SecureSet Academy: Find Top Courses & Training Locations

Students at SecureSet can study cybersecurity and cybersecurity engineering. Graduates of the CORE program at SecureSet have the option of transfering with a year of college credit to Norwich University.

Founded in 2014 by Bret Fund, SecureSet Academy is a cybersecurity training provider based in Colorado. Fund was originally a professor at University of Colorado Boulder, but he decided to create SecureSet because he noticed that the skills required by security firms did not match the courses being taught at local universities. To fill this gap, he created a program designed to help students launch a career in cybersecurity by imparting the necessary knowledge to protect companies from hackers.

Although it is now operating as part of Flatiron School after an acquisition in 2019, SecureSet’s mission remains the same: to prepare students for their new cybersecurity career path. Cybersecurity is an incredibly high-demand field; as hackers become more and more sophisticated, the need for cybersecurity professionals grows with it. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for Information Security Analysts (a common role in the field) is growing at a rate over four times the average—33% compared to 8% for other jobs. Students can prepare for this role and others like it through SecureSet’s strategically engineered cybersecurity curriculum.

School Locations

SecureSet’s main locations are in Colorado (Colorado Springs and Denver) where it was founded, but it has since branched out to include campuses in Washington, D.C., Tampa, and New York City. The school also offers online training and has been holding many of its courses virtually in recent months due to Covid restrictions.

Subjects Taught at SecureSet Academy

Cybersecurity is currently the only subject taught at SecureSet Academy, although you can find other tech courses at its partner Flatiron School. If you are hoping to compare SecureSet’s offering with other local schools, you can do so through Noble Desktop’s Classes Near Me tool. Simply search key terms like cybersecurity classes or cybersecurity bootcamps in your area to get started and see what is available!

What Classes Are Available?

SecureSet Academy’s flagship course is its 20-week CORE Cybersecurity Engineering Program. Through 800 hours of instruction, this immersive course teaches the necessary skills to embark on a cybersecurity career path upon graduation. Students develop their hacking and network defense skill set by completing 12 foundational courses in topics like cryptography, network security, advanced systems, and threat intelligence.

For those who cannot commit to the full-time course, SecureSet also offers a 36-week PATH Part-Time Program. Courses are three days per week instead of five; they are also scheduled in the evenings so students can tend to work or other commitments during the day. This program consists of eight courses; there is a foundation of shared courses in network and system security, but students may also choose to specialize in either the engineering or analytical side of cybersecurity. Engineering students will learn about cryptography, application security, and advanced systems; the analytics program focuses on incident response, advanced SIEM, and hunt skills.

For beginners who are completely new to the field, SecureSet also offers a PREP Cybersecurity Workshop, a quick six-week introduction to the base-level technical skills needed to get started. The course introduces Python as well as network/system maintenance and administration. These skills are incredibly helpful in the part-time and full-time courses listed above as well; in fact, passing the PREP course will grant you a guaranteed spot in one of the longer programs.

Class Formats

SecureSet’s courses are generally offered both in-person and live online, though currently most courses are being held virtually. Whether online or virtual, sessions are generally limited to 25 students. All materials are provided, as well as a lab space for those taking in-person classes when applicable. There is no final exam, but students are expected to create a portfolio at the culmination of their program based on what they’ve learned throughout their experience.

Admissions Process

Technical skills are not required to apply to SecureSet’s programs; however, as mentioned above, admission is guaranteed if you complete the PREP course. Either way, the first step in the admissions process is completing an electronic application, followed by an admissions interview. Then you’ll have a technical review session, which allows the SecureSet team to gain an understanding of your technical and/or analytic abilities and ultimate goals for the program. If all goes well with the interview and technical review session, you’ll be able to secure your spot in the immersive by paying a $500 deposit; the rest can be paid during the program.

Pricing & Payment Options

SecureSet’s tuition varies; the full-time CORE program is $20,000, while the PATH is around $15,000. The PREP course is $999, which can be deducted from the tuition of a longer immersive, should you choose to take one. As far as scholarships and grants, applicants are encouraged to pursue grants if they are offered in their states, such as the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment if they are located near the Colorado Springs or Denver location. Otherwise, scholarship opportunities are generally discussed during your admissions interview as they vary based on the candidate, their location, and other factors. SecureSet also honors the GI Bill; use their contact form to request more information on military benefits if applicable.

Career Support Services

SecureSet Academy has a dedicated Career Services Team to facilitate transitions between their courses and a career in the field of cybersecurity. In addition to the support from team members, there is also a wealth of information available on the SecureSet blog, which includes tips on choosing the right curriculum as well as profiles of key cybersecurity careers like Security Engineer or Threat Intel Analyst.

Alumni Outcomes

Since SecureSet is now a part of Flatiron School, you can view their alumni outcomes through Flatiron’s 2020 Jobs Report. This data does include other programs and industries outside of cybersecurity but is still a good snapshot of what you might expect upon graduating from a SecureSet Academy or Flatiron School program. Some highlights of the report include an impressive 86% global placement rate for all job-seeking graduates, as well as an average starting salary of almost $75,000 for U.S. campus students which is well above the local median in many states.

What Do Students Say?

Reading real student feedback is one of the most efficient ways to understand what learning at any given school is like. Past students who have taken SecureSet courses generally have positive things to say on review websites like CourseReport. In fact, the average rating is four stars or higher (out of five) with many alumni ending their reviews by recommending the course to others.

SecureSet alumni praise its intensive curriculum, supportive instructors, and generally positive learning experience overall. One reviewer stated that they would “wholeheartedly recommend” SecureSet courses to anyone looking to get into a career in cybersecurity. They also stated, “It's intensive... and worth it. The instructors were excellent and had extensive real-world experience. They challenge you. Once you've graduated, they have a fully built out support structure to help you find a job.”

With any bootcamp-style course, the material can be daunting if you were not prepared for an immersive course. One student cautioned, “If you do not put the time in to complete the coursework it is easy to fall behind, and you will never gain the hands-on experience you need to be an attractive candidate.” This is important to keep in mind; if you are not in the right headspace to attend a long intensive program, you may wish to look into part-time options or even standalone classes you can complete at your own pace.

Key Takeaways

When searching for a training provider, the decision-making process can be tough—especially if you are starting a brand new career path. SecureSet might be the right school if you are looking for:

Quality cybersecurity training across both analytics and engineering disciplines
Career preparation for roles like Security Engineer and Threat Intel Analyst (among others)
Full-time or part-time comprehensive programs
Expert curriculum focused on both theory and hands-on lab work
In-person and live online learning options
Access to additional training benefits through partnership with Flatiron School

Featured Classes from Noble Desktop

Top Certificate Programs

Top Courses

Featured Classes from Noble Desktop

Top Certificate Programs

Featured Classes from Noble Desktop

Top Certificate Programs

Top Courses

Featured Classes from Noble Desktop

Top Certificate Programs

Top Courses

SecureSet Academy

School Locations

Subjects Taught at SecureSet Academy

What Classes Are Available?

Class Formats

Admissions Process

Pricing & Payment Options

Career Support Services

Alumni Outcomes

What Do Students Say?

Key Takeaways

Top Courses at SecureSet Academy

CORE Cybersecurity Engineering Program

Subjects Taught at SecureSet Academy

Cybersecurity

Map of SecureSet Academy Locations