The 5 Best Cities In The World For Cybersecurity Jobs

With the inclusion of technology in so many aspects of our lives, there is an increased demand for cybersecurity jobs around the world. But where could you earn the most if you’re looking to go into this lucrative field?

Trevor Cooke, the online privacy expert at EarthWeb, gives insight into which cities offer the most in terms of cybersecurity careers.

The Best Cities For Cybersecurity Jobs

City: San Francisco

Country: USA

Number of Job Openings: 3036

Yearly Average Salary (in USD) $161,845

Combined Score: 82,440.5

City: Boston

Country: USA

Number of Job Openings: 3710

Yearly Average Salary (in USD): $155,786

Combined Score: 79,748

City: Dubai

Country: United Arab Emirates

Number of Job Openings: 236

Yearly Average Salary (in USD): $147,056.80

Combined Score: 73,646.4

City: Washington D.C.

Country: USA

Number of Job Openings:12,298

Yearly Average Salary (in USD): $115,509

Combined Score: 63,903.5

City: Tel Aviv

Country: Israel

Number of Job Openings: 468

Yearly Average Salary (in USD): $127,068

Combined Score: 63,768

San Francisco

San Francisco has long been the tech capital of the United States since the inception of Silicon Valley in the early 1970s, so it is no surprise that it holds the number one place for the highest salaries for cybersecurity jobs in the world. 

San Francisco has a consistent stream of new cybersecurity recruits with Stanford University and the University of California, Berkeley both located in the area. ‘Both schools have exceptional undergraduate cybersecurity programs, ranking 4th and 5th in the nation,’ says Trevor. ‘Many prospective students choose these schools so that they can graduate and immediately enter the tech workforce in the same city.’ 

When choosing a cybersecurity firm to work for, cybersecurity experts have the cream of the crop at their fingertips in San Francisco. Five out of the ten most valuable public cybersecurity companies in the world are headquartered in the area, so there are lots of job openings at all times as these companies continue to grow. 

Boston

Boston is the current hub of cybersecurity conferences, hosting more than 15 conferences and summits on the topic. ‘This city brings in top cybersecurity experts from around the world to trade ideas and work together to build a safer world,’ says Trevor.  

It is also home to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), which currently ranks second in cybersecurity undergraduate degrees, as well as Harvard and Brandeis, other reputable research and technological schools.  

The salaries in Boston are lower than in San Francisco, but on average, the city provides around 700 more jobs annually. 

Dubai

As one of the two cities on this list located in the Middle East, Dubai has been rising in popularity, wealth, and cybersecurity expertise in recent years. 

The cybersecurity infrastructure in Dubai is now ranked fifth in the world after their years of efforts to build robust cybersecurity programs, and they want to start sharing it with the rest of the world. ‘Because of how much research is being done into cybersecurity in Dubai, it is a very appealing place for experts in the field,’ says Trevor.

Washington D.C.

Washington D.C. is on the cusp of cybersecurity greatness with by far the most yearly job openings. Trevor states, ‘Although salaries are the lowest in this city compared to the other four, Washington D.C. is a great place to start a career in cybersecurity and work your way up to a higher salary.’

Apart from the great social aspects of living in Washington D.C., residents live amongst lawmakers and politicians who are making decisions about cybersecurity and cyberthreats every day. This offers a unique perspective for those working in the industry, as well as the chance to influence those key decisions. 

https://pixabay.com/photos/tel-aviv-city-urb-urban-israel-3888740/

Tel Aviv

Israel’s government has invested a lot into creating a cybersecurity hub in Tel Aviv. ‘It was also the first country to offer a PhD in Cybersecurity as an independent discipline,’ notes Trevor,  ‘which brought a lot of prospective students to the region to further their education.’ 

Israel’s cybersecurity approach can be described as a proactive, comprehensive, and long-term cybersecurity strategy, focused not on potential attackers but on potential threats. For these reasons, many cybersecurity experts feel it is the best place to be for the future of cybersecurity. 

Methodology

The cities were selected through our research based on their popularity. The job vacancies data was taken from linkedin.com. The yearly average salary data was taken from glassdoor.com. After collecting the data, we gave both these factors a combined score by giving both of them a 50-50% weightage. According to that combined score, we gave all the cities a ranking.

The data on the top universities in the US for Cybersecurity undergraduate degrees came from US News.

The data on Dubai’s cybersecurity infrastructure ranking was taken from the Global Cyber Security Index 2020 report.