With cybersecurity jobs notoriously difficult to fill, tech industry job market research firm Burning Glass Technologies reported that 2,347 listings were posted for cybersecurity experts in Indiana between 2010 and 2014. The number of cybersecurity job listings in Indiana over this period increased by 163%. Cybersecurity positions pay 9% more than other types of IT jobs on average according to Burning Glass Technologies.
According to a 2015 analysis by Dan Lohrmann in Government Technology, Indiana implemented the first comprehensive approach to cybersecurity in the country that year. Indiana CISO Tad Staahl and CIO Paul Baltzell led this upgrade, which involves:
- Indiana state government security and network staff
- The Indiana State Police Fusion Center
- Indiana National Guard
- Indiana State Police
- Private companies such as Cisco and McAfee
- Purdue University security personnel and students
- Indiana University
- Grand Canyon University - B.S. and M.S. in Cyber Security
- SNHU - B.S and M.S. in Cybersecurity
- Purdue Global - Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity
- Arizona State University - Online Master of Arts in Global Security
- ECPI University - Cyber and Network Security - Bachelor's
While many states established high-level cybertraining programs for public and private sector stakeholders, the Indiana Information Sharing & Analysis Center (IN-ISAC) is unique in a number of ways.
IN-ISAC integrates real-time incident responses to cyberattacks from multiple business sectors. This unique public-private partnership allows private-sector companies to assist the state of Indiana to stay current with the latest secure network architectures and cyberstrategies.
Governor Mike Pierce further demonstrated his commitment to ensuring rigorous cybersecurity when he announced the formation of the Indiana Executive Council on Cybersecurity in April 2016. This Council will serve as an extension of IN-ISAC with its 23-member partnership between private and public organizations across Indiana.
Indiana Department of Homeland Security’s John Erickson, the Director of Public Information, told Government Technology that the state’s private sector is “very interested in partnerships of this type.”
Colin Wood, the author of this 2016 article, stated that he sees this comprehensive strategy for government cybersecurity as “an excellent example for other states to follow.”
Salaries for Key Cybersecurity Positions in Indianapolis and Fort Wayne
According to the Robert Half Technology 2016 Salary Guide, cybersecurity analysts and administrators in Indiana can expect to earn salaries within the ranges shown here. Cybersecurity professionals with master’s degree have the advanced expertise to earn on the high end of these ranges:
Indianapolis:
- Data Security Analysts: $105,691 – $148,992
- Information Security Administrators: $101,280 – $143,520
- Network Security Administrators: $99,120 – $141,120
Fort Wayne:
- Data Security Analysts: $90,278 – $127,264
- Information Security Administrators: $86,510 – $122,590
- Network Security Administrators: $84,665 – $120,540
Salaries for Information Security Analysts in Indiana’s Major Cities
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics provides a high level of detail on the salaries for information security analysts in the major cities of Indiana as of 2015. Information security analysts with a master’s degree can expect to earn salaries in the highest percentiles: