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CybersecurityTop JobColorado Talent Pipeline Report-aligned occupation with strong annual openings, growth, and wage signals.

Security Control or Secure Software Assessor

Conducts independent comprehensive assessments of the management, operational, and technical security controls and control enhancements employed within or inherited by an IT system to determine the overall effectiveness of the controls (as defined in NIST 800-37). Analyzes the security of new or existing computer applications, software, or specialized utility programs and provides actionable results.

Annual openings

553

Median wage

$135,220

Typical education

Education not reported

Growth 2026–2032

+19%

Median wage source: Colorado BLS OEWS (2025).

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Career requirements

What does this career require?

Explore education, required qualifications, voluntary credentials and employer preferences for this role. Check the details to see which apply.

Typical education

Education not reported

Credential requirement

A credential is recommended.

Credential detail

Certifications addressing application vulnerabilities and delivery delays, and secure software concepts, requirements, design, implementation/coding, testing, software acceptance, software deployment, operations, maintenance, disposal supply chain, software acquisition, managing, maintaining, troubleshooting, installing, configuring basic network infrastructure, mobile device integration, hardware evaluation, operating systems, technical support, authentication, security testing, intrusion detection/prevention, incident response and recovery, attacks and countermeasures, and cryptography.

Experience detail

2+ years experience or apprenticeship assessing software security or information assurance.

Remote work

Some companies (information technology companies for example) and jobs (such as call center support) offer the opportunity for staff to work remotely, including from rural locations. To see if a job offers this opportunity, please review job postings from job banks such as ZipRecruiter, Indeed or ConnectingColorado, and look for key words such as "location independent", "remote", "virtual", "telecommute", "flex" or for companies posting the same job in many locations.

Is this work a fit?

What the work actually feels like

How people in this career tend to spend their time, the interests it draws on, and a look at a typical day.

Work style

The type of work can vary by job and employer.

  • With childrenNo
  • On a computerYes
  • OutdoorsNo
  • With your handsNo

Interests it draws on

  • Technology
  • Cybersecurity

Automation exposure

Low exposure

Tasks here lean on judgement and people skills that are hard to automate.

A typical day

  1. Develop plans to safeguard computer files against accidental or unauthorized modification, destruction, or disclosure and to meet emergency data processing needs.
  2. Monitor current reports of computer viruses to determine when to update virus protection systems.
  3. Encrypt data transmissions and erect firewalls to conceal confidential information as it is being transmitted and to keep out tainted digital transfers.
  4. Perform risk assessments and execute tests of data processing system to ensure functioning of data processing activities and security measures.
  5. Modify computer security files to incorporate new software, correct errors, or change individual access status.
  6. Review violations of computer security procedures and discuss procedures with violators to ensure violations are not repeated.
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