Does a NOC Analyst role make sense as a move into cybersecurity?
Hey everyone,
I’m trying to figure out if this move makes sense for my long-term goal of getting into cybersecurity.
Right now I’m working as an Application Support Engineer making about $78k. The job is stable, but I don’t really enjoy the work or the team, and it doesn’t feel like it’s moving me closer to cybersecurity.
I recently interviewed for a NOC Analyst role through a recruiting company. The pay is around $39–$40/hour, but it’s a 3 days on / 4 days off schedule (12-hour shifts), so it comes out to about 36 hours a week. From what I understand, that’s roughly a slight pay cut overall unless I supplement it.
My background:
- B.S. in Computer Science
- M.S. in Cybersecurity
- Experience with troubleshooting, logs, and tools like Datadog
- Some exposure to scripting (Python) and enterprise systems
I’ve been struggling to break directly into cybersecurity roles, which is why I’m considering this. It seems like NOC could be a good stepping stone (monitoring, incident response, etc.), but I’m unsure if that’s actually how it plays out in the current job market.
My main concerns:
- Taking a slight pay cut
- It being a contract role (less stability)
- Whether NOC experience actually helps transition into cybersecurity (SOC, analyst roles, etc.)
- The schedule (not terrible, but definitely different)
At the same time, I feel like staying where I am isn’t really helping me move forward either.
Would this be a smart move for breaking into cybersecurity, or should I just keep applying for more direct cyber roles?
Appreciate any advice 🙏