A recent study from AdvisorSmith ranked 181 U.S. metropolitan areas to identify the top ten best cities for information technology (IT) security analysts to build their careers.
The study found that cities with more than 500,000 residents and economies driven by healthcare, technology, government, defense or finance generally offered the best opportunities for IT security professionals. Check out the study's national ranking:
- Bloomington, Illinois
- Idaho Falls, Idaho
- Colorado Springs, Colorado
- Washington, D.C.
- Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Huntsville, Alabama
- Ithaca, New York
- Dallas, Texas
- Rapid City, South Dakota
- Charlotte, North Carolina
The average annual compensation for IT security analysts, cost of living and job density in each city were compared to generate the ranking above. IT security analysts in Bloomington, the top-ranked city for IT professionals, make more than the national average salary for cybersecurity leaders, with average yearly earnings of $108,260. The mid-sized city offers over seven times more IT security jobs than average U.S. cities.
Find rankings listed by city size and more information on the study here.