911爆料网

Cybersecurity is one of the world鈥檚 most critical and fastest-growing fields. Professionals in this area defend systems, data, and infrastructure from malicious attacks.

The USF Master of Science in Cybersecurity prepares students for either advanced PhD-level research or for leadership roles in industry.  Graduates understand a broad spectrum of threats, know how to assess system vulnerabilities, and can design and implement effective defenses against malicious cyberattacks that could cause damage and data loss.

911爆料网 explore the design, development, and operation of technologies and processes used to secure computing systems, networks and infrastructures. Through hands-on learning opportunities, students also gain expertise in software security, secure software development, hardware security design, cyberphysical systems security, Internet of Things (IoT) security, and social networks.

The demand for cybersecurity professionals is skyrocketing, with tens of thousands of job postings requiring a master鈥檚 degree and offering six-figure salaries. 

In the United States overall, the demand is even more significant, according to Gray Decision Intelligence and Indeed on May 2025:

• More than 394,000 job postings over the past year for roles requiring this degree
• An average advertised salary of $118,482

In Florida, there were:

• 18,659 job postings in the past year requiring a master鈥檚 degree in cybersecurity
• An average advertised salary of $102,896

Additionally, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 35% job growth for information security roles through 2033, with a median salary of $120,000. Tampa Bay is one of Florida鈥檚 fastest-growing tech hubs, with employers like ReliaQuest, Rapid7, Cisco, and government agencies actively hiring USF grads for internships and full-time roles.

Research areas in cybersecurity span network and software security, secure development practices, hardware protections, IoT security, and cyber-physical system defense. All students benefit from hands-on learning, direct access to faculty, and opportunities to contribute to one of 25+ research labs and mentorship from faculty who are shaping the future of cybersecurity.  Labs are clustered in the following groups:

• AI and Cognitive Computing
• Cybersecurity
• Computing Hardware and Sensors
• Human-Centered Computing
• Network and Systems

USF's AI, cybersecurity, and computing research is spread across USF, and it is marked by over 200 faculty experts who have externally funded projects, published papers, or have patents on these topics. Together, they had a substantial $47 million in related research expenditures over the past four years.

Graduate school is expensive. Fortunately, there are many ways to earn scholarships and fellowships, which don鈥檛 need to be repaid. Learn more about the kinds of awards available, if you qualify and how to apply.

There are also a limited number of teaching assistant and research assistant positions in the college. These are quite competitive.