Johns Hopkins University Online Master of Science in Cybersecurity

Johns Hopkins' online M.S. in Cybersecurity is a 10-course master's with seven focus areas, practitioner-led classes and the strongest graduate earnings figure among the programs reviewed here. It's also the most expensive: $5,620 per course. It fits professionals who want the Johns Hopkins name and a specialty, and who can pay for it.

The program is offered through Engineering for Professionals, the online arm of the Whiting School of Engineering at Johns Hopkins University, a private nonprofit research university in Baltimore, Maryland. The master's is 100% online and is guided by practitioners from the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, government, defense and industry.

The school also cites a favorable review from U.S. News & World Report of its online master's in cybersecurity. Treat that as the school's claim from one publication, and compare it against the other evidence below.

The full rubric is on the methodology page.

You earn a Master of Science in Cybersecurity from Johns Hopkins. Federal data shows the university graduates 94% of its students, and its 8-year completion rate for transfer-in students is 81%, the strongest completion record in this group.

Earnings are the headline number too: federal data shows graduates in this field earn a median $148,833. Some of that reflects who enrolls, since many students already work in well-paid technical roles, so use it as a sign of the network and brand more than a promise.

Where this degree can lead: Cybersecurity Degree Jobs.

Who It Fits

• You work in government, defense or a large company and want classes taught by people who do that work.
• You know what you want to specialize in. Every student must pick a focus area: Analysis, Assured Autonomy, Cyber Artificial Intelligence, Cyber Operations, Networks, Space Cyber or Systems.
• You want an answer fast. Admissions are rolling, with a decision in 2 to 3 weeks and no application fee or GRE.
• Your background isn't a perfect match. A Master's Bridge Program guarantees full admission after you complete it successfully.

Who Should Skip It

• You're watching your budget. At $5,620 per course for 10 courses, this is priced well above public-university options.
• You want a fully self-paced schedule. Most courses are asynchronous, but you may be pulled toward real-time sections, and the three yearly starts set your pace.
• You need a program that states its length. The page gives the course count but not a typical duration.

The master's is built from 10 courses plus an optional Capstone research project. The focus areas are the real story: Cyber Operations points toward offensive and defensive work, Networks and Systems toward infrastructure, Analysis toward investigation, and Space Cyber, Cyber Artificial Intelligence and Assured Autonomy toward newer problems at the edge of the field.

Because the school draws instructors from the Applied Physics Laboratory and government and defense employers, expect examples rooted in real systems. Prerequisite courses must be completed with a B- or higher, so check your background against them before you apply. Ask which courses count toward each focus area and how often each is offered.

Standout Features

• Courses guided by practitioners from the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, government, defense and industry
• Master's Bridge Program guarantees full admission after successful completion
• Ranked #2 by U.S. News & World Report for online master's in cybersecurity

Tuition is $5,620 per course, and 10 courses earn the master's. Multiply those two published numbers to get your own total, and then ask what fees, books and software come on top.

For context, Murray State's online cybersecurity management master's publishes a total of $18,180 for 30 credits, and Bellevue's publishes $24,480 for 36 credits. Johns Hopkins costs substantially more. The question is whether the name, the focus areas and the faculty are worth the difference to your career. For people whose employer pays, the answer is often yes.

The format is mixed. Most courses are available asynchronously, and the school says students can choose from a substantial selection of real-time classes. Starts come three times a year: fall in August, spring in January and summer in May.

Federal data shows 49% of Johns Hopkins graduate students study exclusively online, so you'll share the university with a large on-campus population, though Engineering for Professionals is designed for working adults. Ask how many courses in your chosen focus area are offered online each term.

• The price is the biggest barrier: $5,620 per course, 10 courses.
• Ask how long students actually take while working, since the course count alone doesn't set the calendar.
• Prerequisite courses must be passed with a B- or higher, which can add time if you lack the background.
• The capstone research project is optional, so a hands-on finish isn't guaranteed unless you choose it.

• Which prerequisite courses apply to me, and can I test out or use work experience?
• How many courses in my focus area run asynchronously, and how many are live?
• What does the optional Capstone research project involve, and who advises it?
• How does the Master's Bridge Program work, and what does it cost?
• What fees and materials come on top of the $5,620 per course?
• Does my employer's tuition benefit cover this program in full?

A private nonprofit research university in Baltimore, Maryland. Its Whiting School of Engineering runs the Engineering for Professionals online programs.

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• Best Online Programs in Maryland Rank 4 of 9, master's

• Franklin University

  Master of Science in Cybersecurity

  Ohio $690 per credit Score 59.8

• Murray State University

  Master of Science in Cybersecurity Management

  Kentucky $606 per credit Score 60.1

• Bellevue University

  Master of Science in Cybersecurity

  Nebraska $680 per credit Score 60.3

• University of Maryland Global Campus

  Cyber Operations Master of Science

  Maryland $659 per credit Score 60.4