Information Assurance and Cyber Security Degrees in Idaho

Idaho’s low cost of living and robust demand for qualified professionals with cyber security degrees is good news for job seekers. Most will find work with Ohio-based tech companies, such as Harris IT Services and Micron. Prospective students will find that only four schools in the state confer degrees in cyber security, but half are of especially high caliber, designated by the NSA as “National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Security” (CAE). A recent study by the Brookings institute also found that, at the state level, Idaho and Mississippi had the nation’s strongest cyber security programs, thanks to government partnerships with private cyber security firms.

Idaho Cyber Security Jobs

Pocatello has a highly concentrated cyber security workforces, but the majority of jobs are to be found in the city of Boise. Boise employers include Micron Technology, the only Fortune 500 Company in the state, and DXC Technology. Other companies looking for experts with cyber security degrees are TechTrend and Harris IT Services. The Bureau of Labor Statistics cites a mean wage of $92,270 for cyber security analysts, and the top 10% in the field can earn $153,000 or more. Nationwide, Ohio has the 6th lowest cost of living index in the country, meaning salaries translate to a higher standard of living.

Cyber Security Degrees in Idaho

Associate’s Degrees in cyber security are available through the College of Western Idaho and Idaho State University. The latter has been designated by the NSA as a “National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Security” (CAE).

Bachelor’s Degrees in cyber security are offered by just one institution in the state- Boise State University, which awards a Bachelor�s of Science in Computer Science with a Cyber Security Minor.

Master’s Degrees in cyber security are available through two Idaho universities, both CAEs. The University of Idaho has a MS in Computer Science with a concentration in Information Assurance, and Idaho State University confers an Information Assurance MBA.

Certificates and Doctoral Degrees in cyber security are offered by two schools in the state. The College of Western Idaho awards two distinct cyber security certificates, and the University of Idaho has a PhD program in Computer Science with a concentration in Information Assurance.

Cyber Security Resources in Idaho

Idaho Technology Authority

State Government Entity/Resource

Professional Association

Professional Association

Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP)

Meetup

Other Resource: FBI/private partnership

Cyber Security Degree Providers in Idaho

Below we’ve included some of the most pertinent information for choosing a cyber security degree program. Affordability looked at the average in-state tuition rate (where applicable) and divided the range of tuition rates into five bins. Each bin contains a roughly $8,000 jump in tuition. So one $ contains schools from roughly $1,000 in in-state tuition to $9,000, $$’s contains schools from >$9,000 to $17,000, and so forth. Retention rate is one of the best predictors of undergraduate education quality. While the NSA/CAE designation marks programs deemed excellent by the NSA.

Boise State University

Boise, Idaho
$ $ $ $ $
Financial Aid Recipients
81%
Retention Rate
78%
NSA Designated
No
Degrees
  • Bachelor’s of Science in Computer Science – Cyber Security Minor

College of Western Idaho

Nampa, Idaho
$ $ $ $ $
Financial Aid Recipients
81%
Retention Rate
54%
NSA Designated
No
Degrees
  • Advanced Technical Certificate in Cisco Networking and Security Technologies Advanced Technical Certificate in Information Security and Digital Forensics Associate of Applied Science in Cisco Networking and Security Technologies Associate of Applied Science in Information Security and Digital Forensics

Idaho State University

Pocatello, Idaho
$ $ $ $ $
Financial Aid Recipients
85%
Retention Rate
68%
NSA Designated
No
Degrees
  • Associate of Applied Science in Cyber-Physical Security Computer Information System major with Information Assurance Focus Information Assurance MBA

University of Idaho

Moscow, Idaho
$ $ $ $ $
Financial Aid Recipients
97%
Retention Rate
78%
NSA Designated
Yes
Degrees
  • MS in Computer Science – Information Assurance PhD in Computer Science – Information Assurance