Cybersecurity Careers in Tucson, AZ

Cybersecurity work in Tucson leans on defense: cleared analysts and ISSOs at Davis-Monthan AFB and the contractors around it, with hospital and credit union security teams on the civilian side. Posted pay runs from the mid $60,000s to $166,000. Current openings are below, then who is hiring and how to get in.

Current Cybersecurity Openings in Tucson, AZ

Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.

Cybersecurity Work in Tucson

The biggest share of Tucson's security work sits on or near Davis-Monthan AFB on the southeast side, where contractors such as Peraton staff cyber analyst seats supporting Air Combat Command intelligence, and GDIT runs information systems security officer and manager roles in Tucson and Sierra Vista. Most of that work is on site, needs U.S. citizenship and usually an active Top Secret/SCI clearance, which is why the clearance moves pay more than any certificate.

The civilian side is smaller but steady. Tucson Medical Center on Grant Road keeps an IS security team that writes policy, tracks compliance and runs awareness training, and Hughes Federal Credit Union has hired a cybersecurity analyst at its Wetmore branch for monitoring, incident response and audit support. Raytheon, the metro's largest private employer, also hires cleared security engineers and ISSOs near Tucson International Airport, but its careers site cannot be checked automatically, so it is not in the list below.

Top Tucson Employers Hiring Cybersecurity Professionals

These Tucson employers have posted cybersecurity roles on their own careers sites:

• Peraton - cyber analysts at Davis-Monthan AFB doing threat analysis, incident monitoring and response for Air Combat Command intelligence; active TS/SCI required.
• General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT) - ISSO and ISSM roles in Tucson handling authorization packages, risk assessments and compliance under the Risk Management Framework.
• Tucson Medical Center - IS security analysts at the midtown hospital covering security policy, risk, internal controls and compliance; Security+ preferred.
• Hughes Federal Credit Union - a credit union with Tucson branches that has hired an in-house cybersecurity analyst for monitoring, threat analysis and IT governance work.

Cybersecurity Salaries in Tucson

• Entry level (analyst, 0-3 years): roughly $60,000 to $80,000 per year.
• Experienced (ISSO, mid-level analyst): roughly $80,000 to $110,000 per year.
• Senior (ISSM, senior analyst, engineer): roughly $105,000 to $150,000 per year, higher for senior cleared seats.

Recent Tucson postings show the spread: Hughes listed $66,000 to $83,000 for its analyst, Peraton $66,000 to $106,000 for a cyber analyst and $104,000 to $166,000 for a senior one, and GDIT $88,400 to $119,600 for an ISSO II. The Bureau of Labor Statistics put the Tucson median for information security analysts at $41.47 an hour in May 2023. An active clearance is the biggest lever. These are estimates that vary by employer and experience.

How to Become a Cybersecurity Professional in Tucson

Arizona has no state license for cybersecurity analysts, ISSOs or security engineers. Employers set the bar instead: a bachelor's degree or equivalent experience, and for defense work a DoD 8140 qualifying certification such as CompTIA Security+, U.S. citizenship and a clearance. Pima Community College's Cybersecurity AAS at East Campus on Irvington Road takes about two years full time and is an NSA Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense program. The University of Arizona's College of Information Science offers a BAS in Cyber Defense on the main campus and online, and Pima JTED at The Bridges teaches cyber to high school students.

What the Job Involves

A typical day means watching alerts in a SIEM, chasing down suspicious traffic, writing up incidents and patching the gaps they reveal. On the compliance side, ISSOs and ISSMs build and maintain authorization packages, run vulnerability scans and self-inspections, and keep system documentation current so a network can stay accredited. Defense seats are worked on site in secured facilities, often with shift schedules.

Skills Employers Look For

• CompTIA Security+ or another DoD 8140 qualifying certification
• Network, server and application security fundamentals
• SIEM monitoring and incident response
• Risk Management Framework and NIST 800-53 compliance work
• Clear written reports and security documentation
• For defense roles, U.S. citizenship and an active or obtainable clearance

Career Path and Advancement

Many Tucson security careers start in help desk or system administration, add Security+, and move into an analyst seat. From there the ladder runs to ISSO, senior analyst or security engineer, then ISSM and security manager. A clearance earned on a Davis-Monthan contract travels with you, so moving between Peraton, GDIT and other base contractors is a common way to climb without leaving town.

Related Careers in Tucson

These Tucson guides cover the closest specialties and next steps:

• Cybersecurity Analyst
• Information Security Specialist
• Governance Risk and Compliance Analyst
• Information Technology

Frequently Asked Questions

Do cybersecurity jobs in Tucson require a security clearance?

Many do. The cyber analyst, ISSO and ISSM roles at Davis-Monthan AFB contractors such as Peraton and GDIT require U.S. citizenship and usually an active Top Secret/SCI clearance. Civilian employers such as Tucson Medical Center and Hughes Federal Credit Union do not ask for one.

Is there a cybersecurity license in Arizona?

No. Arizona does not license cybersecurity analysts or security engineers. Employers ask for degrees and certifications instead, and defense contractors require a DoD 8140 qualifying certification such as CompTIA Security+.

How much do cybersecurity jobs pay in Tucson?

Entry analyst roles generally run about $60,000 to $80,000 a year, ISSOs and mid-level analysts about $80,000 to $110,000, and senior cleared roles $105,000 to $150,000 or more. Peraton's senior cyber analyst posting at Davis-Monthan listed up to $166,000.

Where can you study cybersecurity in Tucson?

Pima Community College offers a two-year Cybersecurity AAS at East Campus, an NSA Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense program. The University of Arizona's College of Information Science offers a BAS in Cyber Defense, and Pima JTED teaches cyber to high school students at The Bridges.

How do you get an entry-level cybersecurity job in Tucson?

Start in help desk or IT support, earn Security+, and apply for analyst roles at hospitals, credit unions and base contractors. Pima's AAS and capstone work help, and if you are a U.S. citizen, a first cleared job on a Davis-Monthan contract opens the better-paid defense seats.

Ready to apply? Browse all cybersecurity jobs in Tucson, AZ on TucsonHIRED and apply today.