Most on-line bachelor’s in online cyber security degree applications require 120 credit score hours. In keeping with our analysis that appears at 53 on-line cybersecurity bachelor’s applications, 58 % of applications require some form of hands-on studying, both via a capstone venture or an internship. The typical price per credit score hour is $539.
Table of Contents
On-line bachelor’s diploma in cybersecurity programs
Online Cyber Security Degree:
Key findings from our 2023 evaluation of 53 on-line applications
- Variety of credit required: 120 is the variety of credit score hours mostly required
- Price per credit score: $539 is the common credit score price
- Common complete diploma price: $66,297 for your entire diploma
- Variety of applications which have a hands-on studying element: 31 of 53 applications analyzed
- Commonest course within the cybersecurity bachelor’s diploma curriculum: Community safety
- 36 of the 53 applications surveyed are designated as a Middle for Educational Excellence in Cybersecurity (CAE)
As talked about earlier, the commonest variety of required credit is 120 (that is the usual for almost all applications). The variety of required credit runs from 60 on the bottom (EC-Council) to 185 on the best finish (North Dakota State). In fact, how these credit score hours are calculated will differ from faculty to highschool.
The typical variety of credit to earn a cybersecurity main is 51, whereas the remainder of the diploma necessities encompass common training necessities or electives.
There are additionally commonalities within the programs that make up the curriculum for a web based cybersecurity bachelor’s diploma.
The 20 commonest required programs for Online cyber Security Degree majors
Share of applications requiring every course
| Community safety | 60% |
| Pc networks | 55% |
| Introduction to cybersecurity | 47% |
| Info safety | 43% |
| Cyber protection | 40% |
| Pc working techniques | 38% |
| Pc forensics | 38% |
| Pc programming | 36% |
| Methods safety | 36% |
| Threat administration | 26% |
| Linux | 26% |
| Cryptography | 26% |
| Digital forensics | 23% |
| Info safety administration | 21% |
| Database administration | 21% |
| Cyber ethics | 21% |
| Cyber regulation | 19% |
| Challenge administration | 19% |
| Auditing | 19% |
| Incident response | 19% |
Moreover, 31 of the 53 undergraduate applications analyzed require some form of hands-on studying element. Typically the hands-on necessities are met via an internship or a capstone venture.
Some examples of online cyber security Degree capstone initiatives embrace:
- College of Arizona: The senior capstone venture focuses on cyber operations and consists of producing a analysis paper addressing: How safety design, insurance policies and practices can be utilized defensively in our on-line world, the results of legal guidelines and gaps in authorized steerage impacts our on-line world, or figuring out and articulating completely different (or rising) threats in our on-line world.
- Metropolitan State College: The senior capstone venture is the end result of a two-part course sequence that requires utilizing the background gained through the diploma program to conduct a analysis venture on defend an enterprise in opposition to cyber threats and assaults.
- College of Texas, El Paso: As a senior capstone, college students are required to write down a proper analysis paper analyzing how cybersecurity pertains to nationwide safety.
What’s attention-grabbing about all of those hands-on studying actions is that like the web levels themselves, they are often carried out remotely or through specialised on-line analysis and collaboration platforms.
The results of a capstone venture or internship is actual world expertise that may be shared or used as a part of an expert resume or portfolio.
Price of a web based cybersecurity bachelor’s diploma
Price is one other main issue when deciding to pursue a bachelor’s diploma. The excellent news, with regard to on-line diploma choices, is that on-line levels are typically extra reasonably priced.
There are just a few the explanation why on-line levels pencil out higher than on-campus choices, however the primary price financial savings can come via housing and residing bills.
That is very true if a pupil lives in a low price of residing space and is ready to pursue a level remotely through on-line studying from a excessive price of residing space.
“Whether or not you might be sitting proper in the midst of our New Orleans campus with a number of the smartest college students and instructors you’ll ever meet, otherwise you’re on-line in Iowa taking considered one of our programs, you’re going to get the identical Tulane-quality training. On condition that, Tulane SoPA programs are far cheaper than most individuals suppose, typically lower than state faculty tuition.”
— Ralph Russo, director of the Skilled Development Info Expertise Program at Tulane College.
One key issue to grasp about every program is the switch credit score necessities. Transferring credit to finish a web based diploma is quite common, however the switch course of will differ from program to program.
In keeping with our evaluation of 53 on-line cybersecurity bachelor’s diploma applications, the common price per credit score is $539. The vary in price per credit score is $192 on the low finish and $1,660 on the excessive finish.
Put one other method, the common price of a web based cybersecurity diploma is $66,297. The most affordable on-line cybersecurity diploma (the College of the Potomac) is $23,286, which is accessible nationwide. The costliest (Saint Louis College) is $199,200.
One vital consideration when taking a look at on-line diploma program price is to verify and think about in-state or out-of-state tuition for public universities.
Some applications, such because the Davenport College, truly provide decrease tuition for out-of-state college students in comparison with in-state college students, which isn’t the case with conventional, on-campus tuition.
5 steps for selecting the correct on-line cybersecurity diploma
- Selecting cybersecurity — There are a selection of causes to decide on cybersecurity as a career. As talked about earlier, over the following a number of years it’s predicted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and others, that cybersecurity jobs will develop at a fast price. Actually, the trade is already struggling to maintain corporations and organizations equipped with contemporary and well-trained expertise. That is evident throughout a lot of skilled organizations and certificate-granting our bodies, all of which have varied recruitment, coaching, and scholarship applications. However selecting to pursue a level in cybersecurity shouldn’t simply be about job safety alone. The career can also be fascinating. It’s a discipline that blends the technical and quantitative aspect of pc programming, with different fields reminiscent of regulation, coverage, coaching, and educating. Inside the discipline of cybersecurity, there are a selection of paths to pursue {and professional} choices to discover (take a look at the cybersecurity profession guides to study extra).
- Discovering a web based program — Extra new on-line cybersecurity diploma applications are launching on a regular basis (take a look at the college listings under for extra particulars). This offers college students extra choices and suppleness, however it additionally creates a higher have to analysis and perceive all the choices on the market. A very good place to begin is to create a listing of constraints reminiscent of funds, take a look at scores, stipulations, and so forth., after which discover applications that match inside these constraints. One other key factor to search for whereas researching on-line cybersecurity bachelor’s applications is the energy of the profession companies, advising, and help for discovering good cybersecurity internship alternatives. As talked about above, many on-line cybersecurity diploma applications now require and/or closely help their college students to pursue hands-on studying like a cybersecurity capstone venture or an trade internship.
- Analysis admission necessities — Like conventional on-campus diploma applications, the admission necessities for on-line cybersecurity diploma applications typically comply with the identical construction. College students will want related take a look at scores (like ACT and SAT), transcripts (from highschool, a neighborhood school, or affiliate’s diploma program), letters of advice, and entrance essays. Understanding and making observe of vital deadlines through the software course of can also be an vital a part of faculty analysis.
- Schedule testing — Any testing for school admission needs to be scheduled and brought properly forward of the appliance season. Making time for take a look at prep and apply exams must also change into a precedence upfront of taking the take a look at. Take a look at scores are sometimes used for making admission selections and in addition for awarding advantage scholarships. The excellent news is that with the precise planning and runway, each the ACT and SAT could be taken a number of occasions, and sometimes scores enhance with extra makes an attempt.
- Funds and monetary support — The typical price per credit score for the 53 surveyed colleges is $539. The vary for price per credit score begins at $192 and goes to $1,660. So making selections in regards to the monetary implications of pursuing a level are vital. Understanding what sorts of monetary support and scholarships can be found to college students majoring in cybersecurity will go a great distance in serving to to make knowledgeable monetary selections..
What to search for in a web based online cyber security degree
There are benefits and drawbacks to acquiring a web based cybersecurity diploma versus a extra conventional campus-based diploma.
Benefits
One of many greatest benefits is that the majority establishments that supply on-line diploma applications and on-campus diploma applications grant the identical diploma to each sorts of diploma choices. In different phrases, there isn’t any distinction within the remaining diploma that college students obtain.
One other massive benefit of on-line studying and on-line cybersecurity diploma choices is that they offer college students some extent of flexibility.
Whether or not making an attempt to study remotely or juggle undergraduate research with different household or work commitments, on-line studying requires a unique degree of dedication than what’s required to be bodily current someplace.
To not point out, some college students choose studying on-line as a result of it fits their studying type higher — usually lectures are delivered through video, and workout routines and assignments are modified for on-line studying. The flexibility to speed-up or slow-down lectures, or overview materials a number of occasions works higher for some learners.
Relying on residing and work conditions, pursuing a cybersecurity bachelor’s diploma on-line is likely to be more cost effective than attending a standard campus-based diploma program.
Disadvantages
One of many greatest benefits of attending a campus-based diploma program is that growing in-person relationships with each friends and professors fosters the beginnings of an expert community.
Having an expert community turns into invaluable later in a profession, not solely within the years proper after school whereas in search of that first place throughout the cybersecurity trade, but additionally down the street. As colleagues transfer via their very own careers, they change into good sources for job leads and alternatives — they usually would possibly sometime change into hiring managers too.
That’s to not say that in-person relationships are the one approach to develop an expert community. Immediately, an increasing number of choices exist for creating a sturdy community exterior of conventional actions.
One other development is that distant work is rising in popularity throughout a lot of industries, together with many tech fields. As distant work turns into extra widespread, digital and social networking in an expert context is turning into extra acceptable. So there are many alternatives to make up for the dearth of non-public connection or face-to-face time with cybersecurity friends and professionals.
Admission standards
Like conventional undergraduate levels, the necessities for a web based bachelor’s in cybersecurity differ from program to program. So it’s a good suggestion to double-check particular person program admission standards after making a listing of potential colleges.
Whereas the specifics will differ, there are some widespread necessities amongst many applications:
- A highschool diploma or equal
- Official highschool transcripts and/or transcripts exhibiting course work accomplished at neighborhood schools or different universities if relevant
- A resume (spotlight pc/programming expertise if relevant)
- Software charges
Profession choices with a web based online cyber security degree
By way of evaluating profession prospects within the cybersecurity discipline, it cannot be harassed sufficient how briskly the cybersecurity discipline is rising and the way in-demand cybersecurity professionals will change into.
Some estimates present a 10x progress within the info safety discipline from $800 million to $6 billion over the following a number of years. And that’s simply in North America.
Some widespread and thrilling profession paths for graduates of a web based cybersecurity diploma applications embrace:
Organizations and corporations together with the Division of Protection are all pitching in to assist spotlight the pending scarcity of cybersecurity professionals and assist lead recruiting efforts and educational help applications, together with scholarships.
The US Cyber Problem is only one instance of a brand new form of alternative for college kids within the cybersecurity discipline. The US Cyber Problem program presents just a few several types of applications, together with structured competitions, camps, and scholarships to assist get college students ready to enroll in an undergraduate cybersecurity diploma program.
Not surprisingly, newly-minted professionals with a web based cybersecurity diploma are discovering their abilities in demand (in some respects new graduates are enticing to employers as a result of they’ve probably the most present cybersecurity coaching out there). Arizona State’s on-line cybersecurity diploma program, for instance, studies that 87 % of its graduates obtain job presents inside 90 days of commencement.One other essential a part of rounding out a cybersecurity training is determining what varieties {of professional} certifications are required and finishing the mandatory steps to get licensed. Like different info expertise fields, cybersecurity requires varied ranges {of professional} certification, CISSP is one widespread possibility) along with the completion of an undergraduate or graduate diploma.
Online cyber security degree program rankings
What follows under is Cybersecurity Information’s rankings of the most effective on-line cybersecurity diploma applications for 2022.
The web cybersecurity diploma rankings had been decided utilizing the next methodology:
- Solely colleges with each a web based cybersecurity bachelor’s diploma program and a web based cybersecurity grasp’s diploma program had been included
- Every program must be thought of a Middle for Educational Excellence in Cybersecurity
- Commencement charges
- Retention charges
- Admission charges
- Tuition of each the bachelor’s cybersecurity diploma program and the grasp’s cybersecurity diploma program.
Incessantly requested questions on online cyber security degree applications
What’s a web based cybersecurity diploma?
A web-based cybersecurity bachelor’s diploma is rather like a standard, on-campus cybersecurity diploma. It presents the identical nice profession preparation and the identical alternatives for progress and development after commencement. The largest distinction in on-campus and on-line cybersecurity diploma applications is the pliability that comes with a web based program.
Sometimes, a web based cybersecurity bachelor’s program consists of 120 credit score hours (though some applications require roughly relying on how their educational calendar and common diploma necessities are structured).
On-line cybersecurity diploma applications provide a lot of completely different choices for specialization together with specializing in IT, felony justice, coverage, or administration.
Can I do a cybersecurity bachelor’s diploma utterly on-line?
Sure! The rising demand for cybersecurity professionals implies that an increasing number of schools and universities are providing on-line bachelor levels particularly designed for cybersecurity. Proper now there are 57 cybersecurity-specific on-line diploma applications supplied in all elements of the nation.
One consideration to be aware of when selecting a web based bachelor’s in cybersecurity program is what the choices are for hands-on studying together with engaged on actual world offensive and defensive cybersecurity points as cyber ranges and speciality constructed labs.
Which bachelor’s diploma is greatest for cybersecurity?
Not that way back, college students eager about cybersecurity needed to main in one thing else like pc science or felony justice after which discover programs that aligned with their safety pursuits. However now, there are a selection of cybersecurity-specific on-line levels which can be an important match for college kids trying to develop a robust safety background.
Actually, there are 57 on-line bachelor diploma applications which have a particular cybersecurity focus. Now the problem for potential college students isn’t discovering an excellent cybersecurity program, however as an alternative deciding which facet of cybersecurity to deal with, as a result of undergraduate applications are more and more turning into extra particular and geared in the direction of trade profession pathways.
Different widespread pathways to cybersecurity embrace software program improvement, info expertise and networking, and pc programming.
Is a web based diploma in cybersecurity value it?
One easy method to assist determine whether or not or not a web based cybersecurity diploma will likely be value it’s to consider the return on funding (ROI) of the diploma program. Most diploma ROI calculations are fairly simple and it seems like this: Earnings earlier than diploma occasions ten subtracted from earnings after diploma, minus the diploma price). If there’s a substantial distinction between the earlier than and after numbers, then the ROI could be optimistic.
The draw back to the ROI calculator is that it doesn’t at all times think about a number of the externalities, like profession satisfaction, profession mobility, and publicity to future alternatives. Cybersecurity is such a quickly rising discipline and it’s so dynamic that it’s doubtless that a web based diploma program will result in extra profession choices sooner or later.
Is a web based bachelor’s diploma in cybersecurity value it?
There are two methods to interrupt down this query: There’s the monetary return on funding (ROI) and the potential to have an attention-grabbing and rewarding profession. One other issue is general job safety. In keeping with the newest information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the imply wage for info safety analysts is $119,860. The underside ten % of the wage vary studies incomes a mean of $66,010 and the highest ten % earns a mean of $174,540.
If the common price of a web based cybersecurity diploma is $66,297 then the monetary ROI seems good contemplating potential lifetime earnings. Most diploma ROI calculations are fairly simple and it seems like this: Earnings earlier than diploma occasions ten subtracted from earnings after diploma, minus the diploma price). If there’s a substantial distinction between the earlier than and after numbers, then the ROI could be optimistic.
One other factor to consider is general job safety or job availability when in comparison with different potential careers. Cybersecurity professionals work throughout a lot of industries and sectors together with authorities, finance, client tech, and regulation enforcement or forensics (amongst others).
Cybersecurity professionals are anticipated to be in excessive demand properly into the longer term. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a progress of 35 % job demand for info safety analysts over the following ten years, which is larger than common. Different cybersecurity-related professions present the identical form of projected demand.
How lengthy does a cybersecurity bachelor’s diploma take?
Most cybersecurity bachelor’s diploma applications are the usual 120 credit score hours, which usually breaks right down to 4 years of research (at a price of 15 credit score hours/semester/two semesters a yr).
Cybersecurity bachelor’s levels are additionally supplied in on-line codecs. On-line levels usually require the identical variety of credit, however programs are supplied at completely different intervals and sometimes on-line applications could be taken year-round, which implies the general time to finish a level is likely to be shorter.
What can I do with a bachelor’s in cybersecurity?
Cybersecurity is a various discipline and there are lots of choices for those that full a bachelor’s diploma. Typically individuals determine if they’re eager about offense or protection cybersecurity whereas a pupil after which take programs and internships aligning with these pursuits. These experiences can result in job alternatives sooner or later.
Most bachelor’s diploma holders will land entry-level positions inside corporations or organizations with titles reminiscent of analyst, tester, developer, or specialist. Since there’s a lot alternative throughout the discipline, professionals with expertise can advance to extra senior positions rapidly. Typically acquiring a grasp’s diploma in cybersecurity administration or management will help safe extra senior positions.
Is a bachelor’s in cybersecurity arduous?
Cybersecurity is “arduous” in that it’s a technical diploma that requires math, pc science, and programming abilities and training.
Nonetheless, it’s in contrast to different extra theoretical technical levels in that cybersecurity could be very utilized and finishing a cybersecurity diploma requires lots of hands-on expertise within the type of internships or engaged on initiatives at locations like cyber ranges, that are basically laboratories for finding out cybersecurity threats and situations.
How a lot does it price to get a level in cybersecurity?
Primarily based on our evaluation of 53 on-line cybersecurity bachelor’s diploma applications the common price of a level is $66,297.
The most typical variety of credit score hours required to finish a level is 120 and the common price per credit score hour is I $539. There are a selection of things that go into complete diploma price together with in-state versus out-of-state tuition for public universities and the provision of scholarships and monetary support.
Which diploma is greatest for cybersecurity?
There are a selection of pathways into cybersecurity. Till lately, there have been few applications with cybersecurity-specific diploma choices. As a substitute, college students took pc and networking programs after which ready for trade certifications.
Immediately, college students can discover completely different sorts of levels that concentrate on particular facets of cybersecurity together with forensics, moral hacking, felony justice, and operations and coverage.
Moreover, universities are providing extra tactical cybersecurity grasp’s diploma choices to assist college students who don’t have a cybersecurity undergraduate background enter the sector — once more, throughout a variety of offense, defensive, and forensic operations.
Different cybersecurity grasp’s choices embrace administration and management coaching to advance into extra senior positions reminiscent of chief privateness officer, chief enterprise safety officer, and enterprise intelligence officer.