University of Maryland Global Campus Online Cyber Operations Bachelor of Science

UMGC's online B.S. in Cyber Operations is a 120-credit, fully online bachelor's priced at $337 per credit for Maryland residents and $499 for everyone else, with a $250 military rate. It's a large, flexible program built for transfer students and working adults, though the published details are lighter than at some competitors.

University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) is a public university based in Adelphi, Maryland, with an enrollment of 63,012 students according to federal data, which makes it one of the largest online providers in the country. The Cyber Operations Bachelor of Science is one of three online cybersecurity bachelor's degrees it offers.

The program page states that all courses are available online and ends the degree with a Cyber Operations Capstone, listed as CYOP 495 for three credits.

The full rubric is on the methodology page.

Out-of-state tuition is $499 per credit, which puts the 120-credit degree at $59,880 before any transfer credit. Maryland residents pay $337 per credit, or $40,440 for 120 credits. Military students pay $250 per credit, and the school says other fees may apply.

Those totals shrink fast if you transfer credits in. At up to 90 transferable credits, the credits you'd still need to take could be as few as 30. Ask for a transcript evaluation before you apply, because that evaluation changes your real cost more than any other single step.

120 credits at $499 a credit comes to $59,880 in tuition, before fees. At the in-state rate of $337, the same 120 credits come to $40,440.

Who It Fits

• You have college credits or military training and want a bachelor's that counts them. UMGC's cybersecurity bachelor's programs accept up to 90 transfer credits, per the school's research page.
• You're a Maryland resident. The in-state rate is $337 per credit, noticeably below the $499 everyone else pays.
• You're active duty, a veteran or a military family member, since the school lists $250 per credit for military students.
• You want a degree aimed at operating in the field (attack and defense work) instead of cybersecurity management or policy.

Who Should Skip It

• You want to see a course list before you apply. Ask for the full course list, because the capstone is the only course we can name.
• You'd rather study at a school with a tight cohort and daily faculty contact. UMGC is large, with 63,012 students, so expect to reach out to advisors yourself.
• You're after policy and governance work. The Cybersecurity Management and Policy bachelor's fits that goal better.

The degree is 120 credits and finishes with the Cyber Operations Capstone (CYOP 495, 3 credits).

Here's how this program differs from its siblings. UMGC also offers a Cybersecurity Technology bachelor's, which the school ties to a Virtual Security Lab, a competition team and courses aligned to the CompTIA Security+, PenTest+ and CySA+ exams, and a Cybersecurity Management and Policy bachelor's. If certification alignment or the lab matters to you, ask whether they extend to this major.

UMGC states that all courses are available online. Ask for the term length and whether classes meet live. Federal data shows 89% of UMGC undergraduates study exclusively online, which means the school is built for remote students and its support services should be too.

Because the student body is mostly working adults, you'll find the schedule friendlier than a traditional campus. The tradeoff is size: 63,012 students means you'll want to be proactive about reaching advisors and instructors.

You'd earn a Bachelor of Science in Cyber Operations. Ask which certification exams, if any, this specific major prepares you for. UMGC's master's programs carry NSA and DC3 designations for the school's cybersecurity work, per the school's pages, so ask whether undergraduate students benefit from the same recognition.

Federal earnings data shows graduates of UMGC's programs in this field earn a median $100,937. Outcomes vary a lot by prior experience, and many UMGC students are already working in IT or the military when they finish.

Where this degree can lead: Cybersecurity Degree Jobs.

• Federal data shows an 8-year completion rate of 42% for transfer-in students, so a meaningful share of students don't finish. Ask how advisors help students stay on pace.
• The out-of-state rate of $499 per credit is not cheap for a public school, and the full $59,880 total comes before fees.
• Ask for the full course list for this major, since the capstone is the only course we can name.

• How many of my existing credits will transfer, and what would my remaining cost be?
• Do the Virtual Security Lab and competition team available in the Cybersecurity Technology bachelor's also serve Cyber Operations students?
• What is the term length, and are classes self-paced or do they meet live?
• Which courses are in the Cyber Operations major, and what does the CYOP 495 capstone involve?
• Does military training count toward the degree, and does the $250 rate apply to me?
• Which certifications can I earn while I finish this degree?

• Best Cyber Defense Degrees Rank 4 of 10, bachelor's
• Best Online Programs in Maryland Rank 2 of 6, bachelor's

• Cybersecurity Technology Bachelor of Science

  B.S., Bachelor's

  Fully Online $499 per credit Score 64.2

• Cybersecurity Management and Policy Bachelor of Science

  B.S., Bachelor's

  Fully Online $499 per credit Score 59.4

• Cybersecurity Technology Master of Science

  M.S., Master's

  Fully Online $694 per credit Score 61.4

• Cybersecurity Management and Policy Master of Science

  M.S., Master's

  Fully Online $694 per credit Score 61.2

• Cyber Operations Master of Science

  M.S., Master's

  Fully Online $659 per credit Score 60.4

• Digital Forensics and Cyber Investigation Master of Science

  M.S., Master's

  Fully Online $694 per credit Score 59.4

• Purdue University Global

  Online Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity

  Indiana $371 per quarter credit Score 60.2

• The University of Texas at San Antonio

  Bachelor of Business Administration in Cybersecurity

  Texas $525 per credit Score 59.9

• Columbia Southern University

  Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a Cybersecurity Concentration

  Alabama $278 per credit Score 60.8

• Columbia Southern University

  Bachelor of Science in Information Systems and Cyber Security

  Alabama $278 per credit Score 61.0