If you look at today’s job market, you will notice something interesting. Scroll through any job posts on LinkedIn or any other platforms, and you will see that cybersecurity skills are a requirement showing up in almost every IT job description.
- Network roles need it.
- Cloud roles need it.
- Support roles need it.
This comes as no surprise, and for these reasons, more students are turning toward cybersecurity degrees.
But the question is- Is a Cybersecurity Degree enough to land you an IT Job?
The real answer might surprise you.
A Cybersecurity Degree Is Great, But Here’s Also What You Need to Know
Here’s the truth you rarely hear from any academic advisors. A cybersecurity degree opens doors of opportunity, but it doesn’t guarantee a job.
In fact, many graduates realize something frustrating. Most entry-level IT jobs require “hands-on experience”, something most institutes don’t always provide.
You probably know the feeling- “Entry-level” role requiring 2–3 years of hands-on experience.”
But before you think your degree isn’t valuable, stop yourself right there. Cybersecurity Degeer is essential in today’s digital era. Here’s something about the cybersecurity degree that isn’t talked about enough.
A Bachelor’s in Cybersecurity gives you a strong foundation and a good kick-start to your career in IT and Cybersecurity. So, here you have the advantage of broader domain expertise.
Let’s look at the evolving landscape and the increasingly blurred line between IT and the cybersecurity industry.
How the IT and Cybersecurity Job Market Is Changing Today
If you have been watching the tech landscape lately, you already know things are shifting fast. What used to be considered “advanced security skills” are now becoming baseline expectations across almost every IT role.
A decade ago, cybersecurity was seen as something only specialists handled. But today? Every IT professional, whether in support, cloud, networking, or systems, is expected to understand at least the fundamentals of security.
Here’s what’s driving the change:
1. Cyber Threats Are Growing Faster Than Talent
Organizations aren’t just dealing with occasional breaches anymore. They are battling daily phishing attempts, ransomware campaigns, and data leaks. This has pushed companies to rethink how they hire. They no longer want IT staff who can only set up systems but want people who can secure those systems from day one.
2. IT Roles Now Overlap with Security Roles
The operations between IT and cybersecurity are blurring.
- A network technician needs to understand firewall rules.
- A cloud administrator needs to understand IAM and access control.
- A helpdesk technician needs to recognize social engineering attempts.
Security isn’t a separate step anymore, but an integral part of the job.
3. Employers Want a “Security-First” Mindset
Instead of simply fixing problems, companies want professionals who can prevent them. That means hiring candidates who think about risk, who understand vulnerabilities, and who know how attackers operate. This is exactly why cybersecurity degrees are becoming more valuable, even for non-security roles.
4. Combined Industry Knowledge Carries More Weight
The job market today rewards candidates who bring knowledge and practical skills of both IT and cybersecurity domains. This shift is why students with cybersecurity degrees are increasingly landing IT roles faster than traditional IT graduates.
Companies are actively seeking graduates who bring security awareness, technical foundations, and the ability to adapt quickly. So, with this, now let us understand the significance of a cybersecurity degree for candidates seeking IT jobs.
Why Your Cybersecurity Degree Matters More Than You Think
Your Bachelor’s Cybersecurity degree already works in your favor more than you may realize. For example, it:
- ✔ Shows employers you understand technology fundamentals
You are not coming in fresh with zero knowledge; your degree proves you’ve got the basics down. - ✔ Gives you credibility in a field that desperately needs talent
Cybersecurity is one of the fastest-growing jobs worldwide. Having a degree in it signals commitment and direction. - ✔ Helps you understand risk, threat modeling, and security frameworks
Even if you start in IT support or networking, this knowledge sets you apart from others starting at the same level. - ✔ Builds a foundation you can grow into higher-paying roles
The average person in Cybersecurity earns significantly more as they move up. You are already on the right path.
But having a degree itself isn’t the whole story.
So, What’s Missing? The One Thing Every Employer Looks For?
Experience! We are talking about real, hands-on, practical, and problem-solving experiences like:
- Troubleshooting a broken network
- Hardening a server
- Monitoring logs
- Responding to an incident
- Deploying cloud infrastructure
- Running vulnerability scans
- Building a home lab
Employers want to know: “Can you actually do the job we are hiring for?”
That is where many IT and cybersecurity graduates fall short. Not because they are not smart, but because college programs often focus more on theory than real-world applications. They have learned the theory but haven’t applied it practically to solve real-world problems.
But luckily for you, this gap can be bridged.
The real fix here is pursuing a degree that not only focuses on theory but also helps you build on your skills and provides the practical exposure you need to be job-ready. That’s where a Bachelor’s in Cybersecurity from an institute like EC-Council University comes into play.
Let’s look at what a bachelor’s in cybersecurity degree teaches you.
What a Bachelor’s in Cybersecurity Really Teaches You?
A cybersecurity degree isn’t just about hacking or defense tools. It shapes you into an IT professional who understands how systems work and how they break.
That’s exactly what makes this degree stand out.
You gain a comprehensive understanding of IT knowledge while developing in-demand security skills. Which means you are learning the core IT foundations:
- Networking
- Operating Systems
- Cloud Basics
- Scripting and Automation
In addition to these IT skills, you also dive into essential security disciplines such as: Security monitoring
- Vulnerability assessment
- Access management
- Cyber risk fundamentals
- Incident response
- Digital forensics
- Secure architecture principles
This mix of IT + security makes cybersecurity graduates incredibly versatile, especially for entry-level cybersecurity roles or IT jobs that require a security-first mindset.
But here’s the best part. You can now earn a degree, + earn industry certification, + gain practical exposure, all under one roof, at EC-Council University.
ECCU’s Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity (BSCS) equips you with these fundamentals through an industry-driven curriculum. Students don’t just learn concepts, but here is what they work through:
- Real labs
- Hands-on exercises
- Simulations
- Practical case studies
With ECCU’s global EC-Council legacy behind it, the BSCS program is designed to meet employer expectations from day one. The program curriculum prepares students not just to understand IT and Cybersecurity but also to apply it in the real work environments.
What’s more interesting is that ECCU’s online Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity degree comes with additional EC-Council Certification opportunities to help you gain a globally recognized certification along with your degree when you graduate.
So, if you want a degree that balances theory with hands-on skill-building, ECCU’s BSCS checks every box.
See how ECCU Alumni Christopher Banda’s cybersecurity degree helped him advance his career here
Can You Really Get an IT Job with a BS in Cybersecurity?
Short answer: Yes!
Long answer: Absolutely yes, often faster than traditional IT graduates. And here’s why cybersecurity graduates have leverage:
Companies no longer want IT professionals who only “fix issues”. They want skilled professionals to prevent them. And that’s exactly what cybersecurity graduates are trained to do.
As technology becomes more interconnected and more vulnerable, hiring managers prefer candidates who understand risk, threats, and secure design, even for non-security roles. So, when you walk into an interview with a cybersecurity degree, you are not competing on basic IT knowledge.
You are competing with a security-first mindset that organizations need in today’s digital era.
IT Jobs You Can Get with a Bachelor’s in Cybersecurity
Despite the name, a cybersecurity degree prepares you for more than just IT roles. Many BSCS graduates begin in broader IT positions to build foundational experience.
Entry-Level Roles
These are common starting points:
|
|
These roles don’t just give you a foot in the door; they give you real-world experience you’ll use for the rest of your career.
Mid-Level Roles to Grow Into
Once you gain experience, your cybersecurity background becomes even more valuable:
|
|
The degree sets the foundation. Your hands-on growth shapes the direction.
Skills BSCS Graduates Bring That Attract IT Employers
Hiring managers love cybersecurity graduates because they bring a depth of knowledge that general IT students often develop later in their careers.
Cybersecurity graduates typically possess:
- Strong networking fundamentals
- Understanding of OS behavior
- Cloud infrastructure basics
- Scripting skills (Python, PowerShell)
- Exposure to SIEM tools
- Threat and risk awareness
- Analytical and problem-solving ability
This combination helps organizations operate more securely from the ground up—making you incredibly valuable even in non-security IT roles.
How a BSCS Degree Outshines a General IT Degree
A general IT degree teaches you how systems work. But a cybersecurity degree teaches you how to build them securely. That one difference makes a massive impact.
Here’s how a BSCS stands out:
- You learn high-demand skills from day one
- You are trained to think like both an attacker and a defender
- Employers trust cybersecurity graduates to make risk-aware decisions
- Security roles often offer higher entry-level and mid-career salaries
- Your skill set stays relevant as threats evolve
In a world where attacks are daily news, protection is priceless. And that’s what cybersecurity graduates bring to the table.
Discover whether a cybersecurity degree is worth pursuing and the job opportunities it opens up for you here
Extra Skills That Can Boost Your Employability Further
A Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity degree alone prepares you well, but adding a few extra skills makes you even more competitive:
- Python & PowerShell
- AWS or Azure fundamentals
- Familiarity with security frameworks like NIST, ISO, or SOC 2
- SIEM experience (Splunk, QRadar, ELK)
- Capture-the-Flag or cyber competitions
These additions elevate your résumé and make you stand out instantly.
Should You Add Certifications?
Certifications are not mandatory, but they provide a good career head start.
Recommended early-career certifications include:
- CEH
- CND
- CPENT and More
The good news?
ECCU’s BSCS aligns naturally with many of these certifications, making it easier for students to prepare for and pass the certification exams.
Why ECCU Graduates Stand Out
What makes ECCU students distinct in the job market?
- A curriculum shaped by cybersecurity leaders
- A degree that also includes industry-recognized certifications
- Hands-on labs and real-world cyber range simulations
- Exposure to modern security tools and frameworks
- Strong employer recognition globally
- Training that mirrors real job expectations
- Pathways to advanced certifications and higher-level cyber roles
In a world where every organization needs cybersecurity-ready IT professionals, ECCU graduates bring exactly that.
EC-Council University Is Globally Recognized and Accredited
EC-Council University Proudly Ranks Among the Top 10 Master’s Program by Fortune
So, Is a Cybersecurity Degree Enough to Get You an IT Job?
Yes, when paired with the right skills.
A Bachelor’s in Cybersecurity gives you a strong academic foundation, practical understanding, and a security-first mindset that employers love. It also sets you up for attractive earning potential, with the average Bachelor’s in Cybersecurity salary often landing higher than general IT roles as your experience grows.
Combine your degree with labs, certifications, hands-on projects, and continuous learning, and the opportunities in this industry become limitless.
Your Cybersecurity Degree Can Be Your Career Launchpad
Choosing a cybersecurity degree is one of the smartest moves you can make in today’s digital world. If you have wondered, “Is cybersecurity a good career?” The answer is confident yes. It’s a field with rising demand, substantial starting salaries, and long-term stability.
Your Bachelor’s in Cybersecurity is the beginning, your foundation. But your curiosity, your hands-on practice, and your willingness to grow? That’s what gets you hired.
Whether you step into IT support, networking, cloud, or a junior analyst role, the path forward is wide open. Because, whether IT or Cybersecurity, both fields are built for those who want to protect, innovate, and stay ahead of threats.
The degree gives you the launchpad. What you build from there becomes your future.
