Top Online Cybersecurity Schools
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), cybersecurity jobs are predicted to grow 33% through 2030 and getting your degree in cybersecurity will demonstrate you possess the foundational knowledge required to enter this exciting field with flexible and potentially lucrative opportunities.
So, now that you’ve decided to get a degree, the next step is to choose the best program. As the demand for cybersecurity professionals grows, so do schools who are eager to supply them. Cybersecurity programs have expanded dramatically during the past decade, particularly online programs that are perfect for mid-career professionals who aren’t in a position to relocate and need to complete their studies on nights and weekends.
Here you’ll find a list of some the top cybersecurity schools out there. We’ve included a mix of undergraduate, postgraduate, and graduate certificate programs so be sure to keep the degree type in mind. You’ll also want to check out each school’s website for the most up-to-date information, particularly as the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic means every school’s situation may be evolving.
Cornell University
Degree Type: Graduate Certificate
Cost: $882 (per credit hour)
Location: Ithaca, New York (available online)
If you’re looking to expedite your cybersecurity education and want to earn a graduate certificate, you can’t do much better than the Ivy League. Cornell’s flexible, interactive program is personally developed by Cornell faculty and designed to fit your life and career.
Develop a practical literacy in cybersecurity, learning the principles needed to understand the design and analysis of secure systems through Cornell’s program. You’ll become comfortable navigating technical literature and network architecture, authenticating users, and choosing between discretionary and mandatory access control schemes. Learn more about Cornell’s online program.
Bellevue University
Degree Type: Bachelor of Science
Cost: $430 (per credit)
Location: Bellevue, Nebraska (available online)
Ranked in Top 10 Best Online Cybercrime Programs by Best Colleges in 2020. Bellevue’s undergraduate program allows students to learn from experts from the United States Air Force, NASA, and the Department of Defense — some of the most respected intelligence and security organizations in the world. Graduates can prepare for career opportunities in government agencies and public service organizations including national security and intelligence agencies, as well as the private sector. Bellevue also offers one of the most competitively priced programs out there.
Penn State University
Degree Type: Bachelor of Science
Cost: $590 (per credit hour)
Location: World Campus (online)
Penn State University’s World Campus offers an online MS in Cybersecurity Analytics and Operations that features a strong foundation in programming and mathematics and focuses on helping students develop the knowledge and skills needed to critically assess and respond to security threats including system hacking, data breaches, identity theft, and cyberattacks by terrorist groups or other aggressors.
Graduates from this program can prepare for some of the top cybersecurity positions in the market today such as cybersecurity analyst, security engineer, cyber threat adviser, vulnerability assessor, information security director, and penetration tester.
Georgetown University
Degree Type: Master of Science
Cost: $1,441 (per credit hour)
Location: Washington D.C. (available online)
Georgetown’s online MS in Cybersecurity Risk Management draws from frameworks established by the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Georgetown examines the field through the lenses of ethics, communications, management, law, security, and computer science. Students there will master the leading tools and techniques, such as applied intelligence and machine learning algorithms, to respond to any security threat.
Gain hands-on experience with real-time data to analyze events, detect criminal activities, and decide how to counteract them. You’ll collaborate with classmates around the world on online projects where you’ll develop security strategies related to information security and privacy, international standards, and industry guidelines.
New York University
Degree Type: Master of Science
Cost: $87,510 (MS in Cybersecurity and Risk Strategy, entire program paid in 3 installments)
Location: New York City, New York(available online)
One of the things that makes New York University’s (NYU) cybersecurity program great is that they actually offer two programs, the traditional M.S. in Cybersecurity and the M.S. in Cybersecurity and Risk Strategy, created in conjunction with the law department.
NYU also offers a Cyber Fellowship program that allows students to receive 75% off their tuition cost. In fact, the entire program’s curriculum is rooted in NYU’s belief that an accessible path to career advancement and learning is essential to building real-world solutions. This is why they created the Cyber Fellowship and why they operate the National Science Foundation-funded Offensive Security, Incident Response, and Internet Security (OSIRIS) laboratory.
NYU Tandon has a distinguished history of research and education in the field of cybersecurity and their classes are taught by internationally known experts. Perhaps best of all, their application process has been streamlined to as little as 15 minutes to apply and you can receive a decision in just 15 business days.
Johns Hopkins University
Degree Type: Master of Science
Cost: $4,755 (per course, with Dean’s fellowship)
Location: Baltimore, Maryland (available online)
One of U.S News & World Report’s top-ranked cybersecurity programs, the Johns Hopkins program offers access to state-of-the-art computing facilities and technologically advanced virtual classrooms to ensure engagement with instructors and classmates. John Hopkins’ graduates complete a Capstone project and build a professional network and increase marketability by learning cutting-edge industry trends, knowledge, and skills through expert-designed coursework.
Classes are offered in a variety of ways (online, in-person, hybrid (online, and synchronous live) to accommodate everyone’s learning style and schedule. At Johns Hopkins you’ll choose one of four focus areas:
- Analysis
- Assured Autonomy
- Networks
- Systems
University of Southern California
Degree Type: Master of Science
Cost: $2,199 (per unit)
Location: Los Angeles, California (available online)
The University of Southern California (USC) offers a Master of Science of Computer Science (Computer Security) and Master of Science in Cybersecurity Engineering that are both available on campus and online.
The former is a unique degree that highlights courses relevant to the practice of computer security research, development and deployment, and the secure operation of computer systems. The latter program is a specialized degree intended for graduate students looking to obtain jobs in which computer network operations knowledge and skills are required. It is also for students who are in degree programs or job fields that have some responsibility with information security and desire enhanced knowledge and skills.
DePaul University
Degree Type: Master of Science
Cost: $882 (per credit hour)
Location: Chicago, Illinois (available online)
If you’re looking for a reason to explore DePaul’s M.S. in Cybersecurity program look no further than these numbers: DePaul reports that 93 percent of program graduates were employed, continuing education, or not seeking employment within six months of graduation with a median salary of $75,000.
Available both online and on-campus, DePaul’s cybersecurity program educates professionals by providing foundations in the theory of information security and gives them knowledge needed to properly design, implement, and manage secured IT infrastructure and risks. The program includes three different concentrations: Networking and Infrastructure, Computer Security, and Governance, Risk Management, and Compliance.