Mercy University Online Cybersecurity

This is a bachelor's with a recognized federal designation and a path into Mercy's master's program, at a high price. Part-time tuition is $990 per credit, which makes the 120-credit degree $118,800 at that rate. That is the main thing to understand before you apply.

Mercy University is a private nonprofit university in Dobbs Ferry, New York. This page covers its Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Cybersecurity, which the school lists as fully online.

Mercy has been designated a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education by the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security. That means the two federal agencies that care most about the field have reviewed the program's teaching.

The school also offers a five-year B.S./M.S. dual degree in Cybersecurity, which lets talented students finish both a bachelor's and a master's in five years. Mercy's stand-alone online M.S. in Cybersecurity is 30 credits at $1,147 per credit and is meant for people who already have a related bachelor's.

You earn a Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity from a private nonprofit university. The federal designation from the NSA and Department of Homeland Security is the main credential signal. It applies to Mercy's cybersecurity education, so confirm which programs are covered.

Federal data shows a 46% graduation rate at the school and a 57.5% 8-year completion rate for transfer-in students. Graduates in this field earned a median of $68,529 in the federal earnings data.

Where this degree can lead: Cybersecurity Degree Jobs.

Who It Fits

• You want a bachelor's from a school that holds a joint NSA and Department of Homeland Security designation.
• You are aiming at a master's and like the idea of the five-year B.S./M.S. dual degree.
• You want named offensive and forensic courses such as Penetration and Hacking and Digital Forensics in your plan.
• You live near New York and may want to mix online study with campus resources.

Who Should Skip It

• You are comparing price. Tuition runs $990 per credit, and federal data lists a campus per-credit charge of $924 for comparison.
• You want an online-first school. Federal data shows only 11% of undergraduates study exclusively online.

The course list is the most hands-on part of the public page. Linux Administration and Introduction to Cybersecurity are the starting points. Network Security and Cryptography/Computer Security cover how data is protected in motion and at rest. Penetration and Hacking teaches you to attack systems with permission and report the weak spots. Digital Forensics covers collecting evidence after an incident.

That range spans building, defending, attacking and investigating, which is the full set of skills an entry-level analyst may need.

The degree ends with IASP 470 System Security as a capstone. Ask what the capstone project looks like, and whether it uses a lab environment you can reach from home.

Courses the School Names

• Linux Administration
• Introduction to Cybersecurity
• Cryptography/Computer Security
• Penetration and Hacking
• Network Security
• Digital Forensics

Standout Features

• 5-year B.S./M.S. Cybersecurity dual degree
• Designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education by the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security

Part-time undergraduate tuition is $990 per credit, so 120 credits comes to $118,800. Full-time students with 12 or more credits pay a flat $11,775 per term, which is a better deal if you can carry the load. A $75 per term cybersecurity program fee and a registration fee also apply.

The master's program is $1,147 per credit for 30 credits, so a student who goes straight through pays at a higher rate for the graduate portion.

Cost is the biggest decision factor. Ask about financial aid and scholarships before you apply, and ask what your actual out-of-pocket price would be after aid.

120 credits at $990 a credit comes to $118,800 in tuition, before fees.

The school lists the bachelor's as fully online. Federal data shows 11% of undergraduates study exclusively online, out of 8,991 students overall, so most of Mercy is a campus school.

That means you should check how well the online section is supported. Ask whether cybersecurity classes run online every term, how many online students are in a typical cohort, and whether online students get the same career services as campus students.

Mercy's graduate page says the NSA and FBI recruit directly from its programs, so ask whether that recruiting reaches online undergraduates.

The full rubric is on the methodology page.

• At $990 per credit, the part-time price for the full degree is $118,800 in tuition alone.
• Only 11% of undergraduates are exclusively online, so the online program may feel like a small part of a campus school.
• Ask the school for its certification plan, internship rules and lab environment before you commit.

• What is my total cost after financial aid, and does the flat $11,775 full-time rate apply to online students?
• How many credits will transfer from my earlier college work?
• Which labs support Penetration and Hacking and Digital Forensics, and can I reach them remotely?
• Does the NSA and Department of Homeland Security designation cover the online B.S. specifically?
• How does the five-year B.S./M.S. dual degree work, and what GPA do I need to enter it?
• Do online students have access to the same recruiting events as on-campus students?

• Best Online Programs in New York Rank 7 of 7, bachelor's

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