---
title: "Cybersecurity Certificate: Is It Enough to Get Hired?"
description: "What a cybersecurity certificate can and cannot do, the usual path into security, and BLS May 2025 pay and growth for security analysts."
url: https://careerdirecting.com/careers/cybersecurity/
updated: 2026-10-09
site: CareerDirecting
---

Tech · Cybersecurity

# Cybersecurity certificate and career A real field, with a longer ladder than ads suggest.

Tech career profile

Cybersecurity pays very well and is growing fast. It is also a field where most people get in after years of IT experience, not straight from a short course. Here is the honest picture, and how to climb toward it.

In short

A cybersecurity certificate can help you learn the basics and pass exams like CompTIA Security+, but BLS lists a bachelor's degree and related work experience as the typical way into information security analyst jobs. Analysts earned a median of $129,180 in May 2025, with growth projected at 21% from 2025 to 2035.

**Job numbers from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics** Updated October 9, 2026. Pay figures are national medians and are not a promise of what you will earn.

| Median pay | $129,180 a year, about $62.11 an hour (May 2025) |
|---|---|
| Typical way in | Bachelor's degree |
| Jobs in the U.S. | About 192,900 (2025) |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | Projected growth of 21% |
| Openings each year | About 14,100 on average, including replacements |
| Common certifications | CompTIA Security+, then more advanced ones |
| Where they work | Companies of all sizes, government, security firms |

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025 to 2035 and May 2025 wages, [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/occupational-projections-and-characteristics.htm). National figures; pay where you live can be higher or lower, and starting pay is lower than the median.

## The usual ladder

Step 1

### IT support

Help desk work teaches systems and troubleshooting.

Step 2

### Networking or systems

Network or systems administration roles.

Step 3

### Security role

Analyst or security operations center work, often with a degree.

## Be careful with bootcamp promises

Short programs that promise a six-figure security job in months should be checked closely. Ask for graduates' actual job titles and how long it took them to get hired.

## Questions people ask

### Can I get a cybersecurity job with just a certificate?

It is possible but unusual; most hires have IT experience and often a degree.

### What is the best first step into cybersecurity?

An entry IT role, often with [CompTIA A+](https://careerdirecting.com/careers/it-support-specialist/).

### Is cybersecurity growing?

Yes. BLS projects fast growth for security analysts through 2035.

## Sources

- [BLS Employment Projections 2025 to 2035, Table 1.2 (occupational projections and worker characteristics)](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/occupational-projections-and-characteristics.htm)
- [BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Information security analysts](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/information-security-analysts.htm)
- [CompTIA A+ certification](https://www.comptia.org/certifications/a)

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Canonical page: https://careerdirecting.com/careers/cybersecurity/