10 best cities for cybersecurity talent

In a world that is becoming increasingly more digital, a good and reliable cybersecurity workforce is necessary. But the tech industry took a major hit this year, meaning that cybersecurity workers who want to succeed in this sector need to find the places that will best support them.

Currently, the cybersecurity industry is facing a labor shortage of around four million employees, according to the World Economic Forum. Left unaddressed, it's estimated to grow to 85 million by 2030. In an effort to guide available talent to locations with the most opportunities, technology insights platform EarthWeb curated a list of cities using data from LinkedIn and Glassdoor to reveal the cities around the world where cybersecurity workers could thrive. 

"The need for qualified personnel is rising at an unprecedented rate in the cybersecurity sector," says Trevor Cooke, an online privacy expert at EarthWeb. "Talented people who can successfully fight against these attacks and reduce risks are desperately needed as cyber threats continue to change and become more complex."

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As many tech workers have been passed over in the transition to remote work, finding in-person job opportunities is critical for this industry. Within the U.S., long-standing tech hub San Francisco topped the list with over 3,00 job openings. The city is host to a variety of surrounding universities training upcoming cybersecurity talent, and five out of the 10 most valuable public cybersecurity companies in the world are also headquartered in the area, making it a good place for prospective talent looking to relocate. 

Boston and Washington, D.C. also broke the top five, while international locales like Dubai and Tel Aviv also made the list. Despite the current talent shortage the sector may be facing, there's still plenty of opportunity for the future of the industry as a whole, Cooke says. 

"Potential talent in cybersecurity has to understand how important it is to find a supportive environment for their careers," he says. "Pursuing a career in cybersecurity means more than just making money — it means helping to ensure that people, companies and society at large have a safer digital future." 

See which other cities around the world are ripe with opportunities for the present and future cybersecurity workforce.