Texas has the most CAE-CO institutions at four, and 21 different schools carry one of the three cyber defense designations. Dallas, San Antonio, Houston, Irving, and Corpus Christi are some of the locations where these programs are offered at within the state, and there are numerous online options for those looking for more flexibility in their schedules.

Cyber security is one of the fastest-growing industries in the nation with the rise of sensitive information in technology, and Texas has plenty of educational options for those that are entering a career.

Here is a list of Texas cybersecurity degrees that are from NSA CAE Designated Institutions:

Our Lady of the Lake University
Southern Methodist University
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
Texas A&M University-San Antonio
Texas State Technical College in Harlingen
The University of Texas at Austin

Click to jump to the full list of Texas cybersecurity schools.

NSA CAE Designated Institutions for Cyber Security

The National Security Agency (NSA) endorses cybersecurity programs in higher education by designating them as one of the National Centers of Academic Excellence (CAE). With the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), many of these institutions will fall under Cyber Defense, either setting an education (CAE CDE) or research (CAE-R) standard. There is a separate designation for two-year degrees, which are generally reserved for community or specialized school. A handful of colleges have been designated as a CAE in Cyber Operations (CAE-CO).

Online Cyber Security Programs in Texas

An easier way to complete an advanced cybersecurity degree is pursuing an online program, and Texas has a number of options available for prospective students, especially for those looking into a Master's degree.

Courses can be offered in synchronous format, where students can watch lectures remotely and participate in a virtual classroom, or they can watch on-demand videos of recorded lectures from the professor. Coursework can usually be done at any time of the day, and this will either be done at the students' own pace or they will need to meet weekly deadlines to keep up with the rest of the class. All communication is done through the university's content management system, with tools such as chat rooms, discussion boards, and instant messaging.

MS in Information Assurance and Security at Sam Houston State University

Sam Houston State University has the Master of Science in Information Assurance and Security, and it is available completely online. The 36-credit hour curriculum will prepare students to fully protect corporations from network intrusions, analyze risk, and implement disaster recovery efforts when necessary. It is recommended that students that have an undergraduate education in Computer Science or Management Information Systems, or already established a professional background in a related field before pursuing this program.

University of Texas Cyber Academy Certificate Program

For those needing a quicker format, there is the Cyber Academy Certificate Program offered by the Center for Professional Education at the University of Texas at Austin. Three courses are packaged together into one program that takes 31 weeks to complete: Cybersecurity - Immediate Immersion, Cybersecurity Defense, and Cybersecurity Attack. The initial course is a month-long foundational course that is meant to determine of a career in cybersecurity is the best option. After that, education in action on both sides is given. Courses are offered at various times of the year for flexibility.

Master’s in Cyber Security Degrees in Texas

Due to the complicated nature of information technology and network security, it is recommended that those who are looking to get into engineering or managerial roles should consider a Master’s program. This provides the education needed to advance along in a specific career, or make the switch into cybersecurity for those working in a different segment of the IT sector. In order to gain entry into a Master’s program, students will typically need to have an undergraduate degree with a 3.0 cumulative GPA, prior coursework in computer science and mathematics, and they will need to submit official transcripts, an updated resume, letters of recommendation, and a personal statement declaring why they are pursuing this degree.

At the College of Technology through the University of Houston, graduates can receive a Master of Science in Cybersecurity. Designated by the CAE since 2007, this program has long established their reliability in cybersecurity education. They offer advanced training with experienced professionals, hands-on experiences when working with real-world data, and keeping up with the latest innovations. 30 total hours are needed to complete the program, and example courses include Introduction to Information System Security, Cyber Policy and Information Governance, and Secure Enterprise Computing.

Getting Started Working in Cyber Security in Texas

There are a wide variety of ways to receive higher education in cybersecurity regardless of prior knowledge. Those new in the information technology sector can look at associate degrees and certifications that have less stringent requirements. Texas also has many cities that provide plenty of job opportunities.

• Undergraduate Degrees:
  The University of Texas at San Antonio has one of the 20 programs in the country that has been designated as a CAE in Cyber Operations. The Department of Computer Science has a specific concentration in Cyber Operations within the Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. Example courses within the Cyber Operations track includes Cryptography, Cellular and Mobile Technologies, Distributed and Cloud Systems Security, and Secure Software Development and Analysis. The total computer science curriculum will cover all the basics in cybersecurity, so no prior programming is necessary.

  One of the community colleges designated by the CAE is El Paso Community College, who offers the Associate of Applied Science in Cyber Security. There is both a full-time and part-time option available for students that may consider working professionally while taking the program. Part-time students will need five years to complete the 60-credit curriculum, but not only will they complete a degree from an accredited university, they will also receive a certification as a Computer Support Technician.

• Masters and Continuing Education:
  The Satish and Yasmin Gupta College of Business at the University of Dallas offers a Master of Science in Cybersecurity. Topics that are covered in the curriculum include data management, penetration testing, and digital forensics, and this will also prepare students for the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) exam. This program is available either fully online, on-campus, or there can be a hybrid of the two courses, and it can be finished within one to two years.

  Southern Methodist University also offers a fully online Master’s degree in Cybersecurity with an ability to interact with the faculty directly and to participate in live classes that have just 15 students on average. The program can be completed in less than two years and will cover the latest innovations in the industry along with typical subjects, like risk analysis, network security, and legal and ethical issues. There are three different start times when students are administered each year.

• Cyber Security Employment Options:
  Deloitte, CDW, and GM Financial are examples of companies that have entry-level positions available in cities like Austin, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. A cybersecurity analyst at GM Financial gathers information and uses risk management when making decisions on how to improve the organization’s security efforts and gives reports and presentations to higher-level management. Bank of America has a supply chain tech risk specialist that evaluates the protection of data within the supply chain and the cloud.

Texas Cyber Security Careers

With Texas gaining numerous major tech companies, there are many opportunities in the cybersecurity sector. It is the third-fastest growing state in terms of tech jobs being created according to CompTIA, and specifically within information security analyst positions, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics lists over 8,500 workers. The average salary for these employees sits at over $104,000 annually and an hourly wage of just over $50.

Texas Cyber Security and Tech Employers and Organizations

AT&T is headquartered at Whitacre Tower in Dallas, but much of their cybersecurity staff is spread out across the world. There are regional managers located in Texas and there are government-related opportunities in San Antonio. Dell is another company that holds its headquarters in Texas with many cybersecurity opportunities in Round Rock and Austin. An information security officer at Dell is responsible for gathering information and working with stakeholders in order to improve security efforts, leads daily tasks such as finding vulnerabilities and implementing new innovations, and tracking metrics from the network security.