Best Online Master’s in Cybersecurity

Best Online Master’s in Cybersecurity

By James Barham and Dr. Winston Ewert

Published: Jun 23, 2021
Updated: Mar 13, 2023

Find top-ranked online master’s in cybersecurity degree programs to prepare students to hold supervisory positions, such as chief information security officer, computer information systems manager, IT auditor, and cybercrime investigator.

Top 10 Online Master's in Cybersecurity

University of Southern California

72%

University of Arizona

66%

Syracuse University

65%

Arizona State University

61%

Southern Methodist University

56%

Baylor University

55%

University of Delaware

54%

Saint Louis University

54%

Florida International University

49%

DePaul University

49%

Marshall University

98%

University of New Haven

94%

University of Texas at Tyler

94%

Nova Southeastern University

93%

Roger Williams University

91%

New Jersey City University

91%

Arizona State University

88%

Quinnipiac University

88%

University of Texas at Dallas

87%

University of Arizona

87%

Florida International University

25 to 1

University of Texas at Dallas

25 to 1

University of Missouri–St. Louis

19 to 1

University of Texas at Tyler

19 to 1

University of Massachusetts Lowell

19 to 1

Marshall University

18 to 1

Arizona State University

18 to 1

University of New Haven

18 to 1

DePaul University

17 to 1

Nova Southeastern University

17 to 1

University of Southern California

$61,503

Southern Methodist University

$60,236

Syracuse University

$57,591

Quinnipiac University

$51,270

Baylor University

$50,232

Saint Louis University

$48,824

University of New Haven

$42,898

DePaul University

$42,012

Roger Williams University

$39,594

Nova Southeastern University

$34,570

University of Southern California

$60,446

Syracuse University

$41,616

Baylor University

$37,674

Southern Methodist University

$30,672

Saint Louis University

$21,960

Nova Southeastern University

$21,153

Quinnipiac University

$19,530

DePaul University

$17,951

University of New Haven

$17,820

Roger Williams University

$17,476

University of Texas at Tyler

27%

New Jersey City University

28%

29%

University of Missouri–St. Louis

29%

Roger Williams University

29%

National University

30%

University of Southern Maine

31%

University of New Haven

32%

Mississippi College

32%

Nova Southeastern University

37%

University of Southern California

13%

Mississippi College

49%

Southern Methodist University

53%

National University

55%

University of Missouri–St. Louis

57%

Baylor University

57%

Syracuse University

59%

Florida International University

64%

DePaul University

69%

Saint Louis University

70%

University of Southern California

9 to 1

Saint Louis University

9 to 1

Southern Methodist University

11 to 1

University of Southern Maine

12 to 1

New Jersey City University

14 to 1

Mississippi College

15 to 1

Quinnipiac University

15 to 1

Syracuse University

15 to 1

Baylor University

15 to 1

University of Delaware

15 to 1

Florida International University

$4,721

University of Texas at Tyler

$7,020

Marshall University

$7,190

University of Southern Maine

$8,064

Arizona State University

$10,710

University of Arizona

$10,990

University of Missouri–St. Louis

$12,015

University of Delaware

$12,980

New Jersey City University

$12,992

University of Rhode Island

$13,250

University of Texas at Tyler

$6,264

Marshall University

$7,520

University of Southern Maine

$7,776

Florida International University

$8,912

Arizona State University

$11,720

Mississippi College

$12,060

University of Arizona

$12,106

University of Missouri–St. Louis

$12,528

New Jersey City University

$13,938

University of Rhode Island

$14,454

Featured Programs

Frequently Asked Questions About Online Cybersecurity Master’s Degrees

The master’s in cybersecurity offers specialized studies in computer and network security, including computer engineering, digital forensics, systems engineering, information security, and cyber-physical systems.

Students can study online or on campus, taking courses like Cyber Intelligence, Cyber Psychology, Offensive and Defensive Strategies, and Practical Applications in Security.

Most programs are about 30 credit hours, though some universities also provide opportunities for accelerated degrees.

Upon graduation, students can hold supervisory positions, such as chief information security officer, computer information systems manager, IT auditor, and cybercrime investigator.

Learn more about what you can do with a master’s in computer science.

We recently interviewed one of the world’s most influential cyber security experts, Dr. Isaac Ben-Israel. Dr. Ben-Israel says that cyber security is one of the most important fields of study today, and one of the newest. In 2011 cyber security programs in colleges and universities were scarce. Today, they are offered at colleges and universities around the world, and in some cases cyber security is making its way into core curriculum. Why? Dr. Ben-Israel’s answer is simple: As long as computers are the dominant technology of our time, this is the anticipation, the need for cyber security will only grow.

Best Online Master's in Cybersecurity Degree Programs

How do we determine the best online cybersecurity master's degree programs?

Pursuing your degree online doesn’t mean you need to settle for an inferior school. Today, most universities and colleges offer online degrees, and many respected schools are seeing significant growth in their numbers of online students.

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great. This is why influence — i.e., the academic impact of faculty and alumni associated with a school — gets at the heart of what is truly best in education. The combined influence score of a college or university’s top academic influencers is the best indicator of academic excellence. For our online degree rankings, we focus on the academic influence of faculty and alumni in the specific disciplines we’re ranking.

If you are serious about finding the best online colleges, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching, and whether their graduates themselves are advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence. Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Influence, as measured by our InfluenceRanking engine, provides a ranking that is free from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

25 Best Online Master’s in Cybersecurity Degree Programs

Online Degree Frequently Asked Questions

If this is your first time taking an online course, the experience may require some adjustment. While you’ll generally learn the same content and take the same exams as your on-campus peers, the medium will likely require you to manage much of this experience independently. You’ll be accountable for your own time management, your ability to harness the technology at your fingertips, and your ability to focus on the lectures, lessons, and assignments at hand. This means you’ll need to create a suitable workspace for yourself, maintain a realistic schedule, and take it upon yourself to build relationships with your instructors and classmates. With online college, your goal is to find a balance between independence and engagement.

No. The only part of online education that’s easier is actually getting there. Taking the commute out of the equation means getting to class should be a lot more manageable. But that’s where it ends. In general, your online courses will incorporate the very same materials, concepts, and testing methods as would a traditional classroom.

And in many cases, you’ll even have the same instructors as your on-campus counterparts. In fact, if you are adjusting to the experience of independent learning or working with remote learning technology for the first time, online college may even be a little more challenging for you. For a few insights on how to manage this new experience, check out our 10 Tips for Adjusting to School Online.

Accreditation is especially important when it comes to online college. This is because the online education landscape is a mix of highly-reputable institutions and less-than-reputable for-profit schools. Accreditation gives you the power to differentiate between the two. Accreditation is a stamp of approval from an independent accrediting agency which indicates that a college or university is meeting standards of quality, credibility, and currency. School-wide accreditation falls into two major categories: regional and national accreditation. Regional accreditors generally hold jurisdiction only over schools in the states comprising their region, whereas national accreditors hold jurisdiction over schools in all states. Regional accreditation is widely regarded as a more rigorous standard of quality and credibility than national accreditation.

Attending a college or university which is not regionally accredited could limit your opportunities. When seeking an online education, we strongly recommend that students opt for regionally accredited schools. Regional accreditation ensures eligibility for federal loans and grants, ensures your college credits can be transferred between schools, and ensures that your degree credits can be accepted if you wish to earn an advanced degree.

As long as your online college degree is regionally accredited, you should have little difficulty transferring most of your credits or credentials to another regionally accredited undergraduate school. Every school carries its own standards and procedures for granting a transfer. In many cases, you will be required to navigate a bureaucracy in which some of your credits will be transferred and others will be jettisoned. However, provided that you have attended an online school with the proper regional accreditation, you should have plenty of options for transfer.

In most cases, as long you graduate from a well-regarded, regionally-accredited online college, prospective employers won’t look sideways at your degree. In fact, unless you attend an exclusively online college or university, there will likely be no specific indicator on your degree, transcript or resume differentiating your school from its brick-and-mortar counterpart. This means that your employer will likely only differentiate between an online and in-person degree if you mention this distinction.

While some employers may express concern about making the adjustment from online education to in-person workplace collaboration, many other employers will view your online degree as evidence of valuable 21st Century professional skills such as independence, self-motivation, time management, and tech savvy.

If you are a student who thrives on the dynamic energy of in-person discussion, who requires the physical surroundings of a classroom to feel engaged, or who considers the social aspects of education to be of equal importance to the actual content of your courses, online education will require some adjustment.

While there is much that can be supplanted or simulated through the online medium, some students may find that there is nothing which can replace the conversation, collaboration, and motivation that occur in an actual classroom setting. As you make the adjustment to online education, one of the biggest challenges you will likely face is overcoming this difference in order to the get the most out of your classes. Fortunately, we’ve got some great Tips for Online Education Beginners.

The advantages of online classes are many. First and foremost, online courses give you the freedom and flexibility to attend class from anywhere that works for you, whether you’re at home, in a coffee shop, or in a quiet conference room at work. In many cases, you’ll also enjoy the convenience of asynchronous learning opportunities-educational experiences that you can complete on your own schedule. This may include pre-taped lectures, ongoing chat-board discussions, and 24/7 access to digital materials. And of course, just as there are some learners who prefer the energy of a live classroom, there are those who learn best when working in their own personal space, free from distractions. If this sounds like you, you might find the solitude of online learning to be a major advantage.

Whether you’re just getting started on your college search, you’re looking for survival tips on your way to a bachelor’s degree, or you’re preparing for the transition into grad school, we’ve got guides, how to’s and tons of other valuable resources to keep you moving forward in your educational journey.