(ISC)² published Innovation Through Inclusion: The Multicultural Cybersecurity Workforce, our first in-depth look at diversity in the cybersecurity workplace. In partnership with the International Consortium of Minority Cybersecurity Professionals (ICMCP) and the Center for Cyber Safety and Education, the study measured minority representation in the U.S. cybersecurity profession to better understand the challenges these highly skilled individuals experience.

Findings are based on survey responses from 9,500 U.S. cybersecurity professionals. While minority representation within the cybersecurity field (26%) is slightly higher than the overall U.S. minority workforce (21%), our study did reveal that racial and ethnic minorities tend to hold non-managerial positions, and pay discrepancies, especially for minority women, is a challenge.

In order to build strong, adequately staffed cybersecurity teams, employers – and the cybersecurity profession as a whole – must make cybersecurity a rewarding and welcoming career for everyone. Understanding the challenges our profession faces related to diversity is a critical first step to accomplishing that goal and ultimately addressing the widening cybersecurity workforce gap.