearly while a professional with the CEH certification will earn an average of $120,000 per year.
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Conclusion on: Cybersecurity Jobs In USA With Visa Sponsorship
Cybersecurity professionals have a good chance of getting sponsored jobs in the USA due to talent demand shortages.
To get these jobs, you would need a solid educational background in cybersecurity or a related field, proven work experience, relevant skills and possibly industry recognized certifications. These factors also play a role in determining how high your pay will be.
