Excelsior University Online Master of Science in Cybersecurity

Excelsior University's online Master of Science in Cybersecurity is a straightforward, fully asynchronous graduate degree at a single published price of $715 per credit, so the 30-credit total is $21,450 with no surprises on tuition. It suits working adults who want a recognized cyber defense program without a programming background. It's a weaker fit if you want a long list of electives or a thesis.

Excelsior is a private nonprofit university in Albany, New York, and this master's program is delivered fully online and asynchronously, with courses that start every 8 weeks. The school is designated a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense, and it says the learning is aligned to National Security Agency and Department of Homeland Security academic requirements.

The degree is 30 credits and offers two concentrations, General and Information Assurance. Excelsior also offers a Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity. That's the 120-credit undergraduate program, built around hands-on defense and attack coursework. This master's is the graduate step for people who already hold a bachelor's degree and want governance, policy and architecture-level skills rather than a first technical foundation.

The student body is built for online learning. IPEDS, the federal college data system, shows 100% of students enrolled exclusively online, and 34 master's-level awards a year in the federal cybersecurity program codes. Scorecard data puts the median earnings of graduates in this field at $144,427.

The full rubric is on the methodology page.

Tuition is $715 per credit. Across the 30-credit degree, that comes to $21,450. Excelsior describes the rate as all-inclusive, covering student services, technology and degree conferral processing, but it does not include course materials, so budget for books or software separately.

There's one cost wrinkle worth knowing about. If you choose the optional hybrid format, you're traveling to the St. Petersburg, Florida site, and that trip is on you. The fully online option has no on-site sessions, so most students never see that cost. Compare the full $21,450 against flat-rate online programs and ask about employer tuition support.

30 credits at $715 a credit comes to $21,450 in tuition, before fees.

Who It Fits

• Working professionals who need to study around a job. Courses are asynchronous and start every 8 weeks, so you aren't waiting on a once-a-year cohort.
• People without a computer science or IT background. The school states a background in computer science or IT is not required to apply.
• Anyone who wants a predictable bill. The $715 per credit rate is described as all-inclusive for student services, technology and degree conferral processing.

Who Should Skip It

• Students who want to choose among many electives. The program offers two concentrations rather than a wide elective menu.
• Anyone looking for a research thesis.
• Budget-first students comparing every dollar. $21,450 in tuition is real money, and course materials are not included in the rate.

The program page names four notable courses: Network and Communication Security, Global Cybersecurity, Information Assurance and Security Policy and Compliance. That mix tells you where the degree leans. Network and Communication Security is the technical anchor, while the other three cover how organizations manage risk, follow regulations and work across borders.

You choose between two concentrations, General and Information Assurance. General keeps the degree broad. Information Assurance narrows toward protecting information systems and meeting compliance requirements, which is where many government and regulated-industry jobs sit. Pick based on the job posting you want, then read the course list for that track before you enroll.

Courses the School Names

• Network and Communication Security
• Global Cybersecurity
• Information Assurance
• Security Policy and Compliance

Standout Features

• Designated Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense with learning aligned to NSA and DHS academic requirements
• Optional hybrid format with in-person lab sessions in St. Petersburg, Florida

The fully online option is asynchronous, so you don't log in at set times. Courses run in 8-week terms and start every 8 weeks, which lets you take a break between courses or double up when work is slow.

Excelsior also offers an optional hybrid format with in-person lab sessions. Each hybrid course requires a three-hour in-person session every other week, for a total of 12 hours on-site per course per term, at the St. Petersburg, Florida site. Most online students skip that and stay remote, but it's useful if you learn better with a lab instructor in the room and happen to live nearby.

Excelsior is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), the same regional body that accredits many long-established universities. That's the accreditation that counts for federal aid and for transferring credits.

The school is also designated a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense. For certification, the program page says it prepares you for credentials such as the ISC2 Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP). Notice that it names one exam. If you're aiming for a different certification, ask which courses map to it.

Where this degree can lead: Cybersecurity Degree Jobs.

• Course materials aren't covered by the $715 per credit rate, so your real cost runs higher than $21,450.
• The program page names few electives. Two concentrations means less room to customize than a school with five or more elective choices.
• The optional hybrid labs meet in St. Petersburg, Florida, so that format only works for students who can travel there.
• Only one certification is named on the program page, so exam prep for other credentials will be mostly on you.

• How much should I budget for course materials each term, on top of the $715 per credit rate?
• What are the required courses in the Information Assurance concentration versus the General concentration?
• How many credits can I transfer in from a prior graduate certificate or military training?
• Do the online courses include virtual labs, and which tools do they use?
• Is there any cost or travel requirement if I choose the optional hybrid format?
• What does the capstone or final course look like, and who evaluates it?

• Best Online Cybersecurity Degrees Rank 6 of 10, master's
• Best Online Master's Programs Rank 6 of 10, master's
• Best Information Assurance Degrees Rank 2 of 10, master's
• Best Accelerated Online Programs Rank 3 of 10, master's
• Best for Working Adults Rank 4 of 10, master's
• Best With No Programming Rank 1 of 5, master's
• Best Self-Paced Programs Rank 1 of 4, master's
• Best 100% Online Programs Rank 6 of 10, master's
• Best Online Programs in New York Rank 1 of 8, master's

• Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity

  B.S., Bachelor's

  Fully Online $510 per credit Score 62.8

• Western Governors University

  Master of Science in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance

  Utah Score 65.3

• Dakota State University

  Cyber Defense, MS

  South Dakota $495.70 per credit Score 65.8

• Hallmark University

  Master of Science in Cybersecurity

  Texas $595 per credit Score 67.1

• University of the Cumberlands

  Master of Science in Information Systems Security (Online)

  Kentucky $355 per credit Score 67.4