Cybersecurity Programs in Mississippi

With one of the top schools for cyber security in the country, Mississippi is a great place to earn a degree. See our list of programs, and then read on to discover scholarships, events and employers for Mississippi’s cyber security aces.

Studying Cyber Security in Mississippi

Many consider Mississippi State University one of the best schools for cyber security in the country — experts ranked it third in a 2014 survey. The Department of Homeland Security and the National Security Agency agree, designating it a National Center of Academic Excellence in information assurance education, cyber defense education, and cyber defense research. Here’s what MSU and other Mississippi colleges are contributing to the field:

• Mississippi State University, which already integrates security concentrations into its Computer Science programs, launched an MS in Cyber Security and Operations in 2017. The new program complements the work of its Center for Computer Security Research, which focuses research on three areas: artificial intelligence, computer forensics, and cryptography. Across campus, the High Performance Computing Collaboratory maintains both the Center for Cyber Innovation, which runs exercises with federal government agencies, and the Distributed Analytics and Security Institute, which coordinates research across disciplines.
• The AAS in Network Security Technology at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College is a technical program designed to make students employable in the field upon graduation. In other words, it doesn’t have to be a stepping stone to a bachelor’s.
• Through the UM/JSU Intelligence Consortium, the University of Mississippi and Jackson State University are looking to get in the game. Both schools are already recognized by the Defense Intelligence Agency for their academic excellence in security. Now they are finding ways to integrate cyber security coursework into their curricula and fund student research in this area.

Cyber Security Scholarships in Mississippi

Academic departments are the most common sponsors of cyber security scholarships, although you may also find some alumni-endowed awards from university foundations. Here’s what we’ve discovered:

Mississippi State University

• CyberCorps Scholarship for Service: High-performing undergrads, grad students and doctoral candidates in the Computer Science & Engineering Department can win a full scholarship and generous stipend in exchange for working in cyber security for a government agency after graduation.

University of Southern Mississippi

• Charles Lowery, Jr. Information Technology Annual Scholarship: Upperclassmen majoring in IT (which may include Information Security minors) are eligible for this award. The scholarship typically goes to African American students.

Cyber Security Events in Mississippi

Cyber Security Meetups & Communities in Mississippi

To find professionals in your field away from campus you may need to broaden your search to include groups like JXNtech, which meets monthly to discuss entrepreneurial endeavors in the capital’s tech community, or Jackson Area Web and App Developers, another networking group that meets monthly. Below is the lone cyber security community we found operating in Mississippi:

• Mississippi InfraGard: Joining InfraGard entails an FBI background check. That’s because members work with the agency to protect Mississippi’s physical and virtual infrastructure from malicious hacks.

Cyber Security Conferences & Workshops in Mississippi

The Magnolia State sponsors a smattering of one-day events pertaining to cyber security:

• BSidesJackson: The most fun event of the season for cyber security aficionados is also free. Come to the capital for a day of presentations, workshops and trainings put on by local professionals and professors.
• Mississippi Annual Cybersecurity Summit: Government officials and academics convene every October at Jackson State University’s Mississippi e-Center to discuss security awareness.
• Mississippi Digital Government Summit: This event is meant to inform state government managers from non-tech backgrounds about IT issues such as computer security. You probably won’t learn any new techniques by attending, but you will learn about how the state is addressing challenges.

Cyber Security Jobs in Mississippi

Mississippi has the second-lowest demand for cyber security talent in the nation. Until the state catches up, you’ll have to keep your eyes peeled for career opportunities. The hottest company to work for is Bomgar Corporation, headquartered in Ridgeland, which creates secure access software for use on remote desktops; Bomgar is listed on the Cybersecurity 500 as one of the most innovative firms in the field.

Out-of-state companies with a hand in cyber security also maintain a presence in the state, among them network communication specialists Vectrus and engineers UIC Government Services, both in Vicksburg, as well as government contractors Defense Point Security in Kiln.

Cyber Security Salaries in Mississippi

Cyber security salaries in Mississippi are among the lowest in the U.S. with an average of just under $70,000 in 2016 — $26K lower than the national figure. But it’s not all doom and gloom. For one thing, in 2015, the average salary was under $64,000, meaning that in just one year wages jumped 10 percent! There’s likely more growth ahead in this market. And since Mississippi boasts the lowest cost of living of any U.S. state, your salary goes further than it would elsewhere.