--- title: "Report: Cybersecurity’s Skills Gap Heightened by Gender Gap" id: "43439" type: "post" slug: "report-cybersecuritys-skills-gap-heightened-by-gender-gap" published_at: "2018-07-26T19:23:31+00:00" modified_at: "2026-03-16T22:24:55+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2018/07/26/report-cybersecuritys-skills-gap-heightened-by-gender-gap/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2018/07/26/report-cybersecuritys-skills-gap-heightened-by-gender-gap.md" excerpt: "The InfoSec Institute finds that, at a time when many cybersecurity positions are likely to remain open, interest in the sector is low among women. The report suggests that issues of perception and discrimination are at play." taxonomy_category: - "Conscious Inclusion" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "cybersecurity" - "film diversity" - "gender gap" - "Technology" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Association CEO / Executive Director" - "C-Level" - "Executive Team" - "VP" taxonomy_persona: - "Industry Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Report: Cybersecurity’s Skills Gap Heightened by Gender Gap The cybersecurity sector, which is destined to see significant growth in the coming years,[is facing a well-known skills gap](https://associationsnow.com/2017/02/cybersecurity-skills-gap-report/) , with the employment demand likely to outpace the supply for years to come. But the industry is also facing another kind of gap—a gender gap. And given the other gap, that compounds the problem. [According to a new report from the InfoSec Institute (opens in a new tab)](https://resources.infosecinstitute.com/women-in-cybersecurity-more-credentials-less-pay-even-fewer-opportunities/) , women make up just 11 percent of the cybersecurity workforce, a rate that is far below the 47 percent share of the workforce women comprise overall—and a level that has stayed stagnant in recent years. In comments to Channelnomics, InfoSec Institute Founder and CEO Jack Koziol said it was imperative to fix this problem. “The industry needs more women and persons of color,”[Koziol told the news outlet (opens in a new tab)](https://www.channelnomics.com/channelnomics-us/news/3035925/cybersecurity-field-needs-women-to-close-skills-gap-study) [registration]. “Diversity is proven to increase business productivity and profitability. But it also needs more candidates generally. The industry’s current 300,000-plus vacant positions puts everyone at risk. Our data is everywhere and we need qualified professionals to protect it.” The report (which pulls together data from a variety of sources) emphasizes that perception issues linger, which may make the field less attractive to women. Despite countless studies finding that women are equally capable at STEM work as men, the “hacker” and “nerd” rep tied to cybersecurity work contributes to an overall lack of interest in the field. The report suggests that many women decide not to pursue a career in cybersecurity while still in high school. But those aren’t the only factors at play. Traditional gender gap issues, such as widespread discrimination (affecting 51 percent of women in the industry, per one study), linger. Also having a role is the difference in pay. According to statistics from[PayScale.com (opens in a new tab)](http://PayScale.com) cited by the institute, women, on average, get paid around 8 percent less for cybersecurity roles, even with the necessary certifications. Despite the somewhat dour nature of the report, InfoSec Institute does see a plus side to the situation. “While the gender discrimination issues in cybersecurity remain widespread, the industry still holds significant potential for women candidates,” the report states. “Women in cybersecurity have the potential to earn far higher salaries than in other roles — doubling, or sometimes tripling the national average for women in other industries.” (Sidekick/E+/Getty Images Plus) [Ernie Smith](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Ernie Smith is a former senior editor for Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Tags: [#cybersecurity](https://associationsnow.com/tag/cybersecurity/) [#film diversity](https://associationsnow.com/tag/film-diversity/) [#gender gap](https://associationsnow.com/tag/gender-gap/) [#Technology](https://associationsnow.com/tag/technology/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [VideoASAE DELP Reunion 2025 & Introduction of New ClassAugust 18, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/08/18/asae-delp-reunion-2025-introduction-of-new-class-2/) - [PodcastAssociations Now Presents: Beyond the Tech Stack: How AI Is Changing the Association PlaybookOctober 29, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/10/29/associations-now-presents-beyond-the-tech-stack-how-ai-is-changing-the-association-playbook/) - [PodcastSecuring Identity: What Associations Need to Know About Verifiable CredentialsJune 25, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/06/25/securing-identity-what-associations-need-to-know-about-verifiable-credentials/) - [PodcastAssociations Now Presents: Beyond Accessibility: Building Neuroinclusive Association CommunitiesMay 28, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/05/28/associations-now-presents-beyond-accessibility-building-neuroinclusive-association-communities/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2018%2F07%2F26%2Freport-cybersecuritys-skills-gap-heightened-by-gender-gap%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !