Pearl River Community College Online Associate in Applied Science in Cyber Security Technology

Pearl River Community College's Cyber Security Technology degree is a fully online Associate in Applied Science with a clear course list and a low in-state price of $185 per credit hour. It names the CompTIA Security certification as its target and teaches network defense, wireless security and Python. The limits are a single fall start and a rural community college with a smaller online footprint.

Pearl River Community College is a public community college in Poplarville, Mississippi, with 6,011 students in the federal enrollment count. Of those, 30% are enrolled exclusively online, and the college's graduation rate is 37%.

The college describes this degree as a two-year program that trains students in troubleshooting issues, and it lists the Cyber Security Technology degree as fully online. It is an Associate in Applied Science, which is built to get you ready for work rather than to transfer into a bachelor's program.

Unlike many online programs, Pearl River starts students once a year, in the fall semester. If you miss the start, you wait for the next one.

Pearl River is a good fit for a Mississippi resident or someone close by who wants a low-cost entry point into security and does not need to start in the middle of the year.

You would earn an Associate in Applied Science in Cyber Security Technology. The catalog says the curriculum enables students to achieve CompTIA certification in Security. CompTIA Security is one of the common entry-level security certifications, and it is the only certification this program names.

The college is a public community college, and its graduation rate of 37% is a school-wide figure across all students and programs, including many who attend part time.

An A.A.S. is designed to prepare you for a job soon after finishing. If a bachelor's is your long-term plan, ask a four-year school whether it accepts the credits before you enroll, and consider pairing the degree with the certification exam to make your resume stronger.

Where this degree can lead: Cybersecurity Degree Jobs.

Who It Fits

• You live in Mississippi and want the in-state rate of $185 per credit hour for a fully online technical degree.
• You want the CompTIA Security certification as your first credential. The curriculum is designed to help students achieve it.
• You are new to the field and prefer a course list that starts with principles and works toward network defense.
• You are willing to plan around a fall start and learn Python alongside the security courses.

Who Should Skip It

• You live outside Mississippi and want the cheapest price. Out-of-state students pay an added $125 per credit hour, which makes the rate $310.
• You need to start in spring or summer. The program lists a fall semester start only.
• You are sure you want a bachelor's degree and need every credit to transfer. An applied science degree is workforce-focused, so ask about transfer agreements first.

Pearl River publishes a more concrete course list than many online programs. The notable courses are Principles of Information Security, Network Security Fundamentals, Network Defense and Countermeasures, Wireless Security and Privacy, and Programming in Python.

Read in order, they move from ideas to practice. Principles of Information Security covers the vocabulary and concepts. Network Security Fundamentals and Network Defense and Countermeasures cover how to protect a network and respond when an attacker gets in. Wireless Security and Privacy deals with Wi-Fi and other wireless links, which are a common weak point in homes and offices.

The Python course is a useful detail. Being able to write short scripts to automate checks and read log files is one of the most practical skills a junior analyst can have. Ask how hands-on the network courses are and where the lab work happens.

Courses the School Names

• Principles of Information Security
• Network Security Fundamentals
• Network Defense and Countermeasures
• Wireless Security and Privacy
• Programming in Python

In-state tuition is $185 per credit hour for students taking fewer than 15 hours a semester. Out-of-state students pay an added $125 per credit hour, bringing their rate to $310. Digital course materials cost $30 per credit hour on top of tuition.

Ask the college for the degree's credit total, then multiply by your rate and add the materials charge. Tuition of $185 and materials of $30 are the two inputs for a Mississippi resident, before other fees.

Use the college's own published numbers rather than federal averages. Community college pricing is typically a fraction of university pricing, which is the main reason to consider this route.

Pearl River lists the Cyber Security Technology degree as fully online and starts it in the fall semester. Courses follow the college's semester calendar rather than short accelerated terms.

Federal data shows 30% of students are enrolled exclusively online. That is a meaningful minority, but it also means the college serves many on-campus students, so ask how the online cybersecurity cohort is supported and whether there is a dedicated advisor.

Ask whether classes meet live and whether exams must be proctored. Ask whether the network courses use virtual labs you can reach from home, because networking is hard to learn without practice on real or simulated equipment.

The full rubric is on the methodology page.

• There is one start each year, in the fall, so a missed deadline costs you a semester or more.
• Out-of-state students pay $310 per credit hour, because of the added $125 on top of the in-state rate.
• Digital course materials add $30 per credit hour to the bill.
• Ask for the credit total, lab details, and any internship or capstone.

• How many credits does the degree require, and how many are general education versus security courses?
• Are the network defense and wireless security labs done in virtual environments that I can reach from home?
• Does the college offer a voucher or discount for the CompTIA Security exam, and which course prepares me best?
• What is the application deadline for the fall start, and can I take general education classes before it?
• Which four-year schools accept this A.A.S. for transfer credit, and is there a written agreement?
• If I live outside Mississippi, does the added $125 per credit hour apply to online students?

Public community college in Poplarville, Mississippi.

• Texas State Technical College

  Cybersecurity, Associate of Applied Science

  Texas Score 36.5

• New River Community and Technical College

  Associate of Applied Science in Cyber Security

  West Virginia $418 per credit Score 36.4

• Mid Michigan College

  Computer Information Systems (IT Infrastructure & Cybersecurity)

  Michigan $375 per credit Score 35.9

• Iowa Western Community College

  Computers: Cyber Security Technology A.A.S.

  Iowa $247 per credit Score 38.1