St Petersburg College Online Cybersecurity (A.S.)

St. Petersburg College's online Associate of Science in Cybersecurity is a low-cost way into the field for Florida residents, and it's one of the few associate programs here that lets you sit for five named industry exams, including CompTIA Security+ and Certified Ethical Hacker. It makes the most sense if you want a first credential and a job-ready résumé fast. It's less compelling at the out-of-state rate.

St. Petersburg College is a Florida public college with a National Security Agency and Department of Homeland Security cyber defense designation, and the college lists the NSA's validation of this associate degree through academic year 2029. The program is offered fully online. You can finish it without moving or commuting to the St. Petersburg campus.

This is the two-year technical degree, an Associate in Science (A.S.). It's built to get you working in help desk, security operations support or network roles, not to be the final step in your education.

The college also runs a separate Bachelor of Applied Science (B.A.S.) in cybersecurity, and that's a different program with upper-division courses. Think of the A.S. as the entry point and the B.A.S. as the next one, if you decide you want it.

The school is large. IPEDS, the federal college data system, shows 23,936 students enrolled, and 57 cybersecurity-related associate awards a year across the two CIP codes (the federal program classification numbers) we track. Scorecard data puts the median earnings of graduates at $55,722, which is realistic for an associate credential and a good reminder that this degree is a starting line.

The full rubric is on the methodology page.

The college holds the National Security Agency and Department of Homeland Security designation as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense, and the NSA has validated this A.S. through academic year 2029. That validation is the strongest quality signal on the page, and it's the kind of thing federal and defense-adjacent employers recognize.

On the certification side, the school names CompTIA A+, Security+, EC-Council CEH, Cisco CCNA CyberOps and Cisco CCENT. Having an exam named is not the same as a pass guarantee. Treat them as targets and plan study time for each.

Where this degree can lead: Cybersecurity Degree Jobs.

Who It Fits

• Florida residents who want the lowest tuition on a fully online cybersecurity credential. The in-state rate is $111.75 per credit hour for lower-division courses.
• Career changers coming from help desk, IT support or general office work who want industry exams on the same path as the degree.
• Students planning to transfer into a bachelor's program later. An associate with certifications behind it gives you something to show employers while you keep studying.

Who Should Skip It

• Out-of-state students watching the budget. The out-of-state rate is $386.90 per credit hour, which is more than three times the Florida rate, and several other schools publish a flat online rate for everyone.
• Anyone who already holds a bachelor's degree. A graduate certificate or a master's will move you further than a second undergraduate credential.
• People who want a long list of named courses before they enroll. The program page leans on the certification path and the NSA validation, so request a full course plan from an advisor first.

The school's program page centers on the certification path, so that's where the detail is: students are given the opportunity to sit for CompTIA A+, CompTIA Security+, EC-Council Certified Ethical Hacker, Cisco CCNA CyberOps and Cisco CCENT.

Read that list as a ladder. A+ proves you can handle hardware and support work. Security+ is the broad entry exam employers look for on security job postings. Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) is the offensive-security credential, and the Cisco exams cover networking and security operations.

Ask an advisor which exams are built into specific courses and which you'd study for on your own, and ask for the course-by-course plan so you can see where hands-on work happens.

Standout Features

• NSA and DHS designation as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense, including NSA validation of the Associate in Science in Cybersecurity through academic year 2029

St. Petersburg College charges by the credit hour. For lower-division courses, Florida residents pay $111.75 per credit hour and out-of-state students pay $386.90. The college lists an estimated total program cost of $10,148.00.

Confirm with the college whether that estimate uses the resident or the non-resident rate before you budget around it, and ask whether exam vouchers for the certifications are included or something you'd pay yourself. Florida residents get by far the best deal here; everyone else should price this against flat-rate online programs.

The program is offered fully online, and the page states it plainly. Ask the college whether classes use live meeting times or run on your own schedule, because that changes how a full-time job fits around coursework.

The college as a whole is mostly campus-based. IPEDS shows 43% of students enrolled exclusively online, so the online division is a real part of the school but not its whole identity. Expect advising and support to serve both groups, and ask how online students reach tutoring and lab help.

• The out-of-state rate of $386.90 per credit hour is steep compared with the Florida rate of $111.75.
• Course-level detail is thin on the program page, so you'll rely on an advisor to build your plan and timeline.
• Federal completion data for transfer-in students shows 43% finishing, and the overall graduation rate is 38%. A flexible schedule helps, but plenty of students still don't finish.
• An associate degree alone caps the roles you'll be considered for. Many security analyst postings ask for a bachelor's.

• Which of the five named certification exams are built into course content, and are exam vouchers included or paid separately?
• Is the estimated total program cost of $10,148.00 calculated at the Florida rate or the out-of-state rate?
• How many credits does the A.S. require, and how many can I transfer in from earlier college work or military training?
• Do online classes have live meeting times, or can I work through them on my own schedule?
• If I continue to the college's Bachelor of Applied Science in cybersecurity, which A.S. courses carry over?
• What do labs look like online, and which tools and platforms will I practice on?

A Florida public college offering associate degrees and select bachelor of applied science degrees, with a National Security Agency and Department of Homeland Security cyber defense designation.

• Best Online Cybersecurity Degrees Rank 9 of 10, associate
• Best Online Associate Programs Rank 9 of 10, associate
• Best Public University Programs Rank 8 of 10, associate
• Best 100% Online Programs Rank 8 of 10, associate
• Best Programs With Certifications Rank 4 of 10, associate
• Best Online Programs in Florida Rank 1 of 2, associate

• Cybersecurity (B.A.S.)

  B.A.S., Bachelor's

  Fully Online $425.79 per credit Score 50.6

• Georgia Military College

  Cybersecurity Associate of Science (Online)

  Georgia Score 55.2

• California Institute of Arts & Technology

  Associate of Applied Science in Computer Information Systems

  California $660 per credit Score 55.6

• Western Iowa Tech Community College

  Cyber Security and Digital Crime

  Iowa $234 per credit Score 55.1

• Northeast Wisconsin Technical College

  Cybersecurity Associate Degree

  Wisconsin Score 54.9