- Associate degrees
- Bachelor’s degrees
- Master’s degrees
- Cybersecurity certifications
- Cybersecurity jobs
- Related resources
This guide outlines some of the emerging cybersecurity schools in Kansas as well as some of the career opportunities available to students and professionals in the state.
Agriculture, including both farming and ranching, has always been the highest-profile sector of the Kansas economy. In the 20th century, oil and natural gas also became important factors, but these have been declining for years now.
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Today, aerospace, telecommunications, and consumer goods manufacturing are prominent contributors.
The largest employment sectors in the state include healthcare and education, professional and business services, trade and transportation, and leisure and hospitality.
Kansas is also home to several large corporations. Sprint Corporation, Payless Shoes, Koch Industries, Coleman, Textron Aviation, Spirit AeroSystems, and Bombardier Aerospace are all headquartered in Kansas.
US military installations also provide a significant boost with three large bases now located in Kansas: McConnell Air Force Base, Fort Leavenworth, and Fort Riley.
It may not have a big-time economy, but the presence of some big-league names and key economic sectors that are also prime targets for cybercrime means cybersecurity will have a healthy home in Kansas.
Cybersecurity culture in Kansas
The cybersecurity industry in Kansas is limited thus far, but it is large enough and active enough to be worthwhile for any information security professionals to make a home and career there. And there is a growing base of support and resources becoming available.
The Kansas Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is the Kansas chapter of SBDC. Its purpose is to assist small businesses with all aspects of developing a small business in today’s world.
This, of course, now includes providing assessments of the cybersecurity practices of small businesses and providing training to upgrade readiness and response protocols.
The Kansas City Cyber Security Conference has now been held for three years running. This one-day event brings IT executives together for networking and information sharing about their experiences and concerns concerning cybersecurity.
Women in Security, Kansas City (WiS-KC) is a non-profit organization founded in 2000 to provide women engaged in or students aspiring to careers in information security.
WiS-KC provides mentors, networking opportunities such as monthly meetings, and resources such as scholarships and workshops to women at all levels of cybersecurity.
Cybersecurity education in Kansas
In step with the size of the cybersecurity industry in Kansas, education options are somewhat limited in the state at present. But this is beginning to change.
The University of Kansas and Kansas State University have stepped up and begun assembling degree programs and other resources for the industry. Wichita State University and Friends University have also developed education programs for information security.
In 2016, the University of Kansas School of Engineering received a $4.7 million grant from the National Science Foundation under the CyberCorps Scholarship for Service Program.
Students utilizing this program would have government jobs waiting for them upon graduation. KU has also developed a Cybersecurity Boot Camp, which takes place in Overland Park and provides a 24-month completion timeframe.
Kansas State University’s Center for Information and Systems Assurance has received recognition from the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Research.
Related resources
Cybersecurity associate degrees in Kansas
Cybersecurity is an extremely technical field requiring extensive training. However, there are still many entry-level positions available that require only an associate’s degree.
As associate’s degrees can be completed in two years or less, it can be a beneficial alternative for those lacking the time and resources to complete a four-year degree program.
At present, there are three cybersecurity associate’s degree programs being offered in Kansas. More details are below:
Butler Community College
El Dorado, Kansas
Program: Associate in Applied Science in Cyber Security
CAE designation: CAE-CD
Credits: 60
Cost per credit: $73 in state | $163 out of state
Delivery method: Campus
Learn more: Program detailsGarden City Community College
Garden City, KansasProgram: AS Degree in Cybersecurity
Credits: 60
Cost per credit: $63 in state | $82 out of state
Delivery method: Campus
Learn more: Program detailsJohnson County Community College
Overland Park, KansasProgram: Associate of Applied Science in Information Technology - Networking
Credits: 60
Cost per credit: $97 in state | $228 out of state
Delivery method: Campus
Learn more: Program details
Cybersecurity bachelor’s degrees in Kansas
Bachelor’s degrees are now required for most cybersecurity jobs. Employers generally will accept candidates who majored in any of some technology-related disciplines.
However, obtaining a bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity, or at least with a concentration in some aspect of infosec, will provide an edge and expand potential career options.
Kansas schools now offer four options for cybersecurity degrees with a cybersecurity focus. More information on these programs is below.
Fort Hays State University
Hays, KansasProgram: BA or BS in Information Networking and Telecommunications, Concentration: Computer Networking and Telecommunications with Information Assurance Emphasis
CAE designation: CAE-CD
Credits: 120
Cost per credit: $181 in-state | $529.68 out-of-state
Delivery method: Campus & online
Learn more: Program detailsFriends University
Wichita, KansasProgram: Bachelor of Science in Cyber Security
Credits: 124
Cost per credit: $1,070
Delivery method: Campus
Learn more: Program detailsKansas State University
Manhattan, KansasProgram: BS in Computer Science – Cyber Security Track
Credits: 120
Cost per credit: $321 in-state | $865 out-of-state
Delivery method: Campus
Learn more: Program detailsWichita State University
Wichita, KansasProgram: Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology – Cybersecurity
CAE designation: CAE-CD
Credits: 120
Cost per credit: $308 in-state | $462 out-of-state
Delivery method: Campus
Learn more: Program details
Cybersecurity master’s degrees in Kansas
Particularly as cybersecurity careers progress to higher levels of corporate management, master’s degrees are becoming more desirable.
For professors of cybersecurity and those seeking to have careers in research or cybersecurity consulting, master’s degrees have become nearly essential.
Kansas colleges and universities now offer two distinct master’s degrees in cybersecurity.
Friends University
Wichita, KansasProgram: Master of Science in Cyber Security
Credits: 33
Cost per credit: $636
Delivery method: Campus & online
GRE requirement: Not required
Learn more: Program detailsUniversity of Kansas
Lawrence, KansasProgram: Master of Science in Information Technology – Cyber Security Focus
CAE designation: CAE-CD, CAE-R
Credits: 30
Cost per credit: $437 in-state | $1,048 out of state
Delivery method: Campus
GRE requirement: Not required
Learn more: Program details
Cybersecurity certifications in Kansas
Certification programs can now be found in a variety of cybersecurity specialties and for nearly all career levels.
Students just starting, cybersecurity specialists looking to update or increase their expertise, or those seeking an advanced degree but lacking the time to complete one can all find appropriate certification programs.
Thus far, though, Kansas schools have developed five cybersecurity certifications. We expect more to be forthcoming.
Butler Community College
El Dorado, KansasProgram: Cyber Security Certificate
CAE designation: CAE-CD
Credits: 30
Cost per credit: $73 in state | $163 out of state
Delivery method: Online
Learn more: Program detailsCowley County Community College
Arkansas City, KansasProgram: Software, Security & Development (AAS Certificate)
Credits: 18
Cost per credit: $145 in state | $205 out of state
Delivery method: Online
Learn more: Program detailsGrantham University
Lenexa, KansasProgram: Advanced Cybersecurity Certificate
Credits: 18
Cost per credit: $295
Delivery method: Online
Learn more: Program detailsKansas State University–Olathe
Olathe, KansasProgram: Cybersecurity bootcamp
CAE designation: CAE-R
Duration: 10 months
Cost per credit: $15,820
Delivery method: Online
Learn more: Program detailsUniversity of Kansas
Lawrence, KansasProgram: Cybersecurity Boot Camp
CAE designation: CAE-CD, CAE-R
Duration: 24 weeks
Cost per credit: $13,495
Delivery method: Online
Learn more: Program details
Cybersecurity jobs in Kansas
Kansas covers a good bit of territory in the Great Plains, but much of this territory is still dedicated to farms and ranches, nearly 90 percent by some estimates. Not surprisingly, therefore, the state’s cybersecurity presence is not large yet.
According to Cyberseek, Kansas was home to 10,020 employees working in some aspect of cybersecurity with 4,634 new information security jobs needing to be filled.
The bulk of the infosec activity is focused on the eastern border in and around Kansas City. Including both Kansas Cities (Missouri and Kansas), adjacent to each other on the border between the two states, there are 3,175 cybersecurity job listings.
The only other cities in Kansas with significant information assurance job postings were Wichita (716) and Topeka (1,310).
Recently, security analysts in Kansas were garnering an average hourly wage of $48.77, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Their average annual salary is $101,440.
Cybersecurity in Kansas
Considering that as much as 90 percent of the land in Kansas is dedicated to farming and ranching, the cybersecurity industry is surprisingly robust.
However, by US standards drawn from other states, information security activity in Kansas is definitely on the small side.
The presence of large companies based there and high-value information targets like healthcare and telecommunications have and will continue to make cybersecurity a rapidly growing business.