The Decline of Degree Requirements in Cybersecurity Job Postings: A Longitudinal Text Analysis
APA Citation
Wallace, P. & Kim, D. (2024). The Decline of Degree Requirements in Cybersecurity Job Postings: A Longitudinal Text Analysis. *Decision Sciences*. https://doi.org/10.1111/deci.12624
View original paper →What Did This Cybersecurity Research Find?
This cybersecurity hiring trends study analyzed 500,000 security job postings from 2018 to 2024 to track changes in degree requirements. Cybersecurity job postings requiring a bachelor's degree declined from 72% in 2018 to 48% in 2024, with the sharpest drops in SOC analyst, penetration tester, and cloud security roles, reflecting a broader industry shift toward skills-based hiring.
Key Findings
- 1Degree requirements in cybersecurity postings dropped from 72% (2018) to 48% (2024)
- 2SOC analyst roles showed the steepest decline: from 65% to 32% requiring a degree
- 3GRC and policy roles maintained the highest degree requirements at 68% in 2024
- 4Postings that dropped degree requirements substituted certification requirements 61% of the time
- 5Skills-based postings (no degree requirement) received 2.4x more applications
How Does This Apply to Cybersecurity Careers?
Non-degree holders can identify which cybersecurity roles are most accessible without a formal degree. Career advisors can counsel students on whether a degree remains valuable for their target roles.
Who Should Read This?
Frequently Asked Questions
What did this cybersecurity research find?
This cybersecurity hiring trends study analyzed 500,000 security job postings from 2018 to 2024 to track changes in degree requirements. Cybersecurity job postings requiring a bachelor's degree declined from 72% in 2018 to 48% in 2024, with the sharpest drops in SOC analyst, penetration tester, and cloud security roles, reflecting a broader industry shift toward skills-based hiring.
How is this research relevant to cybersecurity careers?
Non-degree holders can identify which cybersecurity roles are most accessible without a formal degree. Career advisors can counsel students on whether a degree remains valuable for their target roles.
Where was this cybersecurity research published?
This study was published in Decision Sciences in 2024. The DOI is 10.1111/deci.12624. Access the original paper through the publisher link above.
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