SANS Technology Institute Online Bachelor of Science in Applied Cybersecurity

The SANS Technology Institute B.S. in Applied Cybersecurity is a degree-completion program: you bring 70 transferable credits and finish the last 50 at SANS.edu for $41,650 total, with 9 GIAC certifications built in. It's one of the most hands-on options on this list, with capture-the-flag labs and a portfolio. It is not for first-time college students, because it starts at 70 credits.

SANS Technology Institute is a private for-profit college in North Bethesda, Maryland, focused only on cybersecurity. Its bachelor's is for working professionals, and the 120-credit degree splits into 70 transfer credits and 50 credits at SANS.edu.

There are no fixed start dates, and applications are accepted monthly, by the 15th of any month. The program takes about 2 years at SANS.edu.

SANS also offers an M.S. in Information Security Engineering. The bachelor's is the entry point: 18 credits can carry into the master's, which is a rare head start.

SANS.edu says it is designated by the NSA as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense and is DoD 8140 approved, which matters for Department of Defense work roles.

The certification prep listed includes GFACT, GSEC, GCIH, GPYC, GCFE and GCIA. GIAC is the Global Information Assurance Certification body, and you earn 9 GIAC certifications while completing the program.

Where this degree can lead: Cybersecurity Degree Jobs.

Who It Fits

• You have 70 transferable credits from a college, Sophia Learning, StraighterLine, CLEP, JST or AP and want a cybersecurity degree built on them.
• You want GIAC certifications earned inside the degree rather than studied separately.
• You learn by doing: the courses use immersive labs and capture-the-flag competitions.
• You may want a master's later and would like 18 credits to carry over.

Who Should Skip It

• You're starting college from scratch; admission needs 70 transferable credits.
• You want a low sticker price; $41,650 is high for 50 credits.
• You want a traditional campus experience with a broad general education, since SANS.edu teaches cybersecurity only and you bring the general education credits with you.

The courses are SANS's own training courses, taught for credit. Security Essentials is the foundation. Incident Handling and Hacker Exploits teaches how attackers get in and how teams respond, and Intrusion Detection In-Depth covers spotting them on a network.

Automating Information Security with Python and Windows Forensic Analysis add scripting and investigation skills.

Electives group into six tracks: Cyber Defense, Penetration Testing, Security Leadership, Digital Forensics and Incident Response, Cloud Security and Industrial Control Systems Security. The degree finishes with a virtual internship, a Field Experience Practicum and a Portfolio Practicum built on cyber challenges.

Courses the School Names

• Security Essentials
• Incident Handling and Hacker Exploits
• Automating Information Security with Python
• Windows Forensic Analysis
• Intrusion Detection In-Depth

Standout Features

• 18 credits can carry into the SANS.edu master's program
• Choose OnDemand recorded courses, Live Online courses or in-person weeklong courses
• Designated by the NSA as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense
• DoD 8140 approved
• Earn 9 GIAC certifications while completing the program
• Hands-on SANS courses and immersive labs with capture-the-flag competitions

Total tuition is $41,650 for the 50 credits you take at SANS.edu, and it includes courses, textbooks and GIAC certification tests. The 70 transfer credits are earned elsewhere and paid for separately.

The certification tests are the money angle. GIAC exams are sold separately at most schools, so having them in the price changes the comparison. The master's sibling charges $1,500 per credit, about $54,000 over 3 to 5 years.

Because courses, textbooks and exam fees are all in the price, you have fewer separate bills to track.

Class format is mixed asynchronous and synchronous. You can choose OnDemand recorded courses, Live Online courses or in-person weeklong courses, so you can pick the format for each class.

Federal data shows about 98% of SANS students study fully online. With no fixed start dates, you begin when you're ready, and the program is designed for working professionals. Capture-the-flag competitions put you in timed security challenges, which gives you stories to tell in interviews. Applications are accepted monthly by the 15th, so you can plan your start around work and family commitments rather than waiting for a fall term.

The full rubric is on the methodology page.

• It requires 70 transfer credits before you can start.
• $41,650 for 50 credits is a premium price, though certification tests are included.

• Will all 70 of my credits be accepted, and which sources do you accept?
• Which 9 GIAC certifications will I earn, and what happens if I fail an exam?
• Which format should I pick for each course, OnDemand or Live Online?
• Who is the institutional accreditor, and how do the credits transfer to other schools?
• Which 18 credits carry into the master's?
• How does the virtual internship work for someone with a full-time job?

SANS Technology Institute is a college focused exclusively on cybersecurity, offering bachelor's and master's degrees with GIAC certifications built into the courses.

• Best Cybersecurity Management Degrees Rank 9 of 10, bachelor's
• Best Digital Forensics Degrees Rank 8 of 10, bachelor's
• Best Cybersecurity Engineering Degrees Rank 7 of 8, bachelor's
• Best Cyber Defense Degrees Rank 7 of 10, bachelor's
• Best for Career Changers Rank 3 of 5, bachelor's
• Best With No Programming Rank 4 of 4, bachelor's
• Best Degree Completion Programs Rank 4 of 9, bachelor's
• Best With Multiple Start Dates Rank 7 of 9, bachelor's
• Best Programs With Internships Rank 9 of 10, bachelor's
• Best Programs With Certifications Rank 9 of 10, bachelor's
• Best Online Programs in Maryland Rank 5 of 6, bachelor's

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