Information assurance is the technique and practice of handling risks and threats that center around the storage, employment, processing and transmission of information that is itself primarily processed via computing technology. Specialists in information assurance are experts in safeguarding data from threats to security in various organizations. Oftentimes these professionals are enlisted to take up a position in management, allowing them the authority to implement policies that dictate how information is handled. Professionals in information assurance are trained to adhere very closely to what the government stipulates as required policy. When compared to other subjects, even computer science or information technology, information assurance is a new and progressive field.

The types of disciplines that have influenced the nature of preparation in this subject include applied mathematics, computer science, public policy, engineering, and information science. Many graduate and some undergraduate degrees are now available with specializations in information assurance. Certification, though not required, also serves as an important way for an information assurance aspirant to distinguish herself as a legitimate and approved professional.

The job outlook for this very new field is expected to experience a major uptick in opportunities for employment, with some specialties anticipating growth of more than 50 percent. The salary options available to information assurance professionals is well worth and the potential for six-figure income entices many people to the field.

Career Specializations

• Computer and Information Systems Management: These professionals are the ones charged with handling and managing information security throughout an entire organization.
• Medical Records and Health Information Technician: Medical records, often carrying restricted and sensitive information, are the materials these experts handle with care daily.
• Network Administration, Database Administration, and Systems Analysis: Such information assurance specialists safeguard organizational networks from computer based attacks, and also protect information from corruption and theft.

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Degree Levels

• Bachelor's Degree in a Relevant Field: 4 years to complete
• Master's Degree in Information Assurance: 1-2 years to complete
• Doctorate of Philosophy in Information Assurance: 4-5 years to complete  

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Education & Certification Requirements

At the bachelor's level, education in information assurance can seem nebulous. Very few undergraduate programs exist that specifically focus on the field of study, as the subject has only newly emerged, and continues to progress in leaps and bounds by the day. No matter where someone interested in the discipline goes for schooling, he or she should focus on earning as dynamic an education as possible in fields such as computer science, information science, or management of information systems. Skills in these subjects that prove important to information assurance include database administration and hardware/software upgrading. 

In order to truly capitalize on the marked increase in attention in information assurance, the master's degree is a veritable requirement. Coursework typically arrives in such classes as algorithms, cryptology, and data communications networks. Research positions, high-level teaching posts, and positions of the greatest tier with the government or prestigious companies are better sought after with the PhD diploma in tow. 

Certification is definitely a smart move in terms of establishing credibility and passion for this burgeoning career field -- all the more important when seeking to earn a top-level position. The Global Information Assurance Certification program offers this certification in 20 different topics and specializations of the field, including IT forensics, incident handling, intrusion analysis, engineering malware, and web application defense. (BLS)

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Salary Information

It cannot be denied that the careers in information assurance provide exceptionally satisfying potential salaries. Though no official data can yet be collected on this extremely new field, experts can extrapolate salary information from careers very similar to the new discipline. Wielding a bachelor's diploma and certification can bring in an expected nearly $90,000 annually, in the career path of information systems manager. With the addition of a master's or PhD, and extensive job experience, yearly pay can potentially increase to more than $140,000. A concentration on information and systems security, essentially built into a study or concentration in information assurance, can result in analyst positions that reap approximately $60,000 for bachelor's diploma holders, and nearly $100,000 for those with higher degrees. (BLS)

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Job Outlook

The boom in the sophistication and complexity of computer networking translates into an eruption of potential positions for those who have focused on information assurance. By the year 2018, experts predict a growth in the number of jobs by 17 percent; those who tout expertise in security management, like most of those who study information assurance, should stand to capitalize on the bulk of this growth. Data security experts will enjoy an even larger boom in demand of up to 53 percent. Certification in multiple categories of information assurance can increase salaries even more. (BLS, BLS)

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Related Careers

Computer networking relates quite closely to information assurance. This is especially true as the two fields experience much overlap in educational and employment possibilities and pathways. One position from this sector, the network specialist, is called on to create, implement, and manage computer networks for the support of many types of organizations. A minimum of a bachelor's diploma in a discipline grounded in information technology is essentially mandated to factor in the employment scene.

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