Cyber Security Schools NJ – Before We Get Into The Topic, Let’s Learn Some Basic Of This Topic

New Jersey is an active participant in cybersecurity education. With New York City near, graduates can find employment immediately. They don’t have to move: There are many opportunities for professional growth and high-level employment within New Jersey. Keep reading to hear more about it, or skip to our list of the state’s degree and certificate programs.

New Jersey Cybersecurity Study Guide

Many colleges and universities in New Jersey have committed to funding cybersecurity research and creating new educational programs for students. Here are the most recent developments:

  • Seven institutions in New Jersey have been rated Centers of Academic Excellence for Cyber Defense Education or Research. Only one school, the County College of Morris, holds this distinction. There is an Information Security Certificate for students.
  • Rutgers University offers the Professional Science Masters (MBS) degree. There are three tracks to the MBS: Computer & Information Sciences and Engineering Management. Computer & Information Sciences offers several concentrations, the most recent being Cyber Security.
  • The 2016 year was very successful for Stevens Institute of Technology. The Department of Defense awarded $1.5 million to the Institute of Technology for a project that aimed at protecting supply chains against cyber attacks. The Office of Naval Research provided another half million to help find ways to secure government networks from hacking.
  • The Cybersecurity Research Center at the New Jersey Institute of Technology stages regular colloquia with outside speakers. It is involved in three Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency initiatives (DARPA), including the “SafeWare” projects that make reverse engineering software impossible.
  • Faculty from Fairleigh Dickinson University’s Center for Cybersecurity and Information Assurance teach courses for a wide range of undergraduate and graduate degree concentrations — 14, to be exact, ranging from a BS in Criminal Justice to an MBA. The MS in Cybersecurity & Information Assurance is the newest program, and it was launched in fall 2017.

Cybersecurity programs online in New Jersey

Distance learning is not an option for bachelor’s and associate degrees in cybersecurity. You may need to choose a computer science or engineering discipline and wait until you graduate school to study security. This is not a problem as both Stevens Institute of Technology (New Jersey Institute of Technology) and New Jersey Institute of Technology (Stevens Institute of Technology) offers online master’s degrees in this field and certificates.

Cybersecurity Master’s Degrees Online

New Jersey Institute of Technology’s MS IT Administration and Security prepares graduates in information technology to become capable managers responsible for maintaining computer networks, databases, and/or systems in companies.

Stevens Institute of Technology offers security-minded students two options. One is an MS in Computer Science with Secure Systems as a focus and the other is an MS in Systems Security Engineering. This latter option, which isn’t offered every year, offers a multidisciplinary approach to the subject. You will need to be able to tackle computer science, mathematics, economics, and policy-based coursework to get a job as a cybersecurity analyst or engineer. While the MS in Computer Science is a good choice, you will have plenty of flexibility when choosing courses. The program covers everything, from programming to cloud computing and networking.

Cybersecurity Certificate Programs Online

New Jersey Institute of Technology, Stevens Institute of Technology offers security-focused certificates online. This is for people who don’t wish to spend two years studying for master’s degrees. The NJIT Graduate Certificate in Information Security is available for those who already have a computer science or IT degree. It can be completed in one semester. Many courses cover everything, from transaction mining to cryptography. All courses can be applied towards the online MSIT Administration and Security, or any of NJIT’s master’s programs.

The Secure Network Systems Design Graduate Certificate at the rival Stevens Institute of Technology is more focused. It’s designed for those who want to design and maintain computer networks.

Another college in New Jersey offers an online program that is worth mentioning. Fairleigh Dickinson University offers a Graduate Certificate In Computer Security & Forensic Administration. This six-course program is designed for law enforcement and provides students with hands-on instruction in everything, from malware to computer seizure.

New Jersey Cybersecurity Scholarships

Scholarships for cybersecurity students in New Jersey are limited due to the limited number of programs available. However, there are three outstanding financial awards available to academic leaders.

New Jersey Institute of Technology

  • CyberCorps Scholarship for Service: Getting your tuition completely covered is just the tip of the iceberg. This scholarship is available to all students enrolled in the MS Cybersecurity and Privacy, MS IT Administration, and Ph.D. in Computer Science programs. It also provides a $22,500-$34,000 annual living stipend and $3,000 in health insurance. $4,000 for professional education, $2,000 for textbooks, and $3,000 in medical insurance. You will be required to do a summer internship after graduation at a federal agency.

Princeton University

  • CITP Microsoft Excellence Scholarships for Internships and Summer Research: Graduate students can ask the Center for Information Technology Policy (CITP) to subsidize their summer internship or research, as long as it relates to IT policy.
  • CITP Norman B. Tomlinson, Jr., ’48 Scholarship for Internship: Undergrads can apply to CITP for funding to make their student internship financially viable.

Stevens Institute of Technology

  • Stevens’ Scholarship for Service: Pursue a cybersecurity bachelor’s or master’s degree and you’re eligible for up to three years of free tuition, textbooks, and travel, plus $22,500 to $34,000 to cover living expenses. Once you have your degree, you will be required to work for the government in cybersecurity for three years.

Cybersecurity Events in New Jersey

Cybersecurity Meetups & Communities New Jersey

You will need to keep up-to-date with your knowledge, no matter how new or experienced you are in the field. Joining a professional association is a great way to get more exposure to new approaches.

Informal groups can also be very useful. However, many New Jersey residents find that the most applicable gatherings for them are across the border, such as the 3,000+ strong NYC/NJ Cyber Security Meetup. Wilmington and Philadelphia are good places to start. If you are located near the Pennsylvania or New York border, you can find guides to groups in your area. Here are four of the most important cybersecurity organizations based in Garden State.

  • Information Systems Security Association (ISSA) New Jersey: ISSA New Jersey welcomes student members to its regular chapter meetings, where they’ll listen to presentations from local security professionals and have a chance to network with potential future employers.
  • International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium New Jersey: The Princeton-based chapter of (ISC)2 holds monthly chapter meetings, where professionals with an SSCP, CAP, CSSLP, and/or CISSP certification meet to discuss the latest innovations in the field.
  • ISACA New Jersey: ISACA, formerly known as the Information Systems Audit and Control Association, is a professional organization that welcomes student members. Although the New Jersey chapter is located in Cranford, it facilitates daylong conferences as well as certification review courses across the state.
  • Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) New Jersey Central: OWASP is a global organization with members all over. To hear software security professionals from Trenton to Toms River, join the NJ Central chapter. (If you live in northern New Jersey, you can join the NYC/NJ chapter.)

Cybersecurity Workshops and Conferences in New Jersey

Many of the largest cybersecurity conferences are moving to New York City, instead of New Jersey. (See our guide to cyber security programs in New York for examples.) The state’s universities are still active and host smaller but vibrant events. One place to look is Fairleigh Dickinson University’s Center for Cybersecurity and Information Assurance, which hosts an annual symposium.

Other cities further south include Trenton and Princeton, which offer exciting annual events as well as one-off events. Speaking of Princeton, be sure to scour the university’s Center for Information Technology Policy (CITP) for upcoming conferences and lectures touching on security issues.

These are the three events that appear on the state calendar each year:

  • New Jersey Digital Government Summit: Cybersecurity is a major talking point at this annual free Trenton event for the state’s public sector employees.
  • New Jersey Tech Security Conference: Stroll through the product exhibits and wander in and out of speaker presentations for a day in Princeton. For $50, you can get continuing professional education credit.
  • NJEDge.net Annual Conference and Security Summit: NJEDge.net is a statewide consortium of research institutions. The Security Summit is held in conjunction NJEDge’s annual conference. It brings together academics and government officials to discuss cybersecurity.

Cybersecurity jobs in New Jersey

New Jersey boasted the ninth-most cybersecurity job postings of any state in 2014, according to a report from Burning Glass Technologies. The majority of this is concentrated in New York City Metropolitan Division which extends to Jersey City.

Where can a cybersecurity grad find work in the Garden State? One possibility is Verizon Communications, which keeps 15,000 people in the state on the payroll and is listed on the Cybersecurity 500 as one of the best employers in the game. AT&T Network Security is also on the list and is located in Bedminster.

Honeywell International, a global conglomerate, is another Jersey-based company that works in security. They work on everything from industrial automation and control systems to aerospace innovation. Warren-based Chubb is looking for actuarially-minded professionals to provide its cybersecurity insurance services. There are 17 other Fortune 500 companies in the state and many high-powered employers looking for qualified staff. If you know the industry you want to enter, Choose New Jersey can guide you to the largest employers.

Sometimes it is better to target small, innovative companies that are exclusively in security. New Jersey has many of these: Prevalent Networks and Warren, Comodo in Clifton; Prevalent Networks and Warren; Prevalent Networks and Warren; BlackStratus in Piscataway; Enforcive in Hackensack to name just five.

Cybersecurity Salaries in New Jersey

You should get a good salary if you can land a job here. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, New Jersey’s information security analysts earn more than anyone but DC and New York state residents — a median wage of $110,000. You can change your job title to make more than your counterparts in California and Connecticut. According to Indeed.com data, IT security professionals make $124,000 while network security engineers earn $126,000. Be aware that the cost of living in New Jersey is approximately 20 percent more than the national average.

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