The Cybersecurity Program Coding report examines how cybersecurity programs nationwide are coded using the CIP code classification system. Because these codes are often used to generate aggregate statistics on post-secondary education programs, which informs policymaking and investment decisions, selecting a code that best reflects the program’s curriculum is essential to accurately estimating the supply of cybersecurity workers nationwide.

This analysis first focused on information about the Center of Academic Excellence (CAE) in Cybersecurity-designated programs nationwide, surveying program representatives to collect data on cybersecurity program titles and CIP codes. The research team then gathered information on a sample of non-CAE-designated programs sharing the same CIP codes as the CAE-designated programs.

Finally, the team examined the alignment between two existing cybersecurity workforce frameworks, the NICE framework and the DCWF, and the BLS’s Standard Occupation Classification (SOC). The SOC provides aggregate information about the number of people employed, their demographics, their wages, and typical educational backgrounds across the economy. However, as an economy-wide classification system, it may not reflect the nuances of an emerging field like cybersecurity.