St Petersburg College Online Cybersecurity (B.A.S.)

This is a fully online, upper-division bachelor's degree at a Florida public college, and for Florida residents it's among the lowest-priced options on this site. SPC lists an estimated total program cost of $9,777.06, based on $122.70 per credit for upper-division courses.

Out-of-state students pay $425.79 per credit, which changes the math, so this degree makes the most sense for people who live in Florida and already hold an associate degree.

St. Petersburg College (SPC) is a public Florida college that offers associate degrees and a small number of bachelor of applied science (B.A.S.) degrees. This B.A.S. in Cybersecurity is built for students who already have two years of college, since the pricing is for upper-division courses, numbered 3000 to 4999.

SPC also offers an Associate in Science in Cybersecurity, which is the lower-division counterpart. That associate degree costs $111.75 per credit for Florida residents and $386.90 out of state, with an estimated total of $10,148.00. It prepares you to sit for CompTIA A+ and Security+, EC-Council Certified Ethical Hacker, Cisco CCNA CyberOps and Cisco CCENT.

The B.A.S. picks up where the A.S. leaves off. The college says the NSA and the Department of Homeland Security have given it a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense designation.

For upper-division courses, SPC charges $122.70 per credit for Florida residents and $425.79 for out-of-state students. SPC lists an estimated total program cost of $9,777.06. That figure is very low for a bachelor's degree.

There are two things to check. First, the general education requirement is 36 credits, and associate degree holders may need 15 to 21 additional general education credits, which are priced at the lower-division rate.

Second, out-of-state students should ask for their own estimate, because the per-credit rate is far higher. The sibling associate degree is priced at $111.75 for residents and $386.90 out of state, so the in-state advantage holds across both levels.

Who It Fits

• You live in Florida and want a bachelor's degree at the in-state rate of $122.70 per credit for upper-division courses.
• You already hold an associate degree and want to finish a bachelor's without starting over.
• You want a degree whose cybersecurity program the NSA has validated as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense program through 2031.
• You live near the Tampa Bay area and want ties to local employers. SPC names KnowBe4, Raymond James, Tech Data, Honeywell and Citigroup.

Who Should Skip It

• You live outside Florida. The out-of-state rate is $425.79 per credit, more than three times the in-state rate.
• You're starting college from scratch. A 36-credit general education requirement applies, and associate degree holders may need 15 to 21 more general education credits.
• You want a four-year program with all courses at one rate. The B.A.S. covers the upper division only.

SPC's page for the B.A.S. highlights its employer connections and its NSA validation more than a course list. The degree is designed as a continuation of the associate program, so the cybersecurity foundation comes from your first two years and the bachelor's builds on it.

SPC names KnowBe4, Raymond James, Tech Data, Honeywell and Citigroup as local employers, which suggests where graduates look for work around Tampa Bay. If you want to know the exact courses, ask SPC for the degree plan and check how many credits are security-specific.

Standout Features

• Local employer relationships including KnowBe4, Raymond James, Honeywell and Citigroup
• NSA validation of the Bachelor of Applied Science in Cybersecurity as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense program through 2031

The program is offered fully online. SPC is mostly a campus-based college, and federal data shows 43% of its undergraduates study exclusively online. That's a larger share than at many public colleges, so SPC has experience supporting online students.

Because the B.A.S. is a continuation program, many of your classmates will be working adults with an associate degree and a job. Ask how often courses start, whether classes have live sessions and how the college connects online students with its local employers.

You'd earn a Bachelor of Applied Science in Cybersecurity from a Florida public college. SPC says the NSA has validated the B.A.S. in Cybersecurity as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense program through 2031. A B.A.S. is a career-focused degree, so ask whether the graduate programs you might attend accept it.

SPC's federal graduation rate is 38%, and a second measure that follows transfer-in students puts completion at 43%. Both are school-wide. Graduates in this field at SPC have median earnings of $71,668 in federal Scorecard data.

Where this degree can lead: Cybersecurity Degree Jobs.

The full rubric is on the methodology page.

• Out-of-state students pay $425.79 per credit, which is far above the in-state rate of $122.70.
• You need to complete a 36-credit general education requirement, and associate degree holders may need 15 to 21 more.
• Median earnings for graduates in this field at SPC are $71,668.
• The program page highlights employers and the NSA designation more than the specific courses.

• What is the full degree plan, and which courses are security-specific?
• How many general education credits would I need to add after my associate degree?
• Do I qualify for the Florida resident rate of $122.70 per credit?
• Which local employers recruit from the program, and do they hire online students?
• Can my A.S. in Cybersecurity credits transfer straight into the B.A.S.?
• Which certifications do the courses prepare me for?

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.

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