Sam Houston State University Online Master of Science in Cybersecurity

This is a 30-credit online master's from a public Texas university that gives you real choices: a Cybersecurity track or an Artificial Intelligence track, and a thesis or non-thesis finish. It is a strong fit for Texas residents, who pay $320.25 per credit instead of $748.25. Plan on mandatory fees on top of tuition.

Sam Houston State University is a public university in Huntsville, Texas, with 21,039 students. Its Master of Science in Cybersecurity is delivered online and needs 30 credit hours. Federal data shows 45% of the university's students are enrolled exclusively online.

Starts come three times a year, in fall, spring and summer, with application deadlines of August 1, December 15 and May 15. That is more flexible than programs with a single fall intake.

Admission asks for a graduate application and fee, an official bachelor's transcript, a resume and two letters of recommendation. A GPA of 3.0 or higher is preferred. The university's federal admit rate is 90%.

The published rates for Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 are $320.25 per credit for Texas residents and $748.25 for nonresidents. Across 30 credits, tuition comes to $9,607.50 for residents and $22,447.50 for nonresidents.

Mandatory fees are charged in addition each semester, so ask for the current fee schedule before you compare this with a flat-rate program. The residency gap is the biggest cost decision here, so confirm which rate applies to you before you apply.

30 credits at $748.25 a credit comes to $22,448 in tuition, before fees. At the in-state rate of $320.25, the same 30 credits come to $9,608.

Who It Fits

• You are a Texas resident who wants a public-university master's at the in-state rate of $320.25 per credit.
• You are interested in how artificial intelligence changes security work and want an AI track alongside the cybersecurity one.
• You might want to research and write a thesis, perhaps as a step toward a doctorate, but want the option to skip it.
• You need a start date in spring or summer instead of waiting for fall.

Who Should Skip It

• You live outside Texas and want the lowest price. The nonresident rate is $748.25 per credit, more than double the resident rate.
• You want a program built around named labs or a specific certification. Ask SHSU what hands-on work the courses include.

The notable courses lean toward protecting systems and managing risk. Operating System Security and Database Security look at hardening the software that stores and runs a company's data. Network and Cyber Security covers defending the connections between those systems.

Principle and Policy in Information Assurance and Business Continuity Management are the management side: setting security rules and planning how an organization keeps running after an incident. That mix suits someone moving toward a security lead or analyst role.

You choose between the Cybersecurity track and the Artificial Intelligence track. The thesis option is Plan 1, and the non-thesis option is Plan 2, which finishes with a master's project (DFSC 6347 Directed Management and Development Project).

Courses the School Names

• Operating System Security
• Database Security
• Principle and Policy in Information Assurance
• Network and Cyber Security
• Business Continuity Management

Standout Features

• Choice of a Cybersecurity track or an Artificial Intelligence track
• Professional, thesis and non-thesis paths

SHSU lists the program's type of instruction as online. Ask the department how courses are taught, which lab platforms they use, and whether any exams or a thesis defense must be done in person.

With three starts a year and deadlines about a month before each term, you can plan around work. Check the maximum time you have to finish, especially if you pick the thesis path, which tends to take more independent work.

You earn a Master of Science in Cybersecurity from a public university. The federal graduation rate for the university is 55%, a school-wide figure across all students, not a prediction for this program.

Federal data lists median earnings of $136,772 for the university's graduates in this field. Treat it as a rough guide to what the degree can lead to, not a promise.

Where this degree can lead: Cybersecurity Degree Jobs.

The full rubric is on the methodology page.

• Nonresident tuition is $748.25 per credit, which makes the degree cost $22,447.50 before fees.
• Mandatory fees are charged every semester on top of tuition.
• Ask what hands-on tools and labs the courses use, since that matters for a skills-based field.
• The two tracks mean you will not get both a security focus and an AI focus in 30 credits; you pick one.

• What do mandatory fees add up to per semester for an online student?
• How do the Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence tracks differ in required courses?
• How long does the thesis option usually take compared with the non-thesis project?
• Do any courses use virtual labs, and which platform do they use?
• Do I need to be on campus for a thesis defense or exams?
• Does my residency qualify me for the $320.25 resident rate?

Public university in Huntsville, Texas.

• Best Cybersecurity and AI Degrees Rank 2 of 7, master's
• Best Thesis Option Programs Rank 4 of 9, master's
• Best Online Programs in Texas Rank 2 of 5, master's

• University of Phoenix

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• University of Arizona

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• Florida Institute of Technology

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• California State University San Marcos

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