Entry-Level Cybersecurity Jobs & Internships
Genuinely junior security roles, classified from what job titles actually say - no "entry level, 3 years required" bait. Every listing links straight to the employer's own application page.
We track 615 live security roles right now - 12 are explicitly entry-level or internships. That scarcity is real, and this is all of them.
Live entry-level roles & internships
Security Engineer Intern, Application Security - Fall 2026
1Password · Remote (United States | Canada)
Threat Detection and Incident Response Intern (Summer 2026)
Cloudflare · In-Office
Why are there so few?
Security teams are small cost centers staffed for incident response, so hiring budgets go to people who can operate independently on day one. The "millions of unfilled cybersecurity jobs" headline counts mid and senior openings - not doors open to beginners.
Most boards make this worse by labeling 2-3-years-experience roles "entry level". We classify by the title the employer actually wrote (junior, graduate, new grad, analyst I, intern), so the number above is small but honest.
The practical consequence: apply fast when a genuine junior role appears, and build the adjacent experience that gets you into the wider pool.
How to actually break in
- Get CompTIA Security+ - the standard HR filter for junior security roles.
- Start adjacent: IT support, help desk, NOC, or QA roles build the systems knowledge SOC teams screen for, then move sideways into detection and SOC work.
- Build public evidence: a home lab, CTF write-ups, or detection rules on GitHub beat a second certificate in almost every screen.
- Widen your net with remote roles and read the Security Engineer career guide for the longer arc.
Frequently asked questions
- Are there entry-level cybersecurity jobs?
- Yes, but far fewer than the "talent shortage" headlines suggest. Of the 615 live security roles we track, only 12 are explicitly entry-level or internships right now. They exist - but competition concentrates on them, so treat every listing here as time-sensitive.
- Why are entry-level cybersecurity jobs so hard to find?
- Security teams are usually small cost centers staffed for incident response, so budgets go to people who can operate independently on day one. Many "entry-level" postings elsewhere quietly require 2-3 years of experience; we classify by what the job title actually says, which is why our entry-level count is honest - and small.
- Do cybersecurity internships count as entry-level?
- Yes - we include internships on this page. For most people an internship or an adjacent role (IT support, help desk, NOC, QA) is the realistic first step, because it produces the hands-on evidence security hiring managers screen for.
- What certifications help you get an entry-level cybersecurity job?
- CompTIA Security+ is the standard HR filter for junior roles (and a requirement for many US government-adjacent jobs). Beyond that, hands-on signal beats a second certificate: a home lab, CTF write-ups, or detection rules on GitHub carry more weight in screening.
- How do I get a cybersecurity job with no experience?
- The proven paths are sideways moves: IT support or sysadmin into security operations, software engineering into application security, or a SOC internship into detection work. Pair one adjacent role with Security+ and a public portfolio, then apply to explicitly junior postings like the ones listed here.