How to get into cybersecurity with no experience

By the Steady Ground team · November 5, 2026

Cybersecurity pays well, and the field is growing fast. So you've likely seen ads that say you can jump right in. Here's the truth about getting into cybersecurity with no experience. For most people, it's not a first tech job. But there's a real, low-cost path in. And it pays you along the way.

Why it's hard to start from zero

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, or BLS, says most security analysts worked in IT first. Bosses look for time spent doing related work. A cert helps, but it's rarely enough on its own.

Think of it like this. To protect a computer network, you first need to know how networks work every day. That's what IT jobs teach you.

Three real ways in

1. A free training program

Per Scholas offers a free cybersecurity course. There's no tuition. It's 15 weeks, full time. That makes it hard to do while you work another job. There are rules on age, where you live and your right to work.

Per Scholas also mentions a loan to help with living costs during training. If you look at it, read those terms with care.

2. A paid apprenticeship

Apprenti runs paid apprenticeships. There's no tuition, and you're paid. You take 2 to 5 months of class, then work a year on the job. You must pass a test to get in. A spot depends on what companies need, so it isn't promised.

3. An IT job first

This is the slower path, but it's the most common. Get a job in IT support, like help desk. Learn how systems work. Then earn a security cert and move over. By our estimate, it often takes 1 to 3 years. The good part is that you earn money the whole time.

Already in an IT job? If your company has a security team, ask to help them. Moving up from inside is often the easiest way across.

The first cert most people get

CompTIA Security+ is the most common first security exam. Here are the basics:

Up to 90 questions in 90 minutes.
A passing score of 750.
About $400 for the exam. Check CompTIA's store for today's price.
Renewal costs $150 over 3 years, plus 50 credits from classes or training.

CompTIA suggests you get Network+ and 2 years on the job first. Also, the exam is changing. A new version, called V8, is expected around November 17, 2026. The current version, V7, retires on June 11, 2027. Make sure your study book matches the version you'll take.

Try it for free first

Before you spend anything, see if you like the work. CISA, a U.S. agency that fights online attacks, has free training called CISA Learning. You'll need a login.gov account. If you enjoy the puzzle of finding what went wrong, that's a good sign.

You can also build a small home lab and practice on legal training sites. Write down what you learn. It gives you proof of your skills when you don't have the job title yet.

Only practice on systems you own or sites built for training. Testing a website or network without permission can be a crime, even if you mean no harm.

What the job pays

The median pay for security analysts is $129,180 a year. But that counts all analysts, and most of them have done the job for years. Even the lowest-paid 10% earn about $75,090 or less, and that's for people already in the job. Your first IT job will likely pay less than that.

BLS expects 21% job growth from 2025 to 2035. That's much faster than most jobs, with about 14,100 openings a year.

Watch out for bootcamp promises

Some bootcamps cost thousands of dollars and promise a job. In 2024, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau took action against BloomTech, a coding bootcamp. It told people that up to 86% of its students got jobs. Its own data showed about 50%. Ask any paid program for real job numbers, and read the payment terms closely.

Ready to start? Our cybersecurity analyst guide lays out every step. Most people's first stop is IT support, so read that guide too. Or take the career quiz.

Quick answers

Can you get into cybersecurity with no experience?

It's hard to go straight in. Most analysts work in IT first. Free programs like Per Scholas, and paid ones like Apprenti, are the closest thing to a direct route.

Do you need a degree for cybersecurity?

BLS says a four-year degree is typical. But some people get in with a high school diploma plus training and certs.

Is Security+ enough to get a cybersecurity job?

Usually not by itself. Bosses also want hands-on job time, which you can get in IT support or an apprenticeship.

Read the full cybersecurity analyst guidePay, costs, steps and official sources → Not sure this fits you?Take the free 3-minute quiz →

Where these facts come from

We checked these sources when we wrote this post. Rules and fees change, so check them before you pay for anything.