What you’ll learn in this article…
- New Hampshire's 2026 entry-level cybersecurity salaries range from $95,144 to $113,852.
- Healthcare, finance, SaaS, and manufacturers compete for experienced New Hampshire cybersecurity talent.
- Certifications and AI fluency often outweigh formal degrees for New Hampshire roles.
New Hampshire cybersecurity hiring is stuck in a cybersecurity talent shortage: employers can't find enough experienced mid-level and senior professionals, while first-time applicants targeting entry-level cybersecurity jobs without a security title struggle to get noticed. A September 28, 2026 NH Business Review report by Shannon Herrmann calls the shortage structural, with healthcare, finance, SaaS, and manufacturing chasing the same talent.
That pressure pushes employers toward school pipelines, internships, and junior roles, but candidates still need visible hands-on proof.
Market reality: entry-level access in New Hampshire rewards adjacent IT experience, labs, and certifications more than a degree alone.
Why NH Cybersecurity Hiring Is so Competitive Right Now
New Hampshire cybersecurity hiring is not a shortage of interested applicants; it's a shortage of experienced professionals. NH Business Review reported in September 2026 that employers across healthcare, financial services, SaaS, and manufacturing are competing for the same mid-level and senior cybersecurity talent at the same time. The hiring difficulty is structural, not a short-term blip, because demand has outpaced the number of workers with enough hands-on security experience.
The national picture, with a New Hampshire caveat
At the national level, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects information security analyst jobs to grow 21% from 2025 to 2035, with about 14,100 openings per year on average.1 New Hampshire-specific projections were not available in our research, so treat the 21% as a directional signal rather than a precise local forecast. What is clear from employer comments is that the gap sits at the mid and senior levels.
What this means for you
If you are entering the field, do not wait for a direct cybersecurity title as your first step. The employers making progress are building pipelines through internships, entry-level cybersecurity jobs, and adjacent IT positions. That means a junior candidate who starts in IT support, networking, or compliance can grow into the mid-level roles New Hampshire actually needs, but only if they plan for that progression from day one.
Who's Hiring: New Hampshire Cybersecurity Employers by Sector
Recent New Hampshire security postings show demand spread across healthcare, banking and insurance, software vendors, advanced manufacturing, defense, higher education, and government services. The roles range from entry-level analyst openings to senior engineering positions, with similar title language recurring across very different industries.
| Sector | Example NH Employers | Typical Security Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Healthcare | Dartmouth Health; Dartmouth-Hitchcock Concord; Riverbend Community Mental Health, Inc. | IT Security Analyst |
| Financial services | First National Bankers Bank; Concord Group Insurance | Entry Level IT Security Analyst; Security Analyst |
| SaaS/software | Nexum, Inc.; DataAnnotation | Security Analyst; Cybersecurity Analyst; Security Engineer |
| Manufacturing | Ford Motor Company; Fujifilm | In-Vehicle Cybersecurity Manager |
| Defense contractors | Raytheon; L3Harris Technologies | Senior Systems Security Engineer (Cyber Engineer) |
| Higher education | University System of New Hampshire | Cybersecurity Operations Engineer |
| State and local government | Maximus | Senior Engineer, Systems |
Nh-Based Vs. Remote Listings: What Postings Say About Entry-Level Openings
A quick search can surface anywhere from 539 to 3,922 New Hampshire cybersecurity jobs depending on the board, a first sign that raw listing counts are not a reliable measure of local entry-level demand.
Why the counts conflict
LinkedIn shows roughly 539 to 550 Cyber Security jobs in New Hampshire, while ZipRecruiter returns about 3,922 and a remote-focused FlexJobs page lists 2,480. Those totals are platform-specific, not mutually comparable. Because big boards mix remote jobs tagged to New Hampshire, out-of-state employers, and duplicate openings, a search can feel bigger than the actual onsite and hybrid market. Snippets show Onsite and Remote roles in Concord, Hybrid work in Plymouth, NH, but no statewide split by work arrangement is published, and no entry-level versus mid-level or senior share is provided.
What entry-level actually means
Public postings do not consistently expose education lines, so degree and clearance requirements cannot be responsibly counted from board snippets alone. Some listings reference RMF, NISPOM, and NIST publications, suggesting clearance-heavy defense or federal environments, but snippets do not state the clearance level required. In practice, entry-level security rarely means zero technical background. It often signals a first dedicated security role after IT, networking, systems, degree, or certification work , a shift that reflects skills-based cybersecurity hiring.
How to filter for real New Hampshire roles
Set the location to a specific city such as Manchester, Nashua, Concord, or Portsmouth, then filter for Onsite or Hybrid. Read the employer name and job description to confirm the role is actually tied to a New Hampshire worksite before counting it local.
What Cybersecurity Jobs Pay in New Hampshire: State Data, Cities and Entry-Level Reality
Salary figures for New Hampshire cybersecurity roles vary by job title, location, experience level, and data source. Entry-level positions typically fall between $95,144 and $113,852, with a 10th percentile of $86,375 and a 90th percentile of $122,115. Nashua-area data suggests associate degree graduates may start around $87,750 to $105,300, while bachelor's graduates may start around $118,800 to $128,250.
| Pay benchmark | Location | Annual salary (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level cybersecurity (majority range) | New Hampshire | $95,144 to $113,852 |
| Entry-level cybersecurity (10th percentile) | New Hampshire | $86,375 |
| Entry-level cybersecurity (90th percentile) | New Hampshire | $122,115 |
| Cybersecurity analyst, under 1 year | New Hampshire | $107,657 |
| All cybersecurity roles, 1-2 years | New Hampshire | $137,453 |
| All cybersecurity roles, 2-4 years | New Hampshire | $158,724 |
| Associate degree graduate (starting range) | Nashua, NH | $87,750 to $105,300 |
| Bachelor's degree graduate (starting range) | Nashua, NH | $118,800 to $128,250 |
| Entry-level security analyst | Nashua, NH | $118,800 |
| Cybersecurity engineer | Concord, NH | $149,925 |
| Cybersecurity engineer | Manchester, NH | $116,353 |
| Cybersecurity engineer | Portsmouth, NH | $93,713 |
| Information security analysts (BLS median) | New Hampshire | $124,000 (25th-75th: $88,990 to $156,500) |
Related Articles
How AI Is Reshaping Entry-Level and Mid-Level Security Roles
AI has not erased entry-level cybersecurity hiring in New Hampshire, but it has moved the goalposts. Employers are now hiring for analysts who can work alongside AI, validate its output, and spot its failures rather than simply triage alerts.
The two-sided pressure
AI helps security teams detect and respond faster, but it also gives attackers better tools for automated attacks, sharper phishing, and vulnerability discovery at scale. As a result, routine monitoring and reporting are increasingly automated5, and junior SOC analyst work is shifting toward higher-value analysis.
- SOC and security analyst roles: made up 32% of AI-driven role reductions in a 2026 SANS workforce report, followed by threat intelligence analysts at 26% and incident responders at 22%.1
- Hiring skew: Cisco-led data shows postings for senior cybersecurity analysts grew 65% in six months ending March 2026, while junior-titled postings grew only 5.9%.2
- Mixed outlook: In ISC2's 2026 survey, 56% of respondents said AI somewhat or significantly reduced entry-level need, but 53% said AI is creating new entry-level opportunities.3
Skills that make a junior analyst stand out
- Using AI inside SIEM and SOC workflows to tune alerts and filter noise
- Spotting AI-generated phishing and social engineering patterns
- Securing AI tools, model inputs, and sensitive data pipelines
- Practicing prompt-aware threat modeling and validating AI output against ground truth
What to add to your online program now
No single AI-security certification dominates employer hiring yet, but AI-specific skills are rising fast: 28.5% of G7 cybersecurity postings now require AI skills, up from 14.2% a year earlier.4 Online learners should prioritize courses or microcredentials that build hands-on AI agent work and technical depth, with human judgment layered on top. That combination is what New Hampshire employers say is hard to find.
AI helps organizations detect and respond to threats faster, while giving attackers better tools for automating attacks, improving phishing, and identifying vulnerabilities at scale.
How to Break Into Cybersecurity in New Hampshire: Four Entry Routes
New Hampshire employers are not expecting every applicant to arrive with a security title already on a resume. The more common pattern is an adjacent first job that builds security responsibilities, then a move into a specialist role. Four entry routes stand out in the state's current hiring market.
The Four Routes
- IT support or networking transition: Start in help desk, desktop support, or network operations as part of a switch from IT to cybersecurity. Realistic first titles include IT support technician, network administrator, or systems administrator with security duties, leading toward SOC analyst or IT security technician.
- Computer science or cybersecurity degree: A bachelor's or associate degree in cybersecurity opens more internship and co-op pipelines. Common first jobs include SOC analyst, security analyst I, or junior penetration tester. Online programs can work if paired with hands-on labs.
- Military background: Veterans with security clearance and network or communications experience often follow a military to cybersecurity transition into information assurance analyst, cybersecurity specialist, or contractor roles serving New Hampshire's defense adjacent employers.
- Certification-based entry: If you are building skills without a degree, cybersecurity certifications and home labs matter. Realistic first roles include junior compliance analyst, identity and access management technician, or vulnerability management assistant.
Does "no experience" mean you are stuck?
No. Direct security titles on day one are rare. Adjacent IT work is the realistic on-ramp. New Hampshire employers increasingly say certifications and hands-on experience can carry as much weight as formal education for many roles. You do not need a degree for every path, but a degree plus certifications is the fastest route for competitive SOC analyst and engineering roles. The route you choose should match your current background and the role you are trying to reach, not a single imagined job title.
Certifications and Skills NH Employers Actually Ask For
New Hampshire cybersecurity postings reward a narrower set of credentials than many job changers assume. Employers are not asking for an alphabet soup of certifications; they are asking for a practical base, one specialty match, and hands-on proof.
The credential stack that appears most often
- Security+: The most requested foundational certification in New Hampshire and the most prominent job-posting certification nationally in 2026. The CompTIA Cybersecurity Path starts here.
- CISSP: The strongest advanced signal, with roughly 82,000 postings nationally asking for it. Treat it as a later-career target, not an entry credential.
- GIAC GSEC and CEH: Common intermediate options in New Hampshire listings, with GSEC accepted at the intermediate level and CEH frequently requested.
- Cloud security credentials: CCSP, AWS Security Specialty, and Microsoft security certifications are an important 2026 demand area, and the vendor-neutral vs. vendor-specific cybersecurity certifications tradeoff is especially relevant for roles touching cloud infrastructure.
Skills employers screen for before the interview
Across New Hampshire postings, the clearest recurring skill themes are SIEM platforms for monitoring and response, IAM for identity and access control, and compliance/GRC knowledge tied to top cybersecurity frameworks like HIPAA, PCI, or NIST where industry regulations apply.
How to stack without overinvesting
A practical order is: foundational cert first, then a specialty cert matched to a target role. If you aim at security operations, follow Security+ with a SIEM or GIAC-aligned path. If you target cloud security, pair Security+ with CCSP or AWS Security Specialty. Degree requirements vary by employer and role; many postings emphasize certifications and experience over a specific degree, while mid and senior roles lean harder on CISSP plus demonstrated time in security or adjacent IT work.
For defense-adjacent employers, clearance or citizenship requirements can be a separate filter beyond certifications. Confirm those constraints early before pursuing a credential path. And skip CISSP early in your switch: it carries an experience requirement and is built for experienced practitioners, not entry-level candidates.
Questions to Ask Yourself
NH Talent Pipelines: Schools, Internships, Co-Ops and Apprenticeships
New Hampshire's cybersecurity talent pipeline is a set of high school, community college, university, and workforce programs that feed local employers. Rather than one long pathway, students can enter at multiple points and stack credits or in-demand cybersecurity certifications along the way.
Where the programs are
- University of New Hampshire: Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Technology with a Cybersecurity option, full or part time. UNH's cybersecurity center also supports local businesses and government agencies, and was named a Center of Excellence in Cyber Defense Education in 2025.
- Great Bay Community College: Associate in Science in Cyber Security Infrastructure, 61 to 62 credits, delivered on campus in Portsmouth and online.
- Southern New Hampshire University: Certificate in Cybersecurity (18 credits), AS, BS, and BS in Information Technology with a Cybersecurity concentration, all 100% online with 8-week terms.
- Granite State College: Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Technology, 120 credits online from Concord.
- Rivier University: Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity Management in Nashua.
- Workforce programs: NH Small Business Development Center's Cyber Powered offers CMMC certification preparation, and the NH Municipal Association runs a K-12 cybersecurity program.
Why employer connections matter now
Employers are increasingly linking directly with high schools, community colleges, and local universities to build entry points. Still, named internship, co-op, and cybersecurity apprenticeship partnerships at NH employers are not consistently published. Ask program advisors and employer HR teams directly about upcoming internship or junior security roles, and treat a school career center as a lead source.
Online learner tactics
- Remote-friendly cybersecurity internships: Target employers with remote security teams and ask whether internships can be project-based or hybrid.
- Local groups: Join New Hampshire cybersecurity meetups and professional associations, and ask online program advisors which local employers recruit their students.
Your 12-Month Action Plan for a New Hampshire Security Career
Two job seekers can read the same New Hampshire cybersecurity postings and take opposite routes: one waits for a direct security analyst title on day one, while the other builds a 12-month ladder through fundamentals, certifications, and adjacent IT work. New Hampshire employers consistently describe the second route as the one that gets noticed.
Months 1-3: Fundamentals and Route
Choose an entry path: online degree coursework, a certification sequence, a transition from IT support or networking, or a military or other technical background. Study networking, operating systems, and security basics, then build hands-on cybersecurity labs using virtual machines, a firewall, and log review drills.
Months 4-6: Certification and AI Practice
Earn a foundational certification such as CompTIA Security+, then add AI-in-security reps. Practice using AI tools to triage alerts, draft detection queries, and recognize AI-generated phishing. This shows employers you understand AI as both a defensive tool and a threat vector.
Months 7-12: Applications, Projects, and Adjacent Roles
Build a small project portfolio with home lab writeups, detection rules, or packet capture analysis, and join New Hampshire cybersecurity meetups and professional groups. Apply for internships and co-ops in months 7 through 9. In months 10 through 12, target help desk, IT support, network technician, or junior SOC roles at healthcare, financial services, SaaS, and manufacturing employers. Tailor each application to the sector and set your next certification goal, such as CySA+ or cloud security certifications, for the following year.
