Charted.

Technology

How to become a Cybersecurity Analyst

Becoming a Cybersecurity Analyst isn't one leap — it's a ladder. You can start as an IT Support Specialist and climb from there, with each rung showing the real time it takes and what it pays. Here's the honest path, and what a technology route actually costs along the way.

The path, rung by rung

Each step is a real role you can hold. The time is how long to reach it; the pay is a national figure for that rung.

  1. IT Support Specialist
    CompTIA A+
    $45,000
    1-3 months
  2. Security Operations Center (SOC) Analyst I
    Security+ certification
    $60,000
    6-12 months
  3. Cybersecurity Analyst
    CySA+ or similar
    $85,000
    2-3 years
  4. Senior Security Analyst
    CISSP or equivalent
    $110,000
    4-6 years

Start this week

You don't need to commit to the whole climb today. Here's one small, real thing you can do this week.

Spend 20 minutes on the first free lesson of freeCodeCamp. Set a timer if you need to.

If it's boring, you've learned something real. If the 20 minutes vanish, you've learned more. Either way you moved.

freeCodeCamp →

The honest reality

What this path actually asks of you — in time, money, and effort.

  • The first rung, IT Support Specialist, typically asks for compTIA A+ and pays around $45,000.
  • Reaching Senior Security Analyst usually takes 4-6 years and pays around $110,000 — and getting there means CISSP or equivalent.
  • An early credential many people start with, IT Support (CompTIA A+), runs about $500-1000 and takes 2-3 months. Costs climb with each degree or license after that.
  • You don't need a college degree to take the first step.
  • These are national figures. What you'll actually earn and what training costs shift with your city and the current market.

Common questions

How long does it take to become a Cybersecurity Analyst?

Charted lays it out as a 4-step path. You can start as an IT Support Specialist right away; reaching Senior Security Analyst typically takes 4-6 years. You don't have to climb every rung — many people stop at a step that already fits their life.

What does it cost to get started as a Cybersecurity Analyst?

The first credential most people get, IT Support (CompTIA A+), runs about $500-1000 and takes 2-3 months. Each degree or license after that adds more — the entry step is the cheap part.

Can you become a Cybersecurity Analyst without a degree?

You can start without one. The first rung, IT Support Specialist, needs compTIA A+ — no college degree to begin. Degrees and licenses come later, as you climb toward Senior Security Analyst.

Not sure this is your path?

Take the assessment. Fifteen minutes, and it points you to the fit.

Take the assessment