Best Online Master’s Degrees in Cybersecurity

While getting an online associate’s or bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity is a great entry point into the field, one of the best ways to join the next generation of leaders in cyber defense is to get an advanced degree. With cybercrime increasing in sophistication and severity every year, it’s more important than ever for aspiring leaders to get an online Master’s degree in cybersecurity. By getting this kind of degree, graduates will be fully trained on how to engage in a multitude of careers that are relevant across an array of industries.

Georgia Tech’s Online Master’s in Cybersecurity

Georgia Tech’s online Master’s Degree in Cybersecurity is one of the highest ranking and competitive programs in the field. As one of the top-10 online programs in the country, the Master’s in Cybersecurity will propel the next generation of cyber defense professionals.

In addition to the high-performing nature of the program, Georgia Tech is able to offer the degree track in an affordable, accommodating manner. Specifically, the degree can be completed for less than $10,000, meaning students can invest relatively minimally for a degree that will engender a huge return. 

As for topics that the program centers on, students can expect to explore the ways that new software, network, and computer system vulnerabilities lead to hacks or breaches over the 32 credits. Other subjects focus on cybercrime, digital espionage, privacy, big data, and surveillance. From the program’s comprehensive approach to cybersecurity, students are empowered to adopt practical and technical skills that will position them at the front of cyber defense.

Importantly, the GRE and GMAT is completely optional to gain entry into the program. While the scores can help fill in some gaps in terms of work experience or academic performance, more and more universities are finding that better pictures of applicants can be gained from other parts of the application. 

Johns Hopkins Online Cybersecurity Degree

Deemed the best online and part-time program by the U.S. News & World Report, the Johns Hopkins Online Master’s in Cybersecurity is one of the best ways to become a leader on the frontlines against cybercrime. Through the school’s internationally recognized and expert faculty coupled with the school’s advanced technological offerings, the program offers students an innovative approach to mitigating the growing threat of malicious hacks, breaches, and leaks. 

Topics that students can expect to encounter include engineering for security purposes, machine learning and its applications, reverse engineering, and risk assessment / vulnerability audits. By exploring these pressing and necessary issues in cybersecurity, students can also develop the investigative skills to conduct independent research that will ultimately advance the field of cybersecurity. 

Finally, the program features four cutting-edge areas of focus for students to choose from. These include:

  1. Analysis: Understand more deeply the forensic patterns necessary for investigating a digital crime scene. 
  2. Networks: Dive into the inner workings of exchanging data to bolster network security.
  3. Systems: Learn how to build, modify, and repair systems to best mitigate the threat of a cyberattack. 
  4. Assured Autonomy: Explore the opportunities that autonomous learning and machine learning offer the world of cybersecurity. 

Maryville University’s Master’s in Cybersecurity Online

In just 12 months, students can complete the competitive online Master’s in Cybersecurity degree from Maryville University. Designed to prepare students for careers in private, public, and nonprofit sectors, the program is also structured to give students the real-world, technical skills to build effective cybersecurity policies and measures. These technical skills included in the program also build on the program’s focus on how cybersecurity can benefit overall business operations. 

From a practical standpoint, much of the program’s curriculum is derived from case studies and other real-world examples. Faculty, who compose and deliver the curriculum, understand that by teaching these kinds of examples to the future generation of cybersecurity professionals, more can be done to prevent future cybercrime incidents. 

Importantly, the program’s fully online format has been recognized by technology companies like Apple for its advanced user interface and its easy-to-navigate nature. The Maryville Virtual Lab has been carefully created to enhance the online learning experience, which means that students in the program will have access to resources and materials that ultimately make getting the degree easier.

Georgetown University’s Online Master’s in Cybersecurity Risk Management

From Georgetown University’s School of Continuing Studies, the online Master’s in Cybersecurity Risk Management is designed to accommodate working professionals with some experience in the field to take their careers to the next level. The program realizes that technology alone cannot serve many organizations’ cybersecurity needs; instead, the degree focuses on the importance of human intervention in creating and implementing effective cyber defense measures. 

The flexibility of the program is one of its strengths. Students can progress through the program in 2-5 years to complete the degree and graduate. Importantly, the degree is not a general cybersecurity program. Instead, it focuses on how to manage, analyze, and ultimately mitigate the risk of cyber attacks.

Career Opportunities

By getting an online Master’s in Cybersecurity, tech professionals will have multiple doors to various career opportunities across industries and sectors. Some positions that graduates can expect to compete for include: 

  • Cybersecurity Architect: $146,768 annual yearly salary
  • Computer Information and Systems Manager: $151,150 annual yearly salary
  • Chief Information Security Officer: $165,285 annual yearly salary
  • Cyber Forensics Expert: $74,618 annual yearly salary
  • Cybersecurity Engineer: $97,119 annual yearly salary