Purdue University Global Online Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity

Purdue Global's online B.S. in Cybersecurity is one of the few fully online bachelor's programs accredited by ABET, and it offers six concentrations, including CISSP preparation. It's built for adults who want to bring in prior credit, military training or certifications, and the quarter-credit pricing needs a careful read before you compare costs.

Purdue University Global is a public online university serving working adults, part of the Purdue University system. Its Online Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity is 100% online and, per the school, accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET, the engineering and computing accreditor.

Purdue Global has also been designated a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CD) for this bachelor's and its Master of Science in Cybersecurity Management. Two outside reviewers backing the same program is a stronger signal than a school's own marketing.

The full rubric is on the methodology page.

The degree carries ABET Computing Accreditation, and the university holds regional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission. The CAE-CD designation covers the bachelor's directly.

CISSP Certification Preparation as a concentration is the clearest certification link, though the CISSP itself requires work experience beyond the degree. Federal earnings data shows graduates of Purdue Global's programs in this field earn a median $87,413, lower than many on-campus options, so weigh the credit-transfer savings against that figure.

Where this degree can lead: Cybersecurity Degree Jobs.

Who It Fits

• You've earned certifications, completed college courses or served in the military. The school grants credit for prior coursework, prior certifications, work and life experience, and military training, and its PME2Degree program turns military training into transfer credit.
• You want a bachelor's with programmatic accreditation, because some employers and graduate programs look for ABET.
• You like choosing a direction. You can add a concentration in artificial intelligence, CISSP certification preparation, data management, game development, software development using Python, or supply chain management and logistics.
• You need a program built around adult schedules and can commit to roughly four years if you start with little transfer credit.

Who Should Skip It

• You want the lowest sticker price. Quarter-credit pricing makes the total higher than the $371 headline suggests.
• You want a traditional campus community. Purdue Global's online students are mostly working adults, and the experience is a distance one.
• You prefer a self-paced degree and don't need a conventional term schedule. The school's separate ExcelTrack bachelor's may suit you better.

The degree is 180 quarter credits. The program page names five notable courses: Ethical Hacking, Network Security, Digital Forensics, Intrusion Detection and Response, and Python Programming. That mix covers attacking systems, defending them, investigating after an incident, and the scripting skill that ties it together.

The concentrations are where you shape the degree. CISSP Certification Preparation points toward the (ISC)2 credential most hiring managers associate with senior security roles. The Artificial Intelligence and Software Development Using Python options lean toward building and automating, while Data Management and Supply Chain Management and Logistics suit someone moving security into an operations job. Ask which concentration courses can be used as electives instead of added on.

Courses the School Names

• Ethical Hacking
• Network Security
• Digital Forensics
• Intrusion Detection and Response
• Python Programming

Standout Features

• ABET-accredited online bachelor of science in cybersecurity
• Designated a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CD) for the Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity and Master of Science in Cybersecurity Management
• Military training can earn transfer credit through the PME2Degree program

Tuition is $371 per quarter credit hour, and the 180-credit degree totals $66,780. A quarter credit is worth two-thirds of a semester credit, so the school's data puts the semester-equivalent rate at $556.50. That is the number to use when comparing Purdue Global against schools that bill by semester.

Transfer and prior-learning credit can cut the total sharply, which is the real draw for this program. Ask for a credit evaluation before you apply. For comparison, the school's ExcelTrack bachelor's in cybersecurity charges a flat $2,500 per term and lets you set your own pace, and its master's in cybersecurity management is $420 per quarter credit across 60 credits.

180 quarter credits at $371 a credit comes to $66,780 in tuition, before fees.

The program is 100% online, and federal data shows 99% of Purdue Global's undergraduates study exclusively online, the highest share among the schools in this group. Everything from advising to tutoring is designed for remote students.

The page gives the average completion time as 4 years. Ask whether classes meet live or run on your schedule, and how long each term lasts. If you plan to work full time while enrolled, those two answers shape your week.

• Federal data shows an 8-year completion rate of 38% for transfer-in students, the weakest part of the record. Ask advisors what happens when a student falls behind.
• Quarter credits make price comparisons easy to get wrong. The $66,780 total is the figure to use.
• Term length, start dates and live-class expectations are worth confirming before you enroll.
• Median graduate earnings of $87,413 trail the other bachelor's programs reviewed alongside it.

• How much of my prior coursework, certifications and work experience will convert to credit, and what would I still owe?
• How long is each term, and how many courses do students usually take at once?
• Which concentration best fits the job I want, and do the courses count toward my degree or add to it?
• Does the CISSP preparation concentration include an exam voucher or practice exams?
• If I'm a servicemember or veteran, how does PME2Degree credit apply to my training?
• How do ABET accreditation and CAE-CD designation show up in the courses I'd take?

An online university serving working adults, part of the Purdue University system.

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• Online ExcelTrack Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity

  B.S., Bachelor's

  Fully Online Score 58.4

• Online Master of Science in Cybersecurity Management

  M.S., Master's

  Fully Online $420 per quarter credit Score 48.0

• University of Maryland Global Campus

  Cyber Operations Bachelor of Science

  Maryland $499 per credit Score 60.3

• The University of Texas at San Antonio

  Bachelor of Business Administration in Cybersecurity

  Texas $525 per credit Score 59.9

• Columbia Southern University

  Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a Cybersecurity Concentration

  Alabama $278 per credit Score 60.8

• Columbia Southern University

  Bachelor of Science in Information Systems and Cyber Security

  Alabama $278 per credit Score 61.0