CCAIRHow to become a Security Awareness Specialist
Most attacks start with a person: a scam email, a fake phone call, a reused password. Security awareness specialists design training, simulated phishing and campaigns that change how people behave, and measure whether it works.
- First job?
- Entry-levelOften reached from training, communications, education or help desk roles.
- Coding
- Little or none
- Start with
- CompTIA Security+
- Median US pay
- $69,280BLS May 2025, Training and Development Specialists
What the job is like
The teacher: you help people spot scams and make safer choices. A typical week might include:
- Run a simulated phishing email and review who clicked
- Make a short video or game about spotting scam calls
- Present to new employees about protecting their accounts
How to get in
Often reached from training, communications, education or help desk roles.
- Learn how common scams work: phishing, smishing and voice phishing.
- Create a sample training piece for your portfolio.
- Apply to security awareness, human risk and security training roles.
Certifications
Start with
- CompTIA Security+
- ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity (CC)
Later, with experience
- SANS Security Awareness Professional (SSAP)
Free places to practise and learn
Habits that help in every cyber role
- Build a small home lab (an old laptop or free virtual machines is enough) and write up what you try.
- Do beginner capture-the-flag challenges and keep a simple public portfolio of what you learned.
- Go to a local ISSA, ISACA, OWASP or BSides meeting. Most are free for students, and many jobs come from people you meet there.
Questions about this role
Can I get a Security Awareness Specialist job straight out of school?
Often, yes. Often reached from training, communications, education or help desk roles.
Do I need to know how to code to become a Security Awareness Specialist?
Very little. Comfort with computers matters more than programming; basic scripting can help later.
What certification should I get first to become a Security Awareness Specialist?
Good starting points: CompTIA Security+; ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity (CC). Later, with experience: SANS Security Awareness Professional (SSAP).
How much does a Security Awareness Specialist make?
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median of $69,280 a year (May 2025) for Training and Development Specialists, the closest official category. Starting pay is usually lower and varies by city and employer.
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NICE work roles: Cybersecurity Instruction; Cybersecurity Curriculum Development. Pay: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, May 2025. Reviewed 2026-10-17 by Dr. Benjamin M. Ampel, Director of CCAIR.