Murray State University Online Master of Science in Cybersecurity Management

Murray State's online M.S. in Cybersecurity Management is a 30-credit master's with an all-in price of $18,180, seven-week terms and a capstone where you work with industry partners. It's a strong fit if you want the management and governance side of security at a public-university price.

Murray State University is a public university in Murray, Kentucky. Its Master of Science in Cybersecurity Management is 100% online, STEM-designated, and offered through the school's Center for Cybersecurity and Network Management, which the NSA recognizes as a Center for Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD).

The title matters. This is a management degree, so the courses lean toward governance, risk, compliance and running a security program rather than writing exploits. That's a different job than the one a hands-on technical master's trains you for.

The full rubric is on the methodology page.

The program costs $606 per credit hour, and the published total is $18,180 for 30 credits. The school includes all fees in that rate, so you don't face a second layer of charges, though rates are subject to annual approval.

For context, Bellevue University publishes $24,480 for a 36-credit cybersecurity master's, and Murray State's 30 credits at a lower rate come in under that. Ask what the rate will be in your first term and whether it changes mid-program.

30 credits at $606 a credit comes to $18,180 in tuition, before fees.

Who It Fits

• You're an IT or security professional heading toward a manager, director or program-lead role, where policy and risk matter more than packet captures.
• You want a quick route to a master's. The school says students can finish in as few as 12 to 18 months.
• You want a published, predictable price. All fees are included in the per-credit rate.
• You're interested in professional associations: students can become members of ISACA, the audit and governance body.

Who Should Skip It

• You want deep technical labs in penetration testing or malware analysis. The listed courses are about governance, incident management and law, not offensive tooling.
• You'd like a master's from a mostly online school. Federal data shows 42% of Murray State's graduate students study fully online, so many classmates are on campus, though your program is online.
• You need to start immediately in any month. Terms start on four dates in the 2026-27 calendar.

The degree is 30 credit hours. The notable courses are Information Systems Security, Cybersecurity Program Governance, Risk and Compliance, Incident Management and Business Continuity (CYS 640), Legal Issues in Information Security, and Information Security Program Management.

Read that list as a path from understanding security systems to running a security function: how to assess risk, respond when something breaks, keep the business running, and stay inside the law. The finish is an experiential capstone (CYS 680) where you work with industry partners on a cybersecurity program proposal, which gives you a real artifact to show a hiring manager.

Courses the School Names

• Information Systems Security
• Cybersecurity Program Governance, Risk and Compliance
• Incident Management and Business Continuity
• Legal Issues in Information Security
• Information Security Program Management

Standout Features

• Murray State's Center for Cybersecurity and Network Management is recognized by the NSA as a Center for Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD)
• STEM-designated degree program
• Students can become members of ISACA

Courses are delivered in 7-week terms, with four start dates in the 2026-27 calendar. Short terms mean you take one or two courses at a time and finish each quickly, which suits people who prefer focus over juggling.

Ask whether classes meet live, whether discussions and assignments run on weekly deadlines, and how much interaction you should expect with faculty and the industry partners behind the capstone.

You earn a Master of Science in Cybersecurity Management. Admission requires an undergraduate degree with a GPA of 3.00 or higher for unconditional admission, and the school lists other paths if your GPA is lower.

The degree sits within a center recognized by the NSA as a CAE-CD, and the STEM designation can matter for certain visa and work-authorization situations, so ask the school what it means for you. Look at salary data for the management roles you're targeting.

Where this degree can lead: Cybersecurity Degree Jobs.

• Federal data counts only 12 awards in this field at Murray State, so the program graduates fewer students than larger online providers.
• A management focus means fewer hands-on technical labs than some competitors.
• The next start dates are fixed, so you'll wait for one of four windows.
• Rates are subject to annual approval, so the $18,180 total can shift.

• What is the full list of start dates, and when is the next application deadline?
• How many courses do students take per 7-week term to finish in 12 to 18 months?
• What does the CYS 680 capstone look like in practice, and who are the industry partners?
• What are the other admission paths if my GPA is below 3.00?
• Does the degree prepare me for specific certifications, such as those from ISACA?
• How does the STEM designation apply to my situation?

A public university in Murray, Kentucky.

• Best Cybersecurity Management Degrees Rank 4 of 10, master's
• Best Accelerated Online Programs Rank 5 of 10, master's
• Best for Working Adults Rank 8 of 10, master's
• Best Public University Programs Rank 6 of 10, master's

• Bellevue University

  Master of Science in Cybersecurity

  Nebraska $680 per credit Score 60.3

• Johns Hopkins University

  Master of Science in Cybersecurity

  Maryland Score 59.9

• University of Maryland Global Campus

  Cyber Operations Master of Science

  Maryland $659 per credit Score 60.4

• Franklin University

  Master of Science in Cybersecurity

  Ohio $690 per credit Score 59.8