Franklin University Online Associate of Science in Cybersecurity

Franklin University's online A.S. in Cybersecurity is a 60-credit associate degree at $398 per credit, which comes to $23,880 in tuition, with up to 45 credits accepted in transfer and a new class start every six weeks or so. It suits an adult who has college credit already and wants an associate that rolls into Franklin's bachelor's.

Franklin University is a private nonprofit university in Columbus, Ohio, and it offers cybersecurity degrees online at the associate, bachelor's and master's levels. The Associate of Science in Cybersecurity is the entry rung: 60 credit hours, delivered 100% online in 6-week and 12-week courses.

The school lists eight start dates across 2027, three in spring, two in summer and three in fall. If you miss one, you're waiting weeks, not months.

You earn an Associate of Science in Cybersecurity from a private nonprofit university. The school's NSA designation as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense is stated for the bachelor's (2019) and the master's (2024), not for the associate. The National Security Agency (NSA) designation is about those degrees, so don't assume it covers this one.

Federal data shows an 8-year completion rate of 55.5% for transfer-in students at Franklin, which is a useful sign if you're arriving with credits.

Where this degree can lead: Cybersecurity Degree Jobs.

Who It Fits

• You have college credit from earlier years. Franklin accepts up to 45 credits in transfer, which the school describes as up to 75% of the degree.
• You're a current service member. Franklin lists $250 per credit for current service members instead of the standard $398.
• You want to start soon and keep going. With 6-week and 12-week courses and frequent starts, you can begin close to the day you decide.
• You plan to keep studying. The same school offers a bachelor's and a master's in cybersecurity, so you can stay in one system as you move up.

Who Should Skip It

• You want a credential that signals advanced skills right away. An associate is an entry-level step, and a bachelor's or master's is where Franklin's deeper cyber coursework sits.
• You'd rather pay a community college rate. Public community colleges often charge less per credit, so compare before you commit.

Ask Franklin for the full plan of study. Every major ends in a capstone experience, and the credit for that capstone can't be transferred in from elsewhere. You'll take it at Franklin no matter how much transfer credit you bring.

The bachelor's page gives a better picture of where this goes. Its course list includes Cybersecurity Fundamentals and a Cybersecurity Capstone that has small groups of students work as a team on a substantial project. Ask which of those courses the associate shares.

Standard tuition is $398 per credit. At 60 credits, that's $23,880. Franklin adds a $100 resource fee each semester, and international students pay $526 per credit. Current service members pay $250 per credit.

Transfer credit is what moves this number. Each credit you bring in is a credit you don't pay $398 for, and up to 45 of the 60 can transfer. Send your transcripts early, before you enroll, so you know your real total.

60 credits at $398 a credit comes to $23,880 in tuition, before fees.

Federal data shows 93% of Franklin's undergraduates study exclusively online, so this is a school built around remote students, with online as the norm for classmates and staff. Ask whether classes meet live or run on your own schedule.

Courses run 6 weeks or 12 weeks. A 6-week course is intense. You finish quickly, but you carry a heavier weekly load. A 12-week course spreads the same content across a longer span. Ask advisers how most students combine the two while working.

The full rubric is on the methodology page.

• The capstone can't be transferred in, so you'll always take at least that course at Franklin's price.
• At $398 per credit, the associate costs more than many public options, and the $100 resource fee each semester adds up.
• You'll want a plan of study from an adviser to see which courses fill the 60 credits.
• Federal data counts 7 associate awards in this field, a small number, so there's limited graduate history behind the degree.

• Which of my past credits will count toward the 60, and which won't?
• What are the required courses, and which ones carry over into the B.S. in Cybersecurity?
• Do classes meet live, or can I work on my own schedule?
• How many 6-week courses can I take at once while working full time?
• How does the $100 resource fee apply across a year of study?
• Is the NSA designation for the bachelor's something I could benefit from if I continue past the associate?

Franklin University is a private nonprofit university in Columbus, Ohio that offers online associate, bachelor's and master's cybersecurity degrees.

• Best for Military Students Rank 1 of 3, associate
• Best for Working Adults Rank 6 of 9, associate
• Best With Multiple Start Dates Rank 1 of 2, associate
• Best Online Programs in Ohio Rank 1 of 4, associate

• Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity

  B.S., Bachelor's

  Fully Online $398 per credit Score 69.8

• Master of Science in Cybersecurity

  M.S., Master's

  Fully Online $690 per credit Score 59.8

Also at Franklin University, but not counted here because they are not fully online: Bachelor of Science in Computer Science (bachelor's, on campus).

• Northern Virginia Community College

  Cybersecurity, A.A.S.

  Virginia $480.40 per credit Score 49.9

• Eastern Iowa Community College District

  Information Technology - Cybersecurity AAS Degree

  Iowa $230 per credit Score 49.8

• Northern Wyoming Community College District

  Cyber Security AAS

  Wyoming $168 per credit Score 48.6

• Lanier Technical College

  Cybersecurity Degree

  Georgia $214 per credit Score 51.3