Cyber security courses
You don't need a set qualification to work in cyber security, and employers hire on skills and experience. If you already have a degree, a short postgraduate course takes under a year, while a bachelor degree starts from the ground up.
- Quickest way to start
- 6 months
- Graduate certificate, typical full time length
- What the jobs pay
- $109,200 to $135,200
- median pay across 6 jobs, some estimated
- Demand
- 4 of 6 jobs
- are on the national shortage list
Which course do you need?
None of these jobs needs a set qualification, but these courses teach what employers look for.
Graduate Certificate in Cyber Security
Build skills for cyber security work
Watch for threats, investigate incidents and help an organisation keep its systems and data secure.
A job it helps withCyber Security Analyst
Median pay$128,000
Helps, not required. Employers hire on skills and experience as well as study.
- How long it takes
- 6 months full time
- How you'll study
- Online or on campus
A bachelor degree in IT or cyber security
Start out in cyber security
Try to break into systems the way an attacker would, then report the weaknesses so they can be fixed.
A job it helps withPenetration Tester
Median pay$127,400 (estimate)
Helps, not required. Employers hire on skills and experience as well as study.
- How long it takes
- 3 years full time
- How you'll study
- Online or on campus
The cyber security degrees compared
All three cover how to protect systems and data, and each can lead into security work. They differ mainly in how much general IT study they include, and how much of the focus is technical rather than managerial. All can be studied online at one or more universities.
- Bachelor of Cyber SecurityDefends computer systems and the information they hold, covering cryptography, digital forensics and ethical hacking alongside risk and compliance. Many use hands-on projects modelled on real attacks.How long3 yearsFocusTechnical security, risk and management
- Bachelor of CybersecurityFocused on defending systems, networks and data from attack, covering network and cloud security, ethical hacking, penetration testing and security risk.How long3 yearsFocusTechnical security and testing
- Bachelor of Information Technology (Cybersecurity)Starts with core IT study in programming, networks, cloud computing and databases, then specialises in security. A supervised or paid industry placement is part of the course.How long3 yearsFocusGeneral IT plus a security major
Short university courses
Jobs this study can help with
Pay is the median for everyone in the job, not a starting salary.
- Cyber Security AnalystStudy that can helpGraduate certificate or a technology degreeMedian pay$128,000
Cyber Security ArchitectStudy that can helpGraduate certificate or a technology degreeMedian pay$135,200 (estimate)In demand- Penetration TesterStudy that can helpA technology degreeMedian pay$127,400 (estimate)In demand
Cyber Security GRC SpecialistStudy that can helpA technology degree or graduate certificateMedian pay$117,000 (estimate)In demand
Cyber Security EngineerStudy that can helpA technology degreeMedian pay$117,000 (estimate)
IT AuditorStudy that can helpGraduate certificateMedian pay$109,200 (estimate)In demand
“In demand” means the job is on the national skills shortage list. Pay marked as an estimate is our own analysis, not a published figure. Check the course and provider are approved for the work you want, as rules differ by state.
Still not sure which one fits you?
Answer a few quick questions about your time, state and budget, and we'll show the courses that suit you.