Minnesota State University, Mankato Online Information Security & Risk Management (PSM)

This is a good fit if you want to manage and communicate security risk, not just fight technical fires, and you want a public university name on a professional master's.

Minnesota residents pay $847 per credit and non-residents pay $1,103, so the 30-credit degree comes to $25,410 or $33,090 in tuition. The tradeoff is that it's a risk and management degree, so look elsewhere if you want deep hands-on technical labs.

Minnesota State University, Mankato is a public university in Mankato, Minnesota. Federal data counts 15,271 students, with an admission rate of 88%, and shows 52% of graduate students studying exclusively online. The Information Security & Risk Management program is a Professional Science Master's (P.S.M.), a degree type that pairs advanced technical coursework with professional skills such as communication and management.

The credential name is the first thing to understand. A P.S.M. isn't a research degree that leads toward a Ph.D. It's built for people who plan to work in industry. The program is recognized by the Commission on Affiliation of Professional Science Master's Programs.

The degree is 30 credits and delivered online.

Tuition for the Professional Science Master's in Information Security for fall 2026 through summer 2027 is $847 per credit for Minnesota residents and $1,103 for non-residents. Fees add $48.39 per credit.

Across 30 credits, tuition comes to $25,410 for Minnesota residents and $33,090 for non-residents, before the per-credit fees. That's a gap of several thousand dollars, so residency matters.

Ask the university whether online students outside Minnesota qualify for any reduced rate, and whether employer tuition assistance applies. A public price like this is typically lower than private universities offering the same level of degree.

30 credits at $1,103 a credit comes to $33,090 in tuition, before fees. At the in-state rate of $847, the same 30 credits come to $25,410.

Who It Fits

• You want to move into a risk, governance or security management role and need a graduate credential.
• You're a Minnesota resident, where tuition is $847 per credit.
• You'd like a public university and a degree built around applied work, not a thesis.
• You want the program to end in a work experience. The capstone is a 4-credit internship, CIS 697.

Who Should Skip It

• You want to spend most of your time in hands-on technical labs. The notable courses lean toward risk, reporting and strategy.
• You live outside Minnesota and watch costs closely. Non-residents pay $1,103 per credit, which totals $33,090.
• You can't arrange an internship. The capstone component is a 4-credit internship.

The notable courses are specific, and they tell you where the program points. Information Warfare looks at security from the attacker and state level. Researching and Analyzing Information Security Risks teaches you to find and measure threats against an organization. Reporting Information Security Risks teaches you to explain those findings to people who make budget decisions. Information Risk Management ties it together as a management practice.

That sequence, find the risk, measure it, report it, manage it, is what a security risk analyst or manager does. The reporting course is the unusual one. Many technical programs skip communication, though it's a large part of senior security jobs.

The capstone component is CIS 697 Internship at 4 credits, which gives you applied experience at the end. Ask how the internship is placed if you already work in the field.

Courses the School Names

• Information Warfare
• Researching and Analyzing Information Security Risks
• Reporting Information Security Risks
• Information Risk Management

The catalog lists the location as Online. Federal data shows 52% of the university's graduate students study exclusively online, which means the online format is mainstream there and not a side offering.

The program has a required internship capstone, so ask how it works for an online student. Some students complete it at their own workplace. Others need help finding a host organization, and the difference affects your timeline.

Also ask whether classes meet at scheduled times and how long each term runs.

You'd earn a Professional Science Master's in Information Security & Risk Management from a public university. The program is recognized by the Commission on Affiliation of Professional Science Master's Programs, and the degree is 30 credits.

Federal data puts the university's graduation rate at 54% and the 8-year completion rate for transfer-in students at 61%. Those are school-wide figures across all programs, not specific to this degree. Federal records count 2 awards in this field, so the program is small.

Ask which exams, such as CISSP or CRISC, the courses help you prepare for.

Where this degree can lead: Cybersecurity Degree Jobs.

The full rubric is on the methodology page.

• Tuition for non-residents is $1,103 per credit, which totals $33,090 before fees.
• Per-credit fees of $48.39 add to the bill.
• A required 4-credit internship can be hard to arrange if you're not already working in the field.
• Federal data shows 2 awards in this field, so the cohort and alumni pool are small.

• How does the CIS 697 internship work for an online student, and can my current job count?
• Do non-Minnesota online students pay $1,103 per credit, or is there a reduced online rate?
• How hands-on are the courses, and which tools or labs do I use?
• Which certification exams do the courses prepare me for?
• How long are terms, and how many times a year can I start?
• What do graduates of the Professional Science Master's go on to do?

• Best Information Assurance Degrees Rank 8 of 10, master's
• Best Cybersecurity Policy Degrees Rank 9 of 10, master's
• Best Programs With Internships Rank 8 of 10, master's
• Best Online Programs in Minnesota Rank 4 of 4, master's

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