OVERVIEW
What Is a Certified Information Systems Auditor?
CISAs are recognized internationally as professionals with the skills, experience, and credibility to leverage standards, manage vulnerabilities, ensure compliance, offer solutions, institute controls, and deliver value to enterprise-level IT systems. They’re responsible for auditing, controlling, and providing cybersecurity measures for information systems operations in business and IT industries.
To receive a Certified Information Systems Auditor certification, candidates must pass a comprehensive exam and satisfy industry work experience requirements.
With a CISA certification and a relevant degree, you have a wide variety of job titles you’re qualified to hold. Some common information systems auditor jobs include:
- Internal Auditor
- Public Accounting Auditor
- IS Analyst
- IT Audit Manager
- IT Project Manager
- IT security officer
- Network Operation Security Engineer
- Cybersecurity Professional
- IT Consultant
- IT Risk and Assurance Manager
- Privacy Officer
- Chief Information Officer
RESPONSIBILITIES
What Does a Certified Information Systems Auditor Do?
The daily work of a CISA has a lot of variety, so if you’re interested in this career, rest assured that you won’t be bored. From developing audit strategy to providing recommendations to IT management, CISAs perform essential tasks to maintain the health and effectiveness of a company’s IT systems.
Day-to-day responsibilities of a certified information systems auditor include:
- Implementing a risk management-based audit strategy for information systems (IS).
- Planning audits that can be used to determine whether or not IT assets are protected, managed, and valuable.
- Executing the audits in compliance with the organization's set standards and objectives.
- Sharing audit results and providing recommendations to management based on the results.
- Performing reexaminations of the audits to ensure the recommended actions have been performed by management.
- Obtaining, installing, and integrating software as part of information systems acquisition efforts.
EDUCATION & BEST DEGREES
How Do I Become a Certified Information Systems Auditor?
CISAs are highly educated professionals. One essential prerequisite is that you have a relevant bachelor’s degree—however, many seek a master’s degree in accounting or an MBA in IT, which makes them more competitive in the job market. An accounting degree may seem unrelated at first glance, but accountants have the same auditing skills needed in the CISA profession. On top of a degree, you’ll also need to secure a certification and follow a continuing education program to stay on top of industry standards.
Essential steps to become certified information systems auditor:
- Get a bachelor’s or master’s degree in accounting OR get a master’s degree in information technology management or an MBA in IT management
- Successfully pass the CISA exam
- Apply for CISA certification
- Adhere to ISACA's Code of Professional Ethics
- Follow ISACA's Continuing Professional Education Program
- Comply with ISACA's Information Systems Auditing Standards
Best Degrees for a CISA
Technology
Software Engineering – B.S.
You're a creative and tech genius who wants the bigger opportunities....
You're a creative and tech genius who wants the bigger opportunities.
- Time: 60% of graduates finish similar programs within 35 months.
- Tuition: $4,085 per 6-month term.
- Courses: 36 or 38 total courses in this program depending on your track.
Certifications included in this program at no additional cost are:
- CompTIA Project +
- AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
- ITIL®1 Foundation Certification
Skills for your résumé that you will learn in this program:
- Scripting and programming
- Web development
- Mobile application development
- User experience design
- Software quality assurance
Technology
Information Technology Management – M.S.
A degree for experienced IT professionals ready to lead....
A degree for experienced IT professionals ready to lead.
- Time: 60% of graduates finish within 18 months.
- Tuition: $4,040 per 6-month term.
- Courses: 10 total courses in this program.
Included in your program—at no extra cost—is the opportunity to earn the valuable PMI Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) certification.
- Technology operations and integration
- Sourcing and planning
- Risks and influence
- Solutions development
- Project management
Maximize the opportunities that your IT career path has afforded you—earn your master's and keep moving up.
Technology
Back End Web Development Certificate – School of Technology
The Back End Web Development Certificate helps students gain a critical...
The Back End Web Development Certificate helps students gain a critical foundation in databases, Java, SQL, and other areas that are crucial for success in the field.
- Time: 6 months from start to finish.
- Cost: $3,950 for the certificate.
- Courses: 5 courses total in this program.
This certificate is designed to help individuals who want to pursue web development gain important skills and experience, boosting their résumé right away. In this program you will take courses that move directly into a School of Technology bachelor's degree at WGU, where you are guaranteed admission after completing your certificate. This program is an important step for your career.
Build your foundational skills in back end web development with a focus on SQL queries, user interface, database management, Java fundamentals and frameworks, and more.
Technology
Web Application Deployment and Support Certificate – School of Technology
Enhance your résumé and take a step in your educational journey with the...
Enhance your résumé and take a step in your educational journey with the help of the Web Application Deployment and Support Certificate from the School of Technology.
- Time: 5 months from start to finish.
- Cost: $2,950 for the certificate.
- Courses: 4 courses total in this program.
This certificate also offers two industry certifications, Linux Essentials and AWS Cloud, which will add extra power to your portfolio of experience. You are also guaranteed admission into a WGU School of Technology degree program. This certificate will prepare you for the next step in your career.
This program is ideal for individuals who have 3-5 years of IT experience and a basic understanding of scripting languages and SQL. Prerequisites include: Experience with either Python or Java or another high-order OO (object-oriented) programming language along with Git, experience with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, and experience with a major DBMS (database management system) - MySQL (preferred), SQL Server, Oracle, MariaDB, etc.
How Much Does a CISA Make?
$136,082
Depending on experience and location, professionals with CISA certification can make between $52,459 and $140,342 per year. Internal audit directors are one of the highest-paid positions with a CISA certificate, earning an average annual salary of $136,082.
What Is the Job Outlook for a CISA?
12%
The job market for aspiring CISAs is growing and the salary opportunities are high. IT security auditors benefit from an estimated 12% growth in employment from 2018 to 2028. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, computer and information technology occupations will add more than 500,000 positions by 2028.
SKILLS
What Skills Does a Certified Information Systems Auditor Need?
Certified information systems auditors are in charge of keeping important and sensitive information safe and compliant, which is why it’s so important that they are adequately trained. The following is a detailed list of skills and prerequisites you need to start your career as a CISA.
- One year of information systems experience or non-information systems auditing experience
- 60 to 120 completed university semester credit hours (60 credit hours is equivalent to one year of work experience and 120 credit hours is equivalent to two years of work experience)
- A bachelor’s degree from a university sponsoring ISACA (although many also pursue a master’s degree in information security or information technology)
- Experience with general and application control reviews for both simple and complex computer information systems
- Deep knowledge of developing and maintaining computerized audit software
- The ability to conform to the company’s financial policies and procedures so that they accommodate all local, state, and federal parameters
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