Prepare to serve as a cybersecurity specialist on the front lines of national security, corporate defense, or technological advancement. This in-demand role offers excellent job security at the intersection of business, technology, and cybercrime prevention.
A master's degree in cybersecurity can provide you with the tools and skills you need to safeguard data, cash, and other assets. This degree covers topics like cryptography, network security, cloud security, and cyberoperations. You can often focus on a specialization track, such as artificial intelligence, or take a generalist approach to prepare for a security leadership role.
Use this guide to learn more about earning your master's degree in cybersecurity, including our data-centric list of the top graduate programs, budgeting tips, and opportunities after graduation.
Popular Online Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Top Master's in Cybersecurity Degrees
This list of the top five master's in cybersecurity programs can help you find your ideal program. We rank schools based on factors such as retention rate, post-graduation student debt, and return on investment. Visit our ranking methodology page to learn more.
Why Get a Master's Degree in Cybersecurity?
Digital crime is skyrocketing, and as a result, so is cybersecurity. The research team at McKinsey & Company projects that the cybersecurity industry will grow by $10.5 trillion annually by 2025. Smaller companies are at the greatest risk.
While federal and state governments are taking action to shore up digital asset protection, the talent gap in the field continues to grow. Cloud security, automation, artificial intelligence, and machine learning are all critically under-resourced areas of concern.
The cost of a data breach could put many companies out of business, creating an opportunity for highly skilled security professionals to help prevent these disruptions. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that information security analyst employment will grow by 32% between 2022 and 2032, far outpacing the average for all occupations.
Earning a master's in cybersecurity can help you take advantage of the following benefits:
Advanced Knowledge: A cybersecurity graduate degree explores cryptography, penetration testing, network security, and digital forensics.
Specialization: You can add a specialization in a technical area such as AI or an adjacent field like cybersecurity policy.
Research Opportunities: If you plan to work in research, a master's degree can prepare you for the Ph.D. you will eventually need.
Increased Income: According to Payscale data from May 2024, graduates with master's degrees in cybersecurity earned an annual average of $19,000 more than bachelor's degree-holders in the field.
Industry Recognition: Your graduate degree can prepare you for research in security studies, write articles for top-brand cybersecurity journals, or lead a professional association in the industry.
What to Expect From a Cybersecurity Graduate Program
A cybersecurity graduate degree focuses on the tools and skills you need to protect and defend information from hackers, phishers, and other bad actors. This 1-2 year program usually requires 30-36 credits in cybersecurity, computer science, and advanced mathematics. Your program may include an internship, practicum, thesis, or applied research project. Expect to pay about $11,000 per year for your education.
Most cybersecurity degrees emphasize the discipline as a whole, but some programs offer concentration options in areas like artificial intelligence, cloud computing, or cybersecurity. A few cybersecurity programs are concentrations within larger computer science degrees.
Admission Requirements
Each school sets specific admissions requirements. In general, you need the following:
A completed application with a fee (not all schools charge a fee)
A bachelor's degree in computer science, electrical engineering, or a related field
Prerequisite courses such as calculus, discrete math, Java, data structures, and a machine language
A GPA of 3.0 or higher
Acceptable GRE scores (not all schools require test scores)
Degree and Concentration Options
Most master's degrees in cybersecurity operate as master of science (MS) programs, but you can also find MBAs and master of engineering (M.Eng.) in cybersecurity. The MS is a general cybersecurity degree, while the M.Eng. focuses on cybersecurity for engineers. The MBA emphasizes business leadership with a subset of cybersecurity courses.
Engineering programs often require a relevant background, and an MS in cybersecurity usually requires an academic foundation in computer science. However, an MBA may not make the same technological demands of its applicants.
A master's in cybersecurity may include concentrations such as:
Risk Management: This interdisciplinary concentration blends business, law, and technology as they relate to cybersecurity.
Networks: Students explore cloud computing and network security, including program architecture and protocol design.
Assured Autonomy: This concentration focuses on security for intelligent vehicles, robotics, and autonomous computing.
Popular Graduate-Level Courses
Cybersecurity degree programs offer a variety of courses depending on the program's focus, the faculty's expertise, and student demand. Popular courses include:
Malware Analysis and Mitigation: Students learn what motivates malware creators and how they behave, as well as the role of malware in the cybersecurity landscape. Enrollees also discover how to extract host- and network-based indicators from malicious programs.
Computer Crimes and Digital Forensics: Digital forensics comprises acquiring, evaluating, preserving, and presenting evidence in computer crimes. Students learn the tools and techniques to authenticate digital evidence, along with the laws governing its treatment and use.
Cryptography: An ancient art with ultra-modern applications, cryptography refers to the methods of protecting information through codes, algorithms, and symbols. Topics in this course include symmetric block ciphers, public key cryptosystems, digital signatures, and quantum-resistant cryptography.
Assured Autonomy: In an increasingly connected and machine-driven world, autonomous vehicles and other intelligent machines pose uniquely serious safety and security threats. This course covers what you need to know to keep these machines safe and secure. Topics include machine intelligence, effective human-machine interaction, and technology's lifecycle.
Cost and Payment Options for Master's Degrees
According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the average tuition for an online master's degree in a computer science field is $10,877 per year. However, your tuition can vary from less than $10,000 to more than $50,000 for the entire cybersecurity degree.
Factors such as school prestige, public vs. private status, and state residence can all affect tuition. Your budget should also account for non-tuition direct costs and indirect costs, such as loss of potential side income while you're studying.
Employers, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and schools can help cover educational costs. While you cannot receive a Pell Grant as a graduate student, you can apply for scholarships, veterans' benefits, employer reimbursements, and student loans.
Jobs for Master's in Cybersecurity Graduates
A master's degree in cybersecurity could open up highly technical security careers or positions in technology leadership or management. Earning a certification from a non-vendor-specific agency may help direct you to your area of greatest interest. Some of the highest-paying jobs are in security engineering and technology leadership. Consider the fields below:
Penetration Tester
Sometimes called "white hat hackers," penetration testers imitate bad actors trying to crack secure systems. Although particularly valuable in financial, healthcare, and national security agencies, penetration testers work in nearly every industry. With experience and education, they may pursue work as information security managers and chief technology officers.
Required Education: Bachelor's Degree
Average Annual Salary (May 2024): $94,460
Information Technology Manager
In small companies, information technology managers may oversee entire IT departments, while in larger organizations, they could lead specific technology sectors, such as security or database technology. These professionals usually have wide-ranging technical experience, leadership skills, and degrees in technology or management-related fields.
Required Education: Bachelor's Degree
Average Annual Salary (May 2024): $93,120
Information Technology Director
IT directors manage and direct their companies' information technology teams. Depending on the size and scope of the company, they may be responsible for budgeting, team building, selecting software, and training for IT staff. IT directors need skills in people management, IT security, and infrastructure development.
Required Education: Bachelor's Degree
Average Annual Salary (May 2024): $125,930
Chief Technology Officer
As the senior technology professional in an organization, a chief technology officer (CTO) serves as part of the executive leadership team. The CTO leads all the technology departments of an organization, relying heavily on research, analysis, and planning. To become a CTO, you usually need graduate education and many years of experience in the field.
Information Security Analyst
Information security analysts are disaster recovery experts who specialize in technology and data. While they may provide security for any kind of business, analysts are particularly valuable in e-commerce settings, where phishing can quickly wipe out revenue, and healthcare, where hacks can put patients' lives at risk.
Required Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Annual Salary (May 2023): $120,360
Job Outlook (2022-32): +32%
Selecting the Right Master's in Cybersecurity Program
With many online master's in cybersecurity programs to choose from, the following factors can help you decide on the right school.
Accreditation: Only consider schools with institutional accreditation from agencies such as the Higher Learning Commission or the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. ABET, the programmatic accreditor for undergraduate computer science programs, does not accredit graduate degrees.
Location: While online degrees are usually location-independent, you may find that attending a nearby school has its benefits. You can appear on campus for special events, networking opportunities, and career fairs, for example.
Reputation: Will your prospective employers recognize your school, and as a result, will they believe your education stacks up well against other applicants' backgrounds?
Career Services: Does this school offer help with networking, creating a portfolio, and building a credible online presence? Will the professors help you secure admission to a Ph.D. program?
Should You Get Your Cybersecurity Master's Online?
In 2021, 56% of graduate students took at least one class online, and 40% pursued their entire degree online, according to the NCES. While they may not form face-to-face relationships with peers and professors, these students can tap into resources to help turn their online degrees into paying careers.
A study from Wiley, a higher education research institution, found that 84% of graduates from online programs said their degree was worth the cost. Online learning may be especially effective in computer-related fields like cybersecurity.
However, be sure to consider your current job, family responsibilities, professional network, personal budget, and career ambitions when deciding between on-campus and online education.
More Options for Learning About Digital Security
FAQ About Master's Degrees in Cybersecurity
What can I do with a cybersecurity master's degree?
A master's in cybersecurity can prepare you to pursue a career as a security architect, cybersecurity manager, or information security analyst. The best industries for cybersecurity experts include finance, insurance, healthcare, and energy — the target of 39% of critical infrastructure attacks. With a master's degree, you can also teach cybersecurity courses at the undergraduate level.
Can I get a cybersecurity master's degree online?
Yes — many schools offer cybersecurity master's degrees online. You can also pursue an online computer science degree with a concentration in cybersecurity. Some universities offer online doctoral degrees in cybersecurity or a related field.
Will a master's in cybersecurity help me get a job?
A master's in cybersecurity can help you get a job in this fast-growing field. The BLS projects that information security analyst jobs will grow by 32% from 2022-2032. Once established, according to Payscale data from May 2024, professionals with master's degrees in cybersecurity earn $19,000 more than those with four-year degrees in the field.
How much can I make with a master's in cybersecurity?
Payscale data from May 2024 indicates that professionals with master's degrees in cybersecurity earn an average annual salary of $96,000. Cybersecurity engineers, information security managers, and IT security architects all earned much higher average wages.
