Austin was ranked in the top 12 markets nationwide with the highest demand for cybersecurity talent, according to a new report from Randstad Technologies, a leading U.S. technology talent and solutions provider.

Austin was ranked based on the number of employers competing for top-tier, enterprise-level cybersecurity talent and the number of open job listings in the field, according to the Randstadpress release.

Computer science senior Angie Murphy said she has seen a growing demand for technology professionals during her time at UT.

“Technology isn’t going away,” Murphy said. “There’s way more opportunities here, and we’re becoming more and more important to have in any high-tech industry.”

According to the Randstad Technologies report, 98 employers in Austin are looking to fill 270 jobs with qualified talent.

Joshua Olson, Austin sales director of Randstad Technologies, said Austin’s new ranking is fantastic for UT students entering the technological workforce.

“Austin is a hotbed for new technologies,” Olson said. “Companies like Google, Amazon and Dell are coming to the area, and there’s never been more of a need to allocate resources to cybersecurity.”

According to IT information website CIO.com’s 15th annual State of the CIO Survey, 46 percent of IT executives consider security management a top priority for the upcoming year, up from 31 percent in 2015. 

Brent Waters, associate professor of computer science, said security and cryptography are absolutely necessary for UT students to learn in today’s software industry.

“In general, security is an integral part of software engineering and development,” Waters said. “Thirty years ago, people could build software without security assistance, but this simply can’t be done today.”

Austin has one of the lowest median salaries ($106,800 a year) for its cybertechnology workforce, according to the Randstad report.

“It’s never been a better time for UT juniors and seniors to look for a career path in technology,” said Olson. “There’s never going to be a shortage of opportunities to stay in Austin, and, depending on their skill set or where they want to go, they can pretty much write their own ticket.”

According to Randstand Technologies, the 11 other markets in the United States where cybersecurity talent is in high demand are Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, Phoenix, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C.

This story has been updated since its initial publication to quote a report on how many jobs employers are looking to fill in Austin.