SUNY Jamestown Community College’s Cybersecurity program was named one of the nation’s best online associate degree offerings in 2022 by University HQ.
JCC’s program came in at 36 in University HQ’s rankings of 50 U.S. colleges. The complete list can be found at universityhq.org/degrees/online-associates-cybersecurity-programs.
cybersecurity associate's degree programs in the
United States.
University HQ uses data from three government sources and pay rates from payscale.com to determine its rankings. Ranking factors include cost of tuition, admission rate, retention rate, graduation rate, graduating salary, reputation, and expert opinion, among others.
In addition to a 100% online A.S. degree, JCC’s Cybersecurity program is also fully available on the college’s Jamestown and Cattaraugus County campuses. JCC also offers a Cybersecurity certificate program.
Graduates of the associate’s program are prepared to transfer for a bachelor’s degree, and to complete industry certification in computer hardware, system software, networking, and security. JCC has cybersecurity transfer agreements with St. Bonaventure University, Pennsylvania College of Technology, and Franklin University in Columbus, Ohio.
JCC’s Cybersecurity program was approved by the State University of New York and New York State Education Department in the fall 2020 and was rolled out in time for the spring 2021 semester.
“We are extremely proud of the progress we have made with our cybersecurity opportunities,” said Jean Schrader, JCC’s dean of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics. “The flexibility of our online and campus programs start our students on a rewarding career path that allows them to transfer to a four-year institution to further their studies in cybersecurity, computer science, and information technology programs, or to seek entry-level positions.”
Those with cybersecurity degrees may pursue careers such as an information technology technician, network security engineer, and information security analyst, among others.
As the frequency of cyber attacks grows, qualified cybersecurity professionals are in high demand. The Information Systems Security Association recently shared that cyber attacks have increased by 63% during the pandemic.
Employment of information security analysts is projected to grow 33% from 2020 to 2030, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and approximately 3.5 million cybersecurity positions are expected to be unfilled in 2025. There are currently more than 23,000 cybersecurity-related jobs open in New York state alone.
“Anyone with cybersecurity experience can find immediate employment,” Cybersecurity Ventures CEO Steve Morgan said.
Experienced cybersecurity professionals have a host of lucrative career options. The median annual wage for information security analysts was $103,590 in 2020, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Compensation, opportunities for upward mobility, and overall work environment contributed to information security analyst being named the best job in the U.S. News & World Report rankings of the top 100 jobs of 2022.
Those wishing to learn more about JCC’s Cybersecurity program are encouraged to attend spring open house events from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, March 26 on the Jamestown Campus and 10 a.m.-noon April 2 on the Cattaraugus County Campus in Olean, N.Y.
The in-person events give students opportunities to complete their admissions application, learn about scholarships and financial aid, tour campus, learn about support services, and talk with current students, faculty, and staff. Visit sunyjcc.edu/openhouse to learn more