Northern Wyoming Community College District Online Cyber Security AAS

Sheridan College's online A.A.S. in Cyber Security is a 61-credit associate degree at $168 per credit, about $10,248 in tuition and fees. It's built around certification exams and hands-on networking, and it fits someone who wants a low-cost start in IT security, not a transfer-focused degree.

Sheridan College is part of the Northern Wyoming Community College District, and the Cyber Security degree is offered on campus in Sheridan and fully online. The Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) is a career degree, designed to get you working, not primarily to transfer.

The school says an advisory group of IT professionals from various industries reviews the curriculum, and that the classes are designed to prepare students for certification exams from CompTIA, Cisco and Microsoft. That gives the program a practical, job-ready feel.

Tuition and fees are $168 per credit hour for fall and spring 2026-27, and that includes a $56 per credit fee. Across 61 credits, the program comes to about $10,248.

Lab and course fees are extra, which is the number to ask about. Certification exam fees are also separate from tuition, and you'd pay those on top if you test for each credential the courses cover. Even so, the total stays low compared with most online degrees. The federal per-credit charge listed for the college is $315, which shows how far the published online rate sits below it.

61 credits at $168 a credit comes to $10,248 in tuition, before fees.

Who It Fits

• You're starting from scratch or from help-desk work and want a credential that opens IT security doors without a four-year price tag.
• You want to earn industry certifications as you go. The catalog lists CompTIA A+, Linux+, Cloud+, Security+ and CySA+, plus EC-Council Ethical Hacker, Microsoft MCSA and Cisco CCNA Security.
• You live outside Wyoming. The $168 per credit rate is the published figure for the program, with no separate non-resident rate listed on the tuition page.
• You work and want a choice at the end: an internship if you can get one, or a capstone if you can't.

Who Should Skip It

• You want to move straight into a bachelor's. An A.A.S. is a workforce degree, so ask whether the credits transfer to the school you want.
• You want a program with a federal Center of Excellence designation. Schools like Anne Arundel Community College carry one.
• You need a name-brand school on your resume. Sheridan is a small-town community college with about 3,534 students.

The degree is 61 credit hours. Rather than a list of branded tracks, it's structured around the certification pathway the catalog describes: the courses map to Microsoft Technology Associate Security Fundamentals, CompTIA A+, Linux+, Cloud+, Security+ and CySA+, EC-Council Ethical Hacker, Microsoft MCSA and Cisco CCNA Security.

You finish with either a 2-credit Networking Internship (MSFT 2970) or a 2-credit Cyber Security and Networking Capstone (MSFT 2895). If you're already working in IT, ask whether your job can count toward the internship option, and ask which certifications the college vouchers or testing fees cover.

Standout Features

• An advisory group of IT professionals from various industries reviews the curriculum
• Courses are designed to prepare students for CompTIA, Cisco and Microsoft certification exams

The school states that the degree is offered at Sheridan College and online. Ask for a sample weekly schedule to see whether classes meet live or run on your own time.

Federal data shows 16% of the college's students study exclusively online, so you'd be part of a smaller online group inside a mostly campus school. Hands-on networking courses sometimes need lab software or a home setup, so ask what equipment you need.

You earn an Associate of Applied Science. The practical credentials are the certifications the courses are mapped to, mainly CompTIA Security+ and CySA+ on the security side.

Judge this degree on the certifications you earn and what local employers want, since the strength here is the certification mapping. The college awards 3 degrees a year in this field, a small group.

Where this degree can lead: Cybersecurity Degree Jobs.

The full rubric is on the methodology page.

• Federal data shows 44.5% of transfer-in students complete within 8 years, and the college's overall graduation rate is 42%, so finishing takes planning.
• Only 3 degrees a year are awarded in this field, which suggests a small program with limited alumni.
• Lab and course fees aren't included in the $168 rate.
• Employers will judge the degree mostly on the certifications and skills you bring, so plan to test for the exams.

• Which lab and course fees apply, and what are they per course?
• Do the certification exams get paid for by the college, or do I pay for each myself?
• Do my credits transfer to a bachelor's program in cybersecurity, and which schools accept them?
• Which classes meet live online, and which run entirely on my own time?
• Can my current IT job count for the Networking Internship, or should I plan on the capstone?
• What hardware and software do I need at home for the networking labs?

• Best Affordable Online Programs Rank 4 of 10, associate
• Best Programs With Internships Rank 4 of 10, associate
• Best Programs With Certifications Rank 7 of 10, associate

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