Best Online Cybersecurity Degree Programs of 2025

Cybersecurity experts are on the front lines of national, corporate, and personal defense, helping prevent cybercriminals and other malicious actors from committing fraud, theft, or acts of terror.

This fast-growing field urgently needs qualified administrators, analysts, engineers, and executives to help meet a severe employment shortage.

Earning an online cybersecurity degree is the first step toward becoming an information security professional. Many schools offer an accelerated cybersecurity degree online that lets you maximize your transfer credits and life experience to graduate early and get started in an exciting professional role.

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

Cybersecurity online degree programs typically attract students who are analytical, are detail-oriented, and enjoy problem-solving. The ability to work independently as well as on a team is an important skill for cybersecurity students.

The majority of full-time online bachelor’s in cybersecurity programs consist of 120 credits and take four years to complete. In addition to general education and core coursework requirements, some schools also offer concentrations to help students build nuanced skills in specific areas.

Concentrations vary from program to program, but common options include:

Some online bachelor’s programs also require you to participate in a semester-long internship, as this allows you to build real-world skills and start networking with other professionals prior to graduating.

The average undergraduate major in computer and information science costs $11,674.80 in annual tuition, according to the NCES. Earning your degree entirely online reduced the average cost to $7,717.40 per year.

Fortunately, most students do not pay the sticker price for their degrees. Pell grants, work-study programs, and state-supported merit scholarships can all reduce overall costs.

Organizations, companies, schools, and even the federal government also offer cybersecurity scholarships. For example, the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies provides undergraduate students with a $27,000 annual scholarship, and the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) offers several scholarships to employees and non-employees majoring in cybersecurity.

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

Cybersecurity is one of the fastest-growing professional fields in the world. Fortune Business Insight projects that the global cybersecurity market will expand from $172.32 billion in 2023 to $424.97 billion in 2030. Observers attribute this expansion to the sharp increase in cybersecurity attacks and the development of AI and ML tools.

As a result, jobs in the field continue to outpace qualified applicants. ISC2’s Cyber Workforce Study puts the workforce shortage at 4 million. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that information security analyst jobs will grow by 33% between 2023 and 2033. A bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity can set you up for a career in this rapidly expanding industry.

After completing an online bachelor’s in cybersecurity and working in the field for some time, you may decide you want to return to school and earn an advanced degree. Several universities now offer in-person and online master’s in cybersecurity degrees focused on building deeper knowledge and skills.

Completing a master’s in cybersecurity can help you build the qualifications to take on more senior leadership roles that typically pay higher wages and allow for more responsibilities. Most master’s programs take about two years to complete, and many schools now make them available online.