Cybersecurity Guide

Find the right fit: Cybersecurity degree and training programs in Dallas

Written by Gray Oshin – Last updated:
In this guide

This guide will delve into everything you need to know about cybersecurity in Dallas. From educational, boot camps, and employment opportunities, here’s the complete guide on the latest cybersecurity trends in Dallas, Texas. 

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Featured Cybersecurity Degree Programs

School NameProgram More Info
Grand Canyon UniversityOnline BS in Cybersecurity or Online MS in Cybersecurity website
Southern New Hampshire UniversityOnline BS in Cybersecurity or Online MS in Cybersecurity website
UC Berkeley School of InformationMaster’s in Cybersecurity | No GRE/GMAT Required website
Purdue GlobalOnline BS in Cybersecurity website
Utica UniversityOnline BS in Cybersecurity website

Cybersecurity operations are growing nationwide, particularly in Dallas. Although San Antonio is considered the cybersecurity capital of Texas, more cybersecurity opportunities, training, and education are growing in Dallas.

For example, a recent report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) showed that Dallas had the third-highest number of Information Security jobs and fifth for cybersecurity demand of any city in the country.

Energy, IT, and SaaS are the top three industries that dominate the Dallas Economy. There are seven tech companies in the top 10 2023 fastest-growing companies in Dallas, with Island, an IT security company, the number one. This further highlights the need for cybersecurity talents across the biggest industries in Texas.

Cybersecurity has moved beyond just a niche concern. The Dallas Police’s massive loss of 8 million data files in 2021 due to “inadequate training” has also highlighted the need for more cybersecurity education.

Now, more than five institutions in Dallas are offering one form of cybersecurity degree, training, or certification, making Dallas a great hub for cybersecurity education.

Related resources

Cybersecurity courses and training available in Dallas

There are several cybersecurity courses and training available in Dallas. These are online and on-site courses that come in a variety of formats, depending on your preference.

There are also a few local training centers where you can learn cybersecurity and other cyber-related courses on-site. Examples of online and on-site cybersecurity training centers in Dallas are:

Certstaffix training for certified information systems security professional (CISSP) exam

The Certstaffix Training is available online, but there’s an optional computer lab located at 3010 LBJ Freeway, Suite 1200, Dallas. 

  • Duration: It is a 5-day comprehensive course on information systems security.
  • Aim: This course prepares students for the Certified Information Systems Security Professional Certification (CISSP) exam. 
  • Modules: The course covers security and risk management, security engineering, asset security, identity and access management, software development security, and security operations. Although there’s on-site computer lab access in Dallas, the course is also available online. 
  • Course cost: The CISSP course costs about $2,195. 

Certstaffix also provides training for CompTIA Security+ and CompTIA PenTest+.

Per Scholas 

  • Duration: This is a free 15-week cybersecurity training course held on-site at 211 N. Ervay St, Suite 700, Dallas.
  • Aim: The Per Scholas Cybersecurity course in Dallas gives students the chance to get the Cybersecurity Analyst Certification (CySA+). 
  • Module: This course contains essentials on how to become a cybersecurity analyst, critical skills needed, and an industry-recognized certificate.
  • Course cost: It is a tuition-free in-person and remote training course available in Dallas.

In 2019, InfoSecurity Magazine reported that the state of Texas was preparing to implement mandatory cybersecurity training for all government employees within the state. 

Here’s more info on the training program.

Cybersecurity bootcamps and certifications available in Dallas

Besides the intensive training courses above, people who are interested in jumpstarting their cybersecurity professional careers can leverage the different cybersecurity bootcamps and certifications in Dallas. 

SMU bootcamp for cybersecurity

This is an in-person (virtual classroom) 24-week intensive cybersecurity bootcamp by Southern Methodist University, Dallas. 

It covers modules in information security, IT, and networking. This boot camp will prepare students for CompTIA Security+, Certified Ethical Hacker, Linux+, Cloud+, and Server+ certifications. 

The classes are convenient evening classes held from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm. The course costs about $13,000. 

UT Dallas cyber bootcamp

This is a 12-week full-time or 26-week part-time cybersecurity bootcamp at the University of Texas at Dallas.

Students will learn offensive and defensive cybersecurity skills and will also receive professional development assistance during and after the program. 

The bootcamp costs $12,995, and eligible students can get scholarships worth up to $3,000. 

Divergence bootcamp – cybersecurity training courses

Divergence offers a range of cyber-related training courses and industry-recognized certifications. These classes can be taken at the Divergence Academy at 14665 Midway Rd Suite 220, Addison, Dallas County, or online.

The Divergence Cyber Penetration Tester class trains students on the fundamentals of Penetration testing. The class has modules on Ethical Hacking, Threat Hunting, and Cloud Security, among many others.

These classes run from 9 am – 6 pm weekly from Monday to Friday. 

You’ll need to contact the institution for more details regarding the tuition. 

The University of Texas at Dallas — Certificate in Cybersecurity Systems (CCSS)

This is an immersive cybersecurity certificate program that requires a total of 12 semester credit hours. It teaches the fundamentals of cybersecurity, information, network, and data security, among many others. 

See more info about UT Dallas’s certificate programs in cybersecurity.

The University of Dallas — Graduate certificate in cybersecurity

The University of Dallas in Dallas County offers several cybersecurity certificates. Students can get CISSP-certified training with practical knowledge from experienced cybersecurity experts. The training is online and runs from 8 am – 12 pm.

You can register for the cybersecurity certificate here.

Industry-recognized cybersecurity certification training in Dallas

If you need recognized certificates for cybersecurity, here are some other institutions with industry-recognized training academies in Dallas:

  • CONNECTIONS IT SERVICES
  • CYBER DEFENSE CENTER – 501(C)(3)
    • The Cyber Defense Center is headquartered in Dallas and provides cybersecurity internships and apprenticeships to students and professionals.
  • BAXTER CLEWIS CONSULTING
  • RED KNIGHT SOLUTIONS. LLC
    • Red Knight Solutions provides IT & cybersecurity services and industry-certified training in Dallas. The firm has special training for veterans.
Learn more about veteran’s guide in cybersecurity

Besides these, Dallas also holds an annual Dallas Cyber Security Summit. It is an in-person & virtual summit where keynote speakers are invited to have interactive discussions. 

Some of the speakers at the last event were Sheraun Howard, FBI Supervisory Special Agent, Dallas Division, and Chad Adams, Cybersecurity Advisor at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, US DHS, among others. 

Cybersecurity schools in Dallas

According to a recent initiative, Texas schools are required to develop their cybersecurity modules and provide training to their faculty and staff. Senate Bill 820 mandates that school districts draft a cybersecurity system to protect their schools’ cyberinfrastructure.

They must also carry out risk assessments and appoint a cybersecurity administrator who will serve as a liaison between the state, school districts, and parents. It is clear that Texas takes cybersecurity seriously, and Dallas is no exception.

The Dallas County and the entire Dallas-Fort With region have several schools offering associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degree programs.

Cybersecurity jobs, salary, and companies in Dallas

With seven cyber-related companies making up the top 10 of Dallas’s fastest-growing companies, it’s clear that the demand for cybersecurity jobs in the Dallas-Fort Worth region has never been higher. 

Island, an IT security company, is ranked number one as Dallas’s fastest-growing company at present. 

In 2021, the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex (DFW) company based in Frisco, MTX Group Inc., a global tech consulting firm, was ranked number one. The list featured four cyber-related companies, which doubled the following year.

This demand has led to more jobs for cybersecurity engineers and information analysts. 

Here are some cybersecurity jobs in Dallas and their respective salaries according to the employment site, Indeed.

  • CYBERSECURITY ANALYST 
    • The average salary of a Cybersecurity Analyst in Dallas is $93,117. 
    • Skills Required – Public Cloud Security, Threat Hunting, Security Information and Event Management, Threat Intelligence & Response, and Comprehensive Software Security.
  • PENETRATION & VULNERABILITY TESTER
    • The average salary for a Penetration & Vulnerability Tester in Dallas is $111,770. 
    • Skills Required: Applicants are required to have certain skills such as Threat Hunting, Container Security, Comprehensive Software Security, SaaS Application Security, and Anomaly Detection.
  • SYSTEMS ENGINEER
    • The average salary for a Systems Engineer in Dallas is $102,471. 
    • Skills Required: You’re expected to have skills in Cloud Security, Container Security, Comprehensive Software Security, SaaS Application Security, and Privileged Account Security.
  • CYBERSECURITY CONSULTANT 
    • The average of a Cybersecurity Consultant in Dallas is $100,423. 
    • Skills Required: The required skills for this role include Cloud Security, Preventative Antivirus, Security Foundation & Threat Intelligence, Enterprise Mission Assurance Support Service, and Cloud Access Security Broker Management, among others.
  • CYBERSECURITY MANAGER  
    • This is the Advanced level of a Cybersecurity Analyst. 
    • The average salary of a Cybersecurity Manager in Dallas is $132,090.
    • Skills Required: Cloud Security, Cybersecurity Strategy, Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) Management, Security Insider Threat Management, and Enterprise Mission Assurance Support Service.
  • CYBERSECURITY ARCHITECT 
    • The average salary for a Cybersecurity Architect in Dallas is $127,956. 
    • Skills Required: Applicants are required to have skills such as Container Security, Public Cloud Security, Cloud Security, Microservices Security, and SABSA, among others.

Currently, there are 16,920 cybersecurity job openings in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington region, and there are 45,405 employed in the cybersecurity workforce.  

This shows that the cybersecurity job demand in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington region is at 82 percent compared to 83 percent for the national level.

The report also shows that 2,932 cybersecurity job opportunities in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington ask for at least one cybersecurity certification such as CISSP, CISA, CISM, CompTIA Security+, GIAC, and CIPP.

Learn more about cybersecurity jobs

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 33 percent increase in new cyber-related jobs such as information security between 2023-2033.

There’s a huge demand in Dallas for cybersecurity and other related jobs such as information security analysts.

Cybersecurity program listings in Dallas

  1. Dallas County Community College District

    Dallas, Texas
    Program: AAS in Cyber Security – Cyber Defense Emphasis
    Credits: 60
    Cost per credit: $79 in state | $200 out of state
    Delivery method: $79 in state | $200 out of state
    Learn more: Program details

  2. El Centro College

    Dallas, Texas
    Program: Information Security Certificate
    Credits: 18
    Cost per credit: $79 in state | $200 out of state
    Delivery method: Campus
    Learn more: Program details

  3. Richland College

    Dallas, Texas
    Program: AAS in Cyber Security
    Credits: 60
    Cost per credit: $79 in-state | $135 out of state
    Delivery method: Campus
    Learn more: Program details

  4. Richland College

    Dallas, Texas
    Program: Information Security Certificate
    Credits: 18
    Cost per credit: $79 in state | $200 out of state
    Delivery method: Hybrid
    Learn more: Program details

  5. Southern Methodist University

    Dallas, Texas
    Program: Bachelor of Science – Computer Science – Security Track
    CAE designation: CAE-CD
    Credits: 120
    Cost per credit: $1,834
    Delivery method: Campus & online
    Learn more: Program details

  6. Southern Methodist University

    Dallas, Texas
    Program: Cybersecurity Boot Camp
    CAE designation: CAE-CD
    Duration: 24 weeks
    Cost: $11,995 - $13,495
    Delivery method: Campus & online
    Learn more: Program details

  7. Southern Methodist University

    Dallas, Texas
    Program: Masters in Cybersecurity
    CAE designation: CAE-CD
    Credits: 30
    Cost per credit: $1,704
    Delivery method: Online
    GRE requirement: Required
    Learn more: Program details

  8. University of Dallas

    Dallas, Texas
    Program: Master’s of Business Administration with a Cybersecurity focus
    CAE designation: CAE-CD
    Credits: 30
    Cost per credit: $1,275
    Delivery method: Campus & online
    GRE requirement: Optional
    Learn more: Program details

  9. University of Dallas

    Dallas, Texas
    Program: Masters of Science (M.S.) in Cybersecurity
    CAE designation: CAE-CD
    Credits: 30
    Cost per credit: $1,250
    Delivery method: Online
    GRE REquirement: Not required
    Learn more: Program details