Course

In recent years, the market for cybersecurity jobs has seen an increase in competition for qualified candidates. According to the most recent estimates, there is a global shortage of around 3 million cybersecurity qualified professionals. Despite the development of artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies, we still need talented professionals for tackling cybercrimes. Generally, it is often assumed that cyber security job roles will be extremely technical – but this is not always the case. This can be a fantastic and extremely rewarding career choice offering candidates across a range of backgrounds and skillsets the chance to succeed. If you have been considering to study this undergraduate course BSc (Hons) Cyber Security then you should know about the following job roles.

Penetration testers (often referred to as pen testers) are security professionals who help to identify and address security issues in organisations’ networks. This role requires a range of skills across information technology sector, including an understanding of networking, system administration, and software development. 

Salary Expectation: Someone starting as a beginner penetration tester can expect a salary of around £25,000/year. A registered professional Pen Tester with significant experience would expect to earn in the region of £55,000/Year, while a team leader could look at a salary in excess of £90,000/year. Many penetration testers work as a self-emplyed contractors and earn around £400-500 per day. 

Cybersecurity is a key consideration during the development process, and to ensure that this is the case, many organisations are employing dedicated Security Developers. In this role, individuals are typically responsible for helping to define detailed documentation and evolve in the security strategy for the applications that the business providers.

Salary Expectation: The salary range can be enormously depending on the role, but an experienced Security Developer could expect to earn around £70,000/year.

Security Risk Analyst professionals are responsible for helping organisations to manage their information security risks and ensure controls are accurately assessed. They are typically involved in understanding which threats could have the largest impact on a business. They will advise boards in non-technical language on how they should spend budgets mitigating these risks.

Salary Expectation: An average salary of a Security Risk Analyst is around £35,000/year.

Cyber Security Analysts (CSAs) have an important role to play in helping to protect organisations against cyber threats. They use a wide range of logical techniques and relevant technologies in order to detect, prevent and manage threats against systems. The key responsibilities of a CSA typically include monitoring networks for breaches and other types of attack, as well as investigating software generated security alerts and responding to incidents. 

Salary Expectation: A typically starting salary of a CSAs  will be between £25,000 and £35,000 – more experienced analysts could expect to earn up to £50,000/year.

A Network Security Engineer is responsible for running and maintaining security systems of an organisation. The key requirements of the role include configuration, deployment, and optimisation of firewalls as well as managing network monitoring tools such as SIEM, intrusion detection, and endpoint detection and response platforms. An engineer will also oversee router, switch, and virtual private network (VPN) maintenance.

Salary Expectation: The average salary for a Network Security Engineer is around £45,000/year.

English Language Requirements 

If a learner is not from a majority English-speaking country then s/he must provide evidence of English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 5.5. We also accept other standard English tests and qualifications, as long as they meet the minimum requirements of your course. If a learner doesn't meet the English language requirements then s/he can achieve the required level by successfully completing a pre-sessional English course before starting the main course.