Georgia Northwestern Technical College Online Associate of Applied Science in Cybersecurity (IS23)

Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC) offers one of the lowest-priced online routes into cybersecurity on this list: 72 credits at $107 per credit comes to $7,704 in tuition, and the school says it doesn't charge more for online courses.

The trade-off is that four lab courses end with an in-person final exam. It suits someone near Rome, Georgia, or near a proctor they can use, who wants a job-focused associate degree without debt.

This is an Associate of Applied Science in Cybersecurity (program code IS23) at a public technical college in Rome, Georgia, part of the Technical College System of Georgia. An A.A.S. is built to put you in a job, not to feed a bachelor's degree by default, so most of the 72 credits are technical courses rather than general education.

GNTC is a big school, with 7,282 students, and about 44% of them study exclusively online. That matters because the online side of the college is established, not an experiment. The program is also available fully online, according to the college catalog, though not every course escapes the campus.

Federal data shows 16 awards a year in this field at GNTC, so the cohort is small. Expect to know your instructors and classmates by name rather than getting lost in a crowd.

The full rubric is on the methodology page.

Most of the program is coursework you can do on your schedule. The catch is specific and worth reading twice. For the online versions of CIST 1122, CIST 2451, CIST 2452 and CIST 2453, the lab final must be completed in person on campus, or with an instructor-approved proctor at another location.

That is four courses, spread across the program, so this isn't a one-time trip. If you live in north Georgia, it is a short drive. If you live farther away, ask early how proctors are approved and whether a local library, college testing center or employer can qualify.

Because GNTC also runs on-campus sections of these courses, you can mix formats if your schedule changes.

Who It Fits

• Georgia residents, and students from Alabama or Tennessee, who want the in-state rate of $107 per credit.
• Adults who live within driving distance of Rome, Georgia, or who can line up an approved proctor near home for lab finals.
• Career changers from help desk or IT support work who want a credential that adds security and network defense to what they already do.
• Students who want to pay as they go. At $7,704 in tuition, many people can cover this out of pocket or with a federal Pell grant instead of loans.

Who Should Skip It

• Students from states other than Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee, who pay out-of-state tuition and lose the main price advantage.
• Anyone who can't get to a campus or an instructor-approved proctor for the lab finals in four courses.
• People who already hold an associate degree in IT and need a bachelor's. A four-year program fits better than repeating the lower-division work.

The catalog lists a technical sequence that moves from basics to attack and defense. Information Security Fundamentals comes first, then Network Security, Computer Forensics, Network Defense and Countermeasures, and Ethical Hacking and Penetration Testing.

The ethical hacking course (CIST 2613) carries 4 credits, more than a typical course, which tells you it has a real lab load. In ethical hacking you practice breaking into systems you have permission to test, so you learn how attackers think before you try to stop them.

Taken together, the sequence covers both sides of the work. You learn to harden networks and respond to incidents, and you learn how the people on the other side probe for weaknesses. That balance is what an entry-level analyst or technician role asks for on day one.

Courses the School Names

• Information Security Fundamentals
• Network Security
• Computer Forensics
• Ethical Hacking and Penetration Testing
• Network Defense and Countermeasures

Tuition is $107 per credit hour, and GNTC says it does not charge higher tuition for online courses. Over 72 credits that comes to $7,704. Students from states other than Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee pay out-of-state tuition, so check the current rate if you live elsewhere.

The $7,704 covers tuition only. Plan separately for books, any lab or technology fees, and travel if you have to attend a lab final in person. Ask the financial aid office what the full first-year bill looks like before you enroll.

The low price comes from the public technical college model, not from a thin course list. You still get network defense, forensics and penetration testing.

72 credits at $107 a credit comes to $7,704 in tuition, before fees.

GNTC is a public college in the Technical College System of Georgia, and the degree is an A.A.S. in Cybersecurity. Certification exams are a separate step here, so ask the program director which ones students usually take after finishing, such as CompTIA Security+, and whether the college covers any exam fees.

On outcomes, federal data shows a 43% graduation rate for the school as a whole. For students who transferred in, the 8-year completion rate is 61%. Median earnings for graduates of this school's credential in this field are $40,794, which is what you'd expect for an entry-level technical credential, not a bachelor's.

Where this degree can lead: Cybersecurity Degree Jobs.

• Four courses require an in-person lab final on campus or with an approved proctor, so the program isn't fully remote in practice.
• Out-of-state students outside Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee pay out-of-state tuition.
• An associate degree opens entry-level roles. Many security analyst positions ask for a bachelor's, so plan on transferring credits later if you want to move up.
• Certification study is up to you. Plan to schedule and pay for exams such as Security+ on your own timeline unless the college tells you otherwise.

• How do I get a proctor approved for the CIST 1122, 2451, 2452 and 2453 lab finals, and how far ahead do I need to ask?
• What is the out-of-state tuition rate for my state, and will I qualify for the Georgia, Alabama or Tennessee rate?
• Which certification exams do graduates usually take, and does the college cover any exam fees?
• Will my credits transfer to a bachelor's program in Georgia if I decide to continue?
• Are there fees beyond the $107 per credit, such as lab, technology or testing fees?

Public technical college in Rome, Georgia that is part of the Technical College System of Georgia.

• Best Online Cybersecurity Degrees Rank 7 of 10, associate
• Best Online Associate Programs Rank 7 of 10, associate
• Best Affordable Online Programs Rank 2 of 10, associate
• Best Public University Programs Rank 7 of 10, associate
• Best Online Programs in Georgia Rank 3 of 8, associate

• Minnesota State College Southeast

  Cybersecurity and Network Administration (A.A.S.)

  Minnesota Score 56.4

• California Institute of Arts & Technology

  Associate of Applied Science in Computer Information Systems

  California $660 per credit Score 55.6

• Community College of Baltimore County

  Cybersecurity

  Maryland $247 per credit Score 56.5

• St Petersburg College

  Cybersecurity (A.S.)

  Florida $386.90 per credit Score 55.4