Eastern Iowa Community College District Online Information Technology - Cybersecurity AAS Degree

Eastern Iowa Community College District's online A.A.S. in Information Technology Cybersecurity is a 62-credit associate degree at $230 per credit, which comes to $14,260. It carries an NSA Center of Academic Excellence designation valid through 2028 and prep for four industry certifications. It suits a budget-minded student who wants a hands-on associate with an internship or project at the end.

Eastern Iowa Community College District (EICC) is a public community college district based in Davenport, Iowa. Its Associate of Applied Science in Information Technology Cybersecurity can be taken 100% online, in person, or as a mix of the two.

The credential that stands out is the National Security Agency (NSA) designation of the college as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD), which the college says is valid through 2028. It speaks to the curriculum the college teaches.

The 2026-2027 online rate, which also applies to nearby Illinois counties, is $230 per credit. At 62 credits, that's $14,260. A $3 per credit hour online fee is added to online tuition. In-state students pay $209 per credit and out-of-state students pay $276.

That makes this one of the lowest-priced paths in this field. Ask what you'd owe for books, exam vouchers and testing-center fees, since certification attempts are a separate cost from tuition.

62 credits at $230 a credit comes to $14,260 in tuition, before fees.

Who It Fits

• You want to mix formats. The college says you can take classes online, in person or both, and its online classes run through live Zoom sessions or on your own time in Canvas.
• You want certification practice. The college is an EC-Council academic partner, with access to training tools and competitions, plus practice exams and testing centers.
• You want to move quickly. Terms range from 4 to 16 weeks, with standard and accelerated semesters.
• You'd like an end-of-program project. Your final term includes an internship or a personalized project.

Who Should Skip It

• You want a pure self-paced program. The college lists live Zoom classes as one option, so ask which courses you'd get in each format.
• You need a bachelor's soon. This is an associate degree, so ask how its credits transfer to a four-year school before you commit.

You get hands-on training with cyber tools, and the program prepares you for four certifications: Linux+, AWS, Ethical Hacking Associate and Cyber Forensics Associate.

That list tells you the shape of the degree. Linux and cloud skills come first, then ethical hacking and forensics. Ask which courses map to which certification so you can plan the order. The final term is an internship or a personalized project, which gives you something concrete to show an employer.

Standout Features

• Designated a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) by the NSA, valid through 2028
• EC-Council Academia Partner with access to training tools and competitions
• Hands-on cyber tool training with practice exams and testing centers for industry certifications

Federal data shows 30% of EICC undergraduates study exclusively online, so you'd share the college with plenty of on-campus students. That mix helps if you want to switch to an in-person lab for a term and then go back online.

The online classes come in two types. Live online sessions through Zoom give you scheduled meetings and instant questions. Anytime courses in Canvas let you work around a shift schedule. Ask which type each required course uses, since that decides how much of your week is fixed.

You earn an Associate of Applied Science from a public community college district. The certification prep is the practical payoff: Linux+, AWS, Ethical Hacking Associate and Cyber Forensics Associate, with practice exams and testing centers available through the college.

The college's CAE-CD designation is valid through 2028. If you're aiming at federal scholarships or government hiring, ask the career office how that designation helps in practice and whether it affects associate-level graduates.

Where this degree can lead: Cybersecurity Degree Jobs.

The full rubric is on the methodology page.

• Federal data shows an 8-year completion rate of 30% for transfer-in students, which is low. Ask what support the college gives students who stall midway.
• Federal data counts 15 awards in this field, so the graduating class is small.
• Confirm how many credits transfer before you plan to move on to a bachelor's.
• Certification exam fees are separate from tuition.

• Which required courses are live on Zoom, and which are anytime in Canvas?
• How do the four certifications map to specific courses?
• Can I take the final-term internship with my current employer?
• What do exam vouchers and testing-center fees cost?
• Which four-year schools accept this degree's credits, and how many?
• Does the CAE-CD designation help associate graduates, and with what?

• Best Affordable Online Programs Rank 10 of 10, associate
• Best Accelerated Online Programs Rank 6 of 9, associate
• Best for Working Adults Rank 7 of 9, associate
• Best Programs With Internships Rank 3 of 10, associate

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