The Cybersecurity Talent Gap: Workforce Shortages, Skills Mismatch,
and Growing Demand for IT Audit and Risk Professionals

According to the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, in the 2021-2022 academic school year, approximately 25,000 degrees and certificates were awarded in cybersecurity (CIP 11:10003 – Computer and Information Systems/Auditing/Information Assurance) (Hogan et al., 2024). These educational outcomes fall considerably short in meeting the labor market demand, leaving over 500,000 jobs open in the United States (Cyberseek, 2025). Beyond labor market supply challenges, employers consistently report cybersecurity graduates lack the technical and employability skills (e.g., communication, teamwork, management) necessary to fill available cybersecurity roles. As noted in a Congressional testimony, “the U.S. education system is not producing candidates with relevant ‘soft skills’ or even the technical skills for jobs in the cybersecurity space except from a narrow swath of learners.” (Knutson, 2020). This gap in both the number and readiness of cybersecurity professionals directly constrains employers’ ability to protect critical infrastructure, small businesses, and public institutions. Research on experiential learning, such as those offered by cybersecurity clinics, consistently indicates a positive impact on building an individual's technical and employability skills (Collins-Nelson et al., 2021; Burch et al., 2019).

The openings for financial and risk analysis jobs alone, including cybersecurity inspectors and assessors, is 194,217 or 42.5% of the demand for all cybersecurity specialist roles. However, this demand estimate excludes the need for independent contractors performing freelance cybersecurity inspection, assessment, and audit services. According to Mordor Intelligence, cybersecurity and financial risk assessors and auditors are experiencing the largest number of job openings, with a 31.2% share of all open positions.