We live in a multicultural world where it is theoretically possible for people of all nationalities and ethnicities to live and work amicably together.
It should be possible and it is increasingly important as the internet continues to make the world a smaller place.
Yet, the news consistently reports race issues and discrimination, confirming that a truly multicultural global society is not yet a reality.
This is emphasized in many industries, it’s worth taking a look at the current cybersecurity diversity statistics.
You may be amazed at what you discover. Cybersecurity is an increasingly important industry.
This is partly due to the year-on-year increase in internet use, and partly due to the ever-increasing cyberattacks.
Roughly 50% of US SMBs have experienced a successful attack in the last 12 months.
Here are some interesting cybersecurity diversity statistics.
Key Statistics
- 24% of the cybersecurity workforce are women
- Women in the cybersecurity workforce are likely to increase dramatically by 2031
- By 2025 there will be a 3.5 million global shortage of cybersecurity workers
- Black, asian & hispanic workers form just 9% of the workforce
- 52% of workers between 35-54 years old
- Only 14% of the workforce have a disability
- 30% of female employees earn less than their male counterparts
- 87% of cybersecurity professionals are men
Top Cybersecurity Diversity Statistics in 2025
1. 24% Of The Workforce Are Women
The 2021 report by DataUSA showed that women form just 24% of the cybersecurity workforce.
There should be no reason for discrimination against women regarding their capability to complete the job.
That means, unless women are actively avoiding the cybersecurity industry, there is a bias toward male employees.
Considering, women in the industry feel they are often overlooked and unable to get the highest-ranking jobs, it would suggest the lack of women is a conscious or unconscious bias by existing management teams.
(DataUSA)
2. Women In The Workforce Are Likely To Increase Dramatically By 2031
The good news is that projections expect the number of women in cybersecurity to increase significantly in the next few years.
Projections suggest it will move from the current 24% to a more impressive 35% by 2031.
This will help to build trust in the industry and potentially- expand the array of solutions available to any given issue.
(Bureau Of Labor Statistics)
3. By 2025 There Will Be A 3.5 Million Global Shortage Of Cybersecurity Workers
The cybersecurity industry is worth over $200 billion. It’s estimated this will rise to $470 billion by 2030.
Much of this increase is directly related to an increased awareness of the risks by businesses.
Strangely, this increase is being driven by consumers who frequently ask businesses about their cybersecurity measures.
In other words, consumers won’t use companies that don’t have adequate cybersecurity measures.
There is no better incentive to improve your cybersecurity! More than 70% of businesses intend to increase their spending on cybersecurity.
The massive increase in interest means that the cybersecurity industry is going to need a lot more workers.
Unfortunately, not enough are currently training. There is already a global shortage of IT workers and this issue is likely to get worse.
Estimates suggest the industry will be short of 3.5 million workers by 2025!
(Bureau Of Labor Statistics)
4. Black, Asian & Hispanic Workers Form Just 9% Of the Workforce
The more diverse any workforce is, the easier it is to make informed and balanced decisions.
As such, the cybersecurity industry should enjoy a significant presence of black, Asian, and Hispanic workers.
Unfortunately, this is not currently the case.
As the latest Aspen Digital Tach Report shows, this demographic currently populates just 9% of the cybersecurity workforce.
It could be argued that this is a deeper problem than simply employers avoiding minority people.
In many cases, minorities don’t have access to the same level of education as majority populations.
This makes it more difficult for minority groups to become qualified enough to work within the industry.
This is backed up by the fact that 17% of Hispanics are considered poor and just 8.2% of non-Hispanic whites.
It’s worse for black people, 20% of them are considered poor.
(Aspen Digital Tech Report)
5. 52% Of Workers Between 35-54 Years Old
The latest research shows that 52% of workers in cybersecurity are between 35-54 years old.
In contrast, those aged between 19-34 only make up 30% of the industry.
What is most interesting about this is that younger people tend to be seen as better with computers and the associated security risks.
Failing to attract them into the industry means that decisions are made without a balanced viewpoint.
In many cases any decisions made will favor those in the 35-54 age bracket.
This means the best decision may not be made as there is an imbalance in viewpoints.
(CompTIA)
6. Only 14% Of The Workforce Have A Disability
There are millions of people with disabilities, many of which are unseen.
In the majority of cases the disability isn’t an issue for working within the cybersecurity industry.
Yet, despite this, there are very few disabled people in the cybersecurity workforce.
The latest figures show only 14% of workers have a disability.
Again, this means cybersecurity decisions are being made without considering all the effects on different groups.
In short, the industry may not be coming up with the best solution to issues.
(KPMG 2022 Report)
7. 30% Of Female Employees Earn Less Than Their Male Counterparts
This is a common thread across many industries and one that hasn’t yet been resolved.
The latest research suggests that as many as 30% of female employees earn less than their male employee performing the same role.
This statistic has improved. Just five years ago 50% of female employees earned less than male counterparts.
In fact, the number of women in leadership roles has increased from 11% in 2017 to 24% in 2021.
However, 30% is still significantly higher than it should be.
All cybersecurity businesses should be looking to equalize wages regardless of gender.
This will help to maintain staff and for them to be focused on what matters, the business of cybersecurity.
(Bureau Of Labor Statistics)
8. 87% Of Cybersecurity Professionals Are Men
To further confirm the issues within the cybersecurity industry you only need to look at the proportion of male workers compared to female ones.
The latest figures show that an amazing 87% of cybersecurity professionals are male and that the majority of these are white males.
It shows that the industry still has a long way to go before becoming truly diverse.
(Bureau Of Labor Statistics)
How Cybersecurity Businesses Can Improve Diversity Statistics
Simply being aware of the cybersecurity diversity statistics is an important first step on the journey to equality within the industry.
It means your business is prepared to work on changing policies and improving the industry.
There are several things businesses can do:
Create A Mentoring Program
Mentoring is an excellent way to ensure someone has the necessary skills for a job.
Equally, it can help someone gain the skills needed while working.
Businesses should develop a mentoring program.
This will allow you to target potential candidates from minority groups which may not have had access to the necessary educational facilities.
The mentor can ensure they learn everything they need to know and, in the process, increase the diversity of the business.
There are many ways to attract the right candidates, such as by contacting universities, local schools, and even community groups.
You may be surprised at the potential you find.
Sponsor Education
As many minority groups struggle to get the best possible education it’s a good idea to offer education and training.
All you need to do is devise a test to confirm if someone has an aptitude for cybersecurity.
If they do, you can train them, perhaps through a mentor, while they attend classes to improve their knowledge and gain a recognized qualification.
Actively Encourage Diversity
Actively encouraging diversity in the workplace is something that should be built into the ethos of the business.
The aim is to always recruit the best person for the job, regardless of their nationality or ethnicity.
One step all businesses can take to help achieve this is to remove any questions relating to ethnicity from the application form.
This will force management to look at each application based on its merit as opposed to consciously or unconsciously looking at skin color or beliefs.
It takes time to change people’s mindsets.
While the ethos of the business is adjusting it’s a good idea to make sure any employee decisions are taken by two individuals.
This will encourage the decision to be fair.
Make It Inclusive
Teaching staff to see the person instead of anything else can be difficult.
However, it is essential to apply this approach to anyone being considered for employment.
But, employing anyone is only the start of the journey.
To ensure ethnic diversity is maintained and people feel as though they are a valuable addition to the team, you need to make sure everyone feels included.
That means regular employee events to help people bond and an open door policy, allowing any member of staff to voice a concern or make business suggestions.
This approach helps to keep you in the loop, promotes the best opportunities for the business, and helps with staff retention.
Consider The Language Barrier
Minority groups can find that language is an issue, especially if their first language isn’t English.
It can make it harder to understand what is needed or what they are being taught.
Businesses can help by investing in translation services and, if possible, arranging for employees to attend language courses.
This will help the employee improve their language skills and get the job done properly
It also benefits the business as employees in training can be tied to the b business for several years, building loyalty and improving staff retention.
That saves you a lot of hassle looking for new staff.
Don’t forget, employees talk to friends. If you are actively trying to improve diversity in the workplace the employees will notice.
This means they’ll talk to friends and your business will establish a reputation for fairness to all employees, regardless of their ethnicity.
That won’t do your business any harm.
Summing Up
The cybersecurity diversity statistics show that most businesses have a long way to go before they can consider themselves part of a diverse and ethnically fair industry.
The good news is that the statistics are improving, and the number of workers from minority groups is increasing, the trend just needs to continue.
Simply reading this guide is the first step to changing and improving the diversity within your business.
In the process, you’ll be getting the best team possible to deal with the cybersecurity issues of the future.
One thing is certain, this industry is going to continue to expand as cybercriminals continue to find ways to exploit current security measures.