Also called: Vulnerability Analyst
Finds weak spots in a company's software and makes sure they get patched before hackers exploit them.
You run scans across 20,000 computers, sort the results into "fix today" and "fix this month," and chase IT teams until the patches are done. You track which flaws hackers are actively using right now.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in IT or cybersecurity, or an associate degree plus Security+ certification.
Ways in: 4-year college, 2-year college, Certification. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Cybersecurity, Information Technology.
Growing much faster than average (about 29% over 10 years). Tracks information security analysts.
Medium risk in 5 years, high in 10. Scanners and AI now rank vulnerabilities and push patches automatically, shrinking this role.
Classes: AP Computer Science Principles, Computer applications.
Official data: O*NET occupation 15-1212.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.