Best degree programs for Information Security Analysts, ranked by enrollment
9 college programs and 1,997 schools train Information Security Analysts. Compare graduates per year, cost and pay, $129,180 median wage, 190,650 U.S. jobs. Federal data.
9 college programs at 1,997 schools train information security analysts, graduating 213,208 people a year (IPEDS completions). The largest is Computer Science. The job pays a median of $129,180 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
About information security analysts
Plan, implement, upgrade, or monitor security measures for the protection of computer networks and information. Assess system vulnerabilities for security risks and propose and implement risk mitigation strategies. May ensure appropriate security controls are in place that will safeguard digital files and vital electronic infrastructure. May respond to computer security breaches and viruses.
Fields of study that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level, the tier our program pages are built on. Numbers are graduates per year.
9 degree programs that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are College Scorecard figures for people who finished the program, reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. That is a different measurement from the occupation-wide wages further down this page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 11.0701 | 88,326 | 41.4% | 1,033 | $70,374 | $23,250 |
| 2 | CIP 11.0103 | 48,440 | 22.7% | 671 | $57,986 | $24,286 |
| 3 | CIP 11.1003 | 48,110 | 22.6% | 905 | $48,185 | $25,250 |
| 4 | CIP 11.0901 | 15,062 | 7.1% | 463 | $43,901 | $22,822 |
| 5 | CIP 11.1001 | 5,461 | 2.6% | 204 | $48,185 | $25,250 |
| 6 | CIP 11.1005 | 3,763 | 1.8% | 80 | $48,185 | $25,250 |
| 7 | CIP 43.0403 | 2,457 | 1.2% | 126 | $40,889 | $25,000 |
| 8 | CIP 11.1002 | 1,582 | 0.7% | 72 | $48,185 | $25,250 |
| 9 | CIP 51.0723 | 7 | 0.0% | 2 | $30,774 | $17,375 |
Top 50 schools by graduates into this job
Counting every feeder program a school offers, not just its largest one.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western Governors University Salt Lake City, UT Private not-for-profit · 5 feeder programs | 9,022 | Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance | 46% | $11,580 | — |
| 2 | DeVry University - Illinois Lisle, IL Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 4,559 | Information Technology | 37% | $32,381 | 98% |
| 3 | University of Maryland Global Campus Adelphi, MD Public · 3 feeder programs | 3,281 | Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance | 33% | — | — |
| 4 | Southern New Hampshire University Manchester, NH Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 3,205 | Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance | 43% | $34,565 | 100% |
| 5 | University of Phoenix - Arizona Phoenix, AZ Private for-profit · 5 feeder programs | 2,655 | Information Technology | 21% | $15,478 | — |
| 6 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZ Public · 3 feeder programs | 2,030 | Computer Science | 68% | — | 90% |
| 7 | University of Central Missouri Warrensburg, MO Public · 4 feeder programs | 2,004 | Computer Science | 54% | — | 64% |
| 8 | MyComputerCareer at Raleigh Raleigh, NC Private for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 1,963 | Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications | 60% | $26,791 | — |
| 9 | Purdue University Global West Lafayette, IN Public · 3 feeder programs | 1,924 | Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance | 50% | — | — |
| 10 | University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign Champaign, IL Public · 1 feeder programs | 1,684 | Computer Science | 85% | — | 42% |
| 11 | University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 1,636 | Computer Science | 92% | $26,873 | 10% |
| 12 | Purdue University - Main Campus West Lafayette, IN Public · 4 feeder programs | 1,530 | Computer Science | 83% | — | 50% |
| 13 | Cornell University Ithaca, NY Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 1,528 | Computer Science | 95% | $17,613 | 9% |
| 14 | University of Maryland - College Park College Park, MD Public · 2 feeder programs | 1,523 | Computer Science | 89% | — | 45% |
| 15 | MyComputerCareer at Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN Private for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 1,509 | Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications | 69% | $26,295 | — |
| 16 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NC Public · 3 feeder programs | 1,507 | Computer Science | 69% | — | 80% |
| 17 | Northern Virginia Community College Annandale, VA Public · 3 feeder programs | 1,460 | Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance | 33% | — | — |
| 18 | Collin County Community College District McKinney, TX Public · 2 feeder programs | 1,453 | Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance | 20% | — | — |
| 19 | Wake Technical Community College Raleigh, NC Public · 1 feeder programs | 1,430 | Information Technology | 33% | — | — |
| 20 | Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA Private not-for-profit · 5 feeder programs | 1,370 | Information Technology | 94% | $23,803 | 12% |
| 21 | Oregon State University Corvallis, OR Public · 2 feeder programs | 1,303 | Computer Science | 70% | — | 77% |
| 22 | MyComputerCareer at Columbus Columbus, OH Private for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 1,293 | Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications | 70% | $26,186 | — |
| 23 | University of the Cumberlands Williamsburg, KY Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 1,216 | Information Technology | 50% | $11,672 | 99% |
| 24 | Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 1,200 | Computer Science | 75% | $19,899 | 55% |
| 25 | University of California - San Diego La Jolla, CA Public · 3 feeder programs | 1,117 | Computer Science | 86% | — | 27% |
| 26 | Wilmington University New Castle, DE Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 1,112 | Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance | 20% | $16,588 | — |
| 27 | American Public University System Charles Town, WV Private for-profit · 5 feeder programs | 1,073 | Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance | 57% | $10,199 | — |
| 28 | Stanford University Stanford, CA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 1,018 | Computer Science | 92% | $12,032 | 4% |
| 29 | University of Cincinnati - Main Campus Cincinnati, OH Public · 4 feeder programs | 1,016 | Information Technology | 75% | — | 85% |
| 30 | Kennesaw State University Kennesaw, GA Public · 3 feeder programs | 1,006 | Computer Science | 52% | — | 69% |
| 31 | Colorado State University Global Denver, CO Public · 1 feeder programs | 1,002 | Information Technology | — | — | 98% |
| 32 | University of California - Berkeley Berkeley, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 995 | Computer Science | 93% | — | 11% |
| 33 | ECPI University Virginia Beach, VA Private for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 991 | Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance | 42% | $21,909 | 75% |
| 34 | Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 986 | Computer Science | 96% | $15,315 | 4% |
| 35 | Broward College Fort Lauderdale, FL Public · 4 feeder programs | 961 | Information Technology | 39% | — | — |
| 36 | Colorado Technical University - Colorado Springs Colorado Springs, CO Private for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 950 | Computer Science | 19% | $16,966 | — |
| 37 | Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, AZ Public · 4 feeder programs | 949 | Information Technology | 61% | — | 90% |
| 38 | Miami Dade College Miami, FL Public · 4 feeder programs | 933 | Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance | 46% | — | — |
| 39 | University of Massachusetts - Amherst Amherst, MA Public · 1 feeder programs | 901 | Computer Science | 83% | — | 60% |
| 40 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh, NC Public · 2 feeder programs | 899 | Computer Science | 85% | — | 42% |
| 41 | University of California - Irvine Irvine, CA Public · 2 feeder programs | 858 | Computer Science | 87% | — | 29% |
| 42 | Gwinnett Technical College Lawrenceville, GA Public · 2 feeder programs | 847 | Network and System Administration/Administrator | 32% | — | — |
| 43 | Valencia College Orlando, FL Public · 2 feeder programs | 842 | Network and System Administration/Administrator | 48% | — | — |
| 44 | College of Southern Nevada Las Vegas, NV Public · 6 feeder programs | 835 | Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications | 19% | — | — |
| 45 | Campbellsville University Campbellsville, KY Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 810 | Computer Science | 42% | $18,824 | 80% |
| 46 | University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN Public · 2 feeder programs | 793 | Computer Science | 85% | — | 80% |
| 47 | New York University New York, NY Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 791 | Information Technology Project Management | 88% | $29,023 | 9% |
| 48 | Texas A&M University - College Station College Station, TX Public · 3 feeder programs | 774 | Computer Science | 84% | — | 57% |
| 49 | University of California - Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 764 | Computer Science | 75% | — | 66% |
| 50 | Stevens Institute of Technology Hoboken, NJ Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 757 | Computer Science | 87% | $34,827 | 48% |
What information security analysts earn
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
Top-paying states
Top-paying metro areas
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Where the jobs are, state by state
Pick a state for in-state pay, the schools there, and the programs they run.
| State | Median pay | Jobs | Concentration | Schools | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $138,570 | 15,570 | 0.70× | 192 | 25,671 |
| Illinois | $124,180 | 5,260 | 0.70× | 88 | 13,464 |
| New York | $134,660 | 10,060 | 0.85× | 112 | 12,389 |
| North Carolina | $131,540 | 8,670 | 1.43× | 89 | 12,384 |
| Utah | $99,690 | 1,910 | 0.90× | 20 | 11,716 |
| Texas | $129,890 | 16,130 | 0.94× | 107 | 10,617 |
| Florida | $124,860 | 14,220 | 1.17× | 98 | 10,329 |
| Arizona | $125,260 | 3,420 | 0.86× | 32 | 9,562 |
| Maryland | $139,640 | 8,650 | 2.55× | 36 | 8,323 |
| Georgia | $128,970 | 6,290 | 1.05× | 53 | 7,589 |
| Indiana | $101,420 | 2,260 | 0.58× | 35 | 7,008 |
| Massachusetts | $136,550 | 6,100 | 1.37× | 55 | 6,344 |
| Pennsylvania | $117,770 | 4,660 | 0.63× | 103 | 6,032 |
| Virginia | $134,900 | 19,120 | 3.80× | 55 | 5,829 |
| Ohio | $110,480 | 6,010 | 0.88× | 70 | 5,639 |
| Missouri | $103,440 | 3,260 | 0.91× | 39 | 5,139 |
| Colorado | $135,220 | 5,700 | 1.62× | 31 | 4,748 |
| New Hampshire | $124,000 | 590 | 0.70× | 16 | 4,027 |
| Washington | $154,940 | 6,030 | 1.38× | 49 | 3,940 |
| Minnesota | $130,710 | 2,680 | 0.74× | 53 | 3,222 |
| New Jersey | $134,820 | 4,860 | 0.92× | 41 | 2,977 |
| Kentucky | $103,630 | 1,680 | 0.69× | 21 | 2,819 |
| Tennessee | $115,430 | 3,330 | 0.83× | 52 | 2,770 |
| Michigan | $106,230 | 3,280 | 0.61× | 53 | 2,745 |
| Louisiana | $92,990 | 720 | 0.30× | 26 | 2,204 |
| Oregon | — | 2,250 | 0.93× | 21 | 1,991 |
| Oklahoma | $94,000 | 1,640 | 0.78× | 42 | 1,908 |
| Alabama | $122,730 | 4,010 | 1.55× | 20 | 1,718 |
| Wisconsin | $101,550 | 2,130 | 0.59× | 40 | 1,603 |
| Connecticut | $130,570 | 1,170 | 0.56× | 13 | 1,496 |
| Iowa | $119,710 | 1,160 | 0.61× | 32 | 1,477 |
| District of Columbia | $135,090 | 1,510 | 1.76× | 10 | 1,446 |
| Nevada | $106,200 | 1,330 | 0.70× | 6 | 1,339 |
| Delaware | $137,030 | 720 | 1.21× | 6 | 1,299 |
| Idaho | — | 840 | 0.80× | 10 | 1,163 |
| Mississippi | $87,690 | 480 | 0.33× | 22 | 1,019 |
| Arkansas | $103,490 | 1,460 | 0.91× | 33 | 931 |
| Nebraska | $92,550 | 1,210 | 0.97× | 10 | 868 |
| South Carolina | $105,800 | 1,720 | 0.61× | 32 | 845 |
| Kansas | $100,620 | 1,830 | 1.04× | 28 | 700 |
| Rhode Island | $109,420 | 710 | 1.15× | 11 | 661 |
| Vermont | $109,750 | 220 | 0.59× | 9 | 625 |
| New Mexico | $130,070 | 2,470 | 2.32× | 12 | 448 |
| Maine | $101,730 | 400 | 0.51× | 15 | 391 |
| Hawaii | $126,250 | 580 | 0.75× | 9 | 371 |
| North Dakota | $107,540 | 310 | 0.59× | 11 | 353 |
| South Dakota | $116,640 | 770 | 1.37× | 9 | 330 |
| Montana | $81,950 | 380 | 0.60× | 10 | 280 |
| Wyoming | $98,710 | 140 | 0.39× | 6 | 117 |
| Alaskamoderate | $114,990 | 300 | 0.75× | 3 | 58 |
Skills and tools
From O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupational database. Importance is a 1 to 5 scale.
What they do day to day
- Develop plans to safeguard computer files against accidental or unauthorized modification, destruction, or disclosure and to meet emergency data processing needs.
- Monitor current reports of computer viruses to determine when to update virus protection systems.
- Encrypt data transmissions and erect firewalls to conceal confidential information as it is being transmitted and to keep out tainted digital transfers.
- Perform risk assessments and execute tests of data processing system to ensure functioning of data processing activities and security measures.
- Modify computer security files to incorporate new software, correct errors, or change individual access status.
- Review violations of computer security procedures and discuss procedures with violators to ensure violations are not repeated.
- Document computer security and emergency measures policies, procedures, and tests.
- Confer with users to discuss issues such as computer data access needs, security violations, and programming changes.
Skills
- Reading Comprehension4.0
- Critical Thinking3.9
- Active Listening3.8
- Speaking3.6
- Writing3.5
- Monitoring3.4
- Active Learning3.3
- Learning Strategies2.9
Knowledge areas
- Computers and Electronics4.3
- English Language4.3
- Administration and Management3.7
- Engineering and Technology3.6
- Telecommunications3.6
- Customer and Personal Service3.4
Abilities
- Written Comprehension4.0
- Oral Comprehension4.0
- Problem Sensitivity4.0
- Deductive Reasoning4.0
- Inductive Reasoning4.0
- Information Ordering3.9
Core activities
- Working with Computers4.7
- Getting Information4.5
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events4.3
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards4.1
- Processing Information4.1
- Analyzing Data or Information4.1
Tools and technology
hotmarks an O*NET hot technologyHow to get in
How to become a Information Security Analyst
Job zone 4 of 5 · SVP 7.0 to < 8.0- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience needed
- Less than 5 years
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 9 majors mapped to Information Security Analysts9 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 11.0103Information Technology
- 11.0701Computer Science
- 11.0901Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications
- 11.1001Network and System Administration/Administrator
- 11.1002System, Networking, and LAN/WAN Management/Manager
- 11.1003Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance
- 11.1005Information Technology Project Management
- 43.0403Cyber/Computer Forensics and Counterterrorism
- 51.0723Healthcare Information Privacy Assurance and Security
Related careers
Jobs O*NET identifies as close to this one, with their own pay and outlook.
Common questions
What degree do you need to become an Information Security Analyst?+
Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Computer Science, which awarded 88,326 degrees in 2024-25, 41.4% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming an Information Security Analyst?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 9 programs to this occupation. The largest are Computer Science, Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management, Computer and Information Sciences, Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications, plus 2 more. Together they graduate about 213,208 people a year.
How much do information security analysts earn?+
The median is $129,180 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). The middle range runs from $75,090 at the 10th percentile to $199,850 at the 90th. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for information security analysts growing?+
BLS projects a +28.5% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, much faster than average, with roughly 16,000 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career?+
1,997 institutions reported graduates from at least one of the 9 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do information security analysts work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Network Security Analyst, Information Security Officer, Information Systems Security Officer (ISSO), Information Technology Security Analyst (IT Security Analyst) among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 15-1212.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024-25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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