A recent report by Comparitech notes that from 2008 to 2019, there have been 9696 data breaches involving over 10.7 billion records in the United States. Georgia ranked fifth in the country for most breaches since 2008, with 300 data breaches involving 350,628,949 records. This increase in data breach reports is not necessarily all because data breaches have increased. It is also due to laws that now require companies to report breaches, resulting in more breaches actually being reported.
In recent years, Georgia has fallen victim to data breaches that made news headlines. In 2019, 1.3 million Georgia Tech students and faculty had their names, addresses, Social Security numbers and birth dates exposed in a data breach. In 2018, Augusta University Health officials said that 417,000 people had their health and personal information data compromised. In 2017, Atlanta’s own Equifax breach affected 145.5 million Americans.
Cybersecurity is clearly a concern for everyone, not just those living in Georgia. If you would like to learn how to break into the cybersecurity field, getting an associate degree or certificate is a good first step. Keep reading to discover how you can set about doing so in Georgia.
Georgia Cybersecurity in the News in Georgia
The state of Georgia announced a new cybersecurity workforce program in the summer of 2020. Working through Georgia State University’s Evidence-Based Cybersecurity Research Group, the program matches sixty students, who do not necessarily need to be Georgia State University students, with internships with chief information security officers in private companies/organizations for the next two summers. This gives cybersecurity students practical experience that they may not be able to obtain elsewhere. The pilot program has received a $300,000 grant from the National Science Foundation.
Jobs for Cybersecurity Associate Degree/Certificate Holders in Georgia
Cybersecurity jobs in Georgia such as the following may be available for those with an associate degree or certificate:
- Cyber Security Analyst – Brooksource, Atlanta
- Cyber Security Analyst – IBM, Atlanta
- Cybersecurity Analyst – Dawson, Augusta
- Cybersecurity Analyst – PurpleBox, Inc., Atlanta
- Cyber Security Analyst – e-Solutions, Inc., Atlanta
- Cybersecurity Analyst – ECS Federal, LLC, Augusta
- Cybersecurity Engineer – The Home Depot, Atlanta
- Entry-Level Network Security Support Engineer – Jack Henry & Associates, Inc., Alpharetta
- Cyber Security Engineer – IntellectFaces, Inc., Mableton
- Site Security Field Technician, Level 1 – Remote Technology Security Services, LLC, Savannah
Georgia Associate Cybersecurity Degrees
Some of the associate degree programs in cybersecurity available within the state of Georgia include:
- Associate of Applied Science in Cybersecurity
- Associate of Science in Cybersecurity
- Associate of Applied Science in Networking
- Associate of Applied Science in Computer Support Specialist
- Associate of Applied Science in Computer Programming
Associate Degree and Certificate Programs in Cybersecurity in Georgia
Colleges and universities where you choose to study cybersecurity should be accredited by regional accreditation agencies that are listed with the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
Centers of Academic Excellence (CAE)
The National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) established the National Centers of Academic Excellence program to recognize outstanding cybersecurity degree programs in the United States.
Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education in Georgia
These Georgia associate degree and certificate cybersecurity programs have earned the designation of Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CD):
- Augusta Technical College –
—Associate of Applied Science in Cybersecurity
—Associate of Applied Science in Networking
—Associate of Applied Science in Computer Support Specialist
—Associate of Applied Science in Computer Programming
—Diploma in Computer Support Specialist
—Diploma in Computer Programming
Cyber Institute
3200 Augusta Tech Drive
Augusta, GA 30906
CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2023
Jim Poarch, Director
(706) 771-4136; [email protected]
- Augusta University –
—Advanced Cyber Defender Certificate
School of Computer & Cyber Sciences
1120 15th St.
Augusta, GA 30912
CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2021
Tony Lawrence, Director of Undergraduate Studies
(706) 729-2774; [email protected]
- Columbus State University –
—Graduate Certificate in Cybersecurity Management
—Undergraduate Certificate in Cybersecurity
D. Abbott Turner College of Business
4225 University Ave.
Columbus, GA 31907
CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2021
Dr. Linda Hadley, Dean
(706) 507-8153; [email protected]
- Georgia Institute of Technology – Cybersecurity Certificate
Professional Education
84 5th St. NW
Atlanta, GA 30308
CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2024
Renita Folds, Program Director ; [email protected]
- Middle Georgia State University – Cybersecurity Certificate
School of Information Technology
100 University Parkway
Macon, GA 31206
CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2022
Dr. Kevin Floyd, Contact
(478) 471-2801; [email protected]
- University of Georgia – Graduate Certificate in Cybersecurity
Franklin College of Arts & Sciences, Computer Science Dept.
415 Boyd Graduate Studies Research Center
Athens, GA 30602-7404
CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2022
John Miller, Graduate Coordinator
(706) 542-3440; [email protected]
Georgia Cybersecurity Associate Degree Program Classes
Coursework that you can expect to take in an associate degree cybersecurity program in Georgia includes:
- Computer Concepts
- Hardware Installation & Maintenance
- Information Security Foundations
- Security Policies & Procedures
- Unix/Linux Introduction
- Microsoft Client
- Unix/Linux Scripting
- Intro to Networks – Cisco
- Cisco Routing & Switching Essentials
- CCNA Cyber ops
- Implementation of Operating Systems Security
- Network Security
- Network Defense & Countermeasures
- Computer Forensics
- Ethical Hacking & Penetration
Cybersecurity Certificates in Georgia
In addition to the certificates listed above, other certificates in cybersecurity available in Georgia include (but are not limited to):
- Fundamentals of Computer Forensics (online) – University of West Georgia
- Fundamentals of Cybersecurity (online) – University of West Georgia
- Certificate in Cybersecurity (online) – Kennesaw State University
- Graduate Certificate in Cybercrime (online) – Georgia Southern University
- Undergraduate Certificate in Cyber Security (Armstrong Campus)– Georgia Southern University
Salaries for Cybersecurity Professionals in Georgia
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) of the U.S. Department of Labor notes that as of May 2019, information security professionals working in Georgia earned an annual mean wage of $99,420. Those working in the metropolitan area encompassing Atlanta, Sandy Springs and Roswell earned a higher than average wage of $100,810 annually.