Strengthening Cybersecurity Education: Analyzing Curriculum Alignment with NICE Workforce Framework

The increasing demand for cybersecurity professionals underscores the need for academic programs that align with industry standards. This study evaluates cybersecurity curricula across community colleges and universities in Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma, assessing their alignment with the NICE Cybersecurity Workforce Framework. Using course titles as a proxy for curricular content, we analyzed 815 courses across 49 programs, we identify trends in cybersecurity course distribution and specialization. The findings reveal interesting insights into the courses offered by academic institutions. Findings indicate strong emphasis on Securely Provision and Operate & Maintain, but underrepresentation in areas such as Investigate, Collect and Operate, and Analyze. These results highlight the need for curriculum enhancement to better address workforce demands and equip graduates with necessary skills to meet evolving cybersecurity challenges. These insights contribute to ongoing efforts to refine cybersecurity education and better bridge the gap between academic programs and industry expectations.