Verdict
Our Verdict on the A.A.S.
This is a hands-on two-year degree for someone who wants to be working in security quickly, and who values a school that publishes what its graduates actually do afterward. NWTC reports that 83% of graduates are employed in the field, at a three-year median wage of $55,500. The catch is that it is not purely remote: some classes meet at set times, and an in-person career experience may be required.
Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC) is a public technical college in Green Bay, Wisconsin, with 11,826 students. This is its Cybersecurity Associate Degree, an Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) of 63 credits. Federal data shows 17% of the college's students are enrolled exclusively online, so most of the student body is on or near campus, and the online option is one path among several.
The college runs 8-week sessions inside each semester. Shorter sessions mean you take fewer classes at once and finish each one faster, which is easier to fit around a job than a full 16-week load.
The program page notes that some online courses are held at specific dates and times each week, so plan for a few scheduled sessions rather than fully open-ended study.
Score
How the Score Adds Up
Each factor is scored 0 to 10 against other online associate programs. The weights are the same for every program, and the weighted total is the Online Program Score out of 100.
Online Program Score 54.9 / 100
Darker bars mean stronger factor scores. Every bar also shows its number.
The full rubric is on the methodology page.
Online
When You Have to Be on Campus
NWTC lists this as an online program with some on-site requirements. Courses run in 8-week sessions, and some meet at specific days and times each week, so you will log in live on a schedule instead of working entirely at your own pace.
The in-person career experience, internship, practicum or credit for prior learning may be required. If you live far from Green Bay, ask whether the experience can be completed at an employer near you.
Because only 17% of NWTC students are exclusively online, check how much student support, such as advising and tutoring, is set up for remote learners.
- Terms
- 8-week sessions within each semester.
- Campus Requirements
- An in-person career experience, such as an internship, practicum, or credit for prior learning, may be required.
Source: nwtc.edu (format and schedule), verified October 7, 2026
Fit
Who Should Apply, and Who Should Not
Who It Fits
- You live in or near northeastern Wisconsin and want an online degree from a public technical college in your own region.
- You want scripting and administration skills (Python and PowerShell) as much as theory.
- You work in a Microsoft or Cisco environment and want coursework that matches the tools your employer already runs.
- You want a published employment outcome before you enroll, such as the 83% in-field figure.
Who Should Skip It
- You need every class to be open-ended and asynchronous. Some courses meet at set times each week.
- You want a bachelor's degree as the end goal and need guaranteed transfer. Ask NWTC for written transfer agreements first.
Curriculum
What You Will Study
The course list is built around tools you would use on the job. Ethical Hacking covers attacking a system with permission so you can find its weak spots. Python Scripting for Cyber and PowerShell for Cybersecurity teach you to automate repetitive security tasks, which is a skill that shows up in many entry-level job postings.
The Microsoft Identity and Access course focuses on controlling who can sign in to what, and Cisco Security covers protecting network equipment. A cyber forensics and incident course rounds out the investigation side, where you work out what happened after something goes wrong.
A two-credit Cybersecurity Career Experience course puts you in a work setting before you graduate. Ask which employers host it, since that is often how a first job starts.
Courses the School Names
- Ethical Hacking
- Python Scripting for Cyber
- PowerShell for Cybersecurity
- Cyber Forensics & Incident Res
- Microsoft Identity and Access
- Cisco Security
Standout Features
- 83% of graduates employed in field, with a $55,500 three-year median annual wage (NWTC Graduate Outcome Survey)
- Internship or Practicum
- Cybersecurity Career Experience course (2 credits)
Source: nwtc.edu (curriculum and experience), verified October 7, 2026
Cost
Tuition and Fees
With 63 credits, the total bill depends on the college's current per-credit rate, your residency status and fees. Ask NWTC for a written estimate for the whole degree rather than a single semester, so you can compare it fairly with other associate programs.
If the career experience requires travel or time off work, factor that in as well.
- Credits Required
- 63 credits
Source: nwtc.edu (cost and aid), verified October 7, 2026
Credentials
Accreditation and Where It Leads
You earn an Associate of Applied Science in Cybersecurity. The program page says graduates are prepared to pursue mainstream vendor certifications with additional study, which means the degree does not hand you a certification. Plan to study for exams on your own after the coursework.
The college's federal graduation rate is 51%, a school-wide figure. Its outcome survey reports 83% of graduates employed in field and a $55,500 three-year median annual wage.
- Certification Notes
- Mainstream vendor certifications with additional study
Source: nwtc.edu (accreditation and credentials), verified October 7, 2026
Where this degree can lead: Cybersecurity Degree Jobs.
Trade-Offs
Drawbacks to Weigh
- Some courses meet at set times each week, so a rotating shift schedule can be a problem.
- An in-person career experience may be required, which matters if you live far from Green Bay.
- The degree does not include a certification; you would study for vendor exams with additional effort.
- The $55,500 median wage is a three-year figure for graduates of this associate program, so it reflects entry-level pay, not a long-term ceiling.
Before You Apply
Questions to Ask Northeast Wisconsin Technical College Before You Apply
- Which days and times do the live online sessions meet, and are they recorded?
- Can the Cybersecurity Career Experience be done at an employer near me, or must it be in the Green Bay area?
- What is the total tuition and fees for all 63 credits at my residency status?
- Which vendor certifications do the Cisco and Microsoft courses line up with, and are exam vouchers included?
- Which four-year schools accept these credits toward a bachelor's degree?
- How was the 83% in-field figure calculated, and how many graduates responded to the survey?
School
About Northeast Wisconsin Technical College
Public technical college in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
- Degree
- A.A.S., Associate
- School
- Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, Green Bay, WI
- Institution Type
- Public
- Delivery
- Online With Campus Requirements
Source: nwtc.edu (program and school), verified October 7, 2026
- Graduation Rate
- 51%
- Total Enrollment
- 11,826
- Associate Completions a Year in This Field
- 21
- Campus Setting
- City
Source: nces.ed.gov (school data from ipeds), verified October 7, 2026
Rankings
Rankings This Program Appears In
Rank is the program's position among the online programs on that list at its degree level.
- Best Accelerated Online Programs Rank 3 of 9, associate
- Best Programs With Internships Rank 1 of 10, associate
- Best Online Programs in Wisconsin Rank 2 of 3, associate
Compare
Online Associate Programs With Similar Scores
Other online associate programs with the closest scores.
-
Western Iowa Tech Community College
Cyber Security and Digital Crime
-
Cybersecurity Associate of Science (Online)
-
Cybersecurity (A.S.)
-
Southern New Hampshire University
Associate of Science in Cybersecurity
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Northeast Wisconsin Technical College's Online Cybersecurity Associate Degree a Good Program?
55% of its transfer students earn a credential within eight years (higher than 41 of 51 other online associate programs we rank).
It also places in the top three of associate programs on the Best Programs With Internships list, in the top three of associate programs based in Wisconsin, and in the top three of associate programs on the Best Accelerated Online Programs list.
Is NWTC's Cybersecurity Associate Degree Fully Online?
How Many Credits Is the Degree?
What Do NWTC Cybersecurity Graduates Earn?
Does the Degree Prepare You for Certifications?
Sources
- Northeast Wisconsin Technical College's Cybersecurity Associate Degree page
- Program name: Cybersecurity Associate Degree; Credential: A.A.S.
- Delivery: online-with-onsite-requirements
- On-site requirements: An in-person career experience, such as an internship, practicum, or credit...
- Term format: 8-week sessions within each semester; Term length: 8
- Credits: 63
- Internship or practicum: Cybersecurity Career Experience course (2 credits)
- Notable courses: Ethical Hacking; Python Scripting for Cyber; PowerShell for Cybersecurity;...
- Standout feature: 83% of graduates employed in field, with a $55,500 three-year median annual...
- Certification prep: Mainstream vendor certifications with additional study
- IPEDS Data Center
All sources retrieved .