Thomas Edison State University Online Master of Science in Cybersecurity

Thomas Edison State's master's is a good fit if you want security treated as a technology, legal and human problem together, with remote labs for hands-on practice. It is a 30-credit public-university degree that lets you choose between a per-credit rate and a flat degree rate, and it admits most students with a 3.0 undergraduate GPA.

Thomas Edison State University (TESU) is a public university in Trenton, New Jersey, and it serves adult learners. Its Master of Science in Cybersecurity is delivered fully online and takes 30 credits. Federal data shows that 100% of its students study exclusively online, so the whole university is built for distance learners.

The program page describes a curriculum that combines technology with the human, legal, policy and ethical sides of cybersecurity. That is a wider scope than a purely technical master's. You are expected to understand why a breach happens, what the law says about it and how an organization should respond, in addition to how the tools work.

TESU publishes one cybersecurity master's, so there is no sibling program to compare it with at the same school.

The full rubric is on the methodology page.

TESU publishes tuition of $695 per credit registered for its graduate programs, at the 2026 rates effective for the August 2026 term. Over 30 credits, that comes to $20,850.

The school also publishes a Masters Flat Rate of $18,000 per degree. The flat rate comes out lower than paying per credit, which is a reason to ask about it, though the terms of the flat rate are the thing to confirm: how long you have, how many terms it covers and what happens if you pause.

There is also prior learning assessment, charged at $252 per credit attempted. That could matter if you have industry training that the school would consider for credit. Ask whether it applies to this degree before assuming.

30 credits at $695 a credit comes to $20,850 in tuition, before fees.

Who It Fits

• You want a master's that mixes technical work with policy, law and ethics, perhaps because you work in or near compliance.
• You want hands-on practice without installing a home lab. The program page describes immersive, remotely accessible laboratories.
• You are likely to take the full degree quickly and want the flat rate. TESU publishes a Masters Flat Rate of $18,000 per degree.
• You have a bachelor's with at least a 3.0 GPA, which the school says is admitted without further requirements for most graduate programs.

Who Should Skip It

• You want the lowest price. At $695 per credit, 30 credits comes to $20,850, which is more than some other online master's programs in this field charge.
• You want a heavily technical degree with named specialization tracks. This one is built around breadth across technology, law and policy.

The program page describes the curriculum by its themes rather than by course titles. The first is technology, the second is the human side of security, and the third is legal, policy and ethical issues. That is a useful hint: expect assignments that ask you to write and reason about a case, not only configure a tool.

The hands-on piece is the set of immersive, remotely accessible laboratories. Remote labs mean you log in and practice security tasks in a school-provided environment, so you do not need powerful equipment of your own. Ask for a demonstration of what each lab covers.

TESU also lets you add a graduate certificate in Cybersecurity to your degree course planning, giving you a second credential for the same time and some of the same coursework. Ask the advising office how the credits overlap.

Standout Features

• Curriculum combines technology with human, legal, policy and ethical aspects of cybersecurity
• Graduate certificate in Cybersecurity can be added to degree course planning for an additional credential
• Immersive, remotely accessible laboratories provide hands-on experience

The degree is fully online, and TESU is an online-first school, which is a real advantage for support systems. Federal data gives a completion rate of 59.5% for students who transferred in, measured over eight years.

Ask whether classes are synchronous or asynchronous, how long terms run and how many times a year you can start. Those details change how well the program fits a work schedule, so request a sample course shell before you apply.

The remote labs are the feature that most affects daily study. Ask how many hours a week the labs typically take and whether they are available around the clock.

You graduate with a Master of Science in Cybersecurity from a public university. The graduate certificate in Cybersecurity is a second line on your resume without a second full degree.

Because the curriculum covers legal, policy and ethical topics, the degree reads well for roles that involve working with legal counsel, auditors or regulators. If you want a purely technical title, compare it with a program that lists specific security courses.

Where this degree can lead: Cybersecurity Degree Jobs.

• Course titles, term length and start dates are details you will need to confirm with admissions.
• At $20,850 for tuition, it costs more than the Cumberlands and UMGC master's programs we compare it with.
• The degree is broad, so it is less specialized than programs with a technical track.

• What are the course titles, and is there a capstone or thesis?
• What are the terms of the $18,000 Masters Flat Rate, and when does it beat paying $695 per credit?
• What tasks do the remote laboratories cover, and can I see a demonstration?
• How do the credits of the graduate certificate in Cybersecurity overlap with the degree?
• Does the $252 per credit prior learning assessment apply to this program?
• How many start dates are there each year, and how long is a term?

• Best Online Cybersecurity Degrees Rank 10 of 10, master's
• Best Online Master's Programs Rank 10 of 10, master's
• Best Public University Programs Rank 5 of 10, master's
• Best 100% Online Programs Rank 10 of 10, master's

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