University of Maryland Global Campus Online Cybersecurity Technology Bachelor of Science

University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) runs one of the largest online cybersecurity programs on this list, and the Cybersecurity Technology B.S. is its hands-on technical degree. You get a Virtual Security Lab, an award-winning competition team and courses lined up with CompTIA exams.

The price is $499 per credit for most students, so the 120-credit total is $59,880, which is high unless you live in Maryland or serve in the military.

UMGC is a public university based in Adelphi, Maryland, built around adult and online learners. About 63,012 students are enrolled, and 89% of them study exclusively online. This is a school where online isn't a side channel. Its systems, advising and course scheduling are designed for people who work.

The Cybersecurity Technology Bachelor of Science is 120 credits, and everything is available online. Federal data counts 863 bachelor's-level awards a year in this field at UMGC, so you'll find a large alumni network and plenty of employers who recognize the name.

The program ends with the Cybersecurity Technology Capstone (CMIT 495, 3 credits).

The full rubric is on the methodology page.

The degree aligns to several CompTIA certifications, and the school says the courses give you the knowledge to take the exams. The exams themselves cost extra and are not part of the degree, so budget for them separately.

Federal data on outcomes shows a mixed picture. The school's graduation rate is 33%, and the 8-year completion rate for students who transferred in is 42%. Those numbers reflect a student body of working adults who stop and restart, not necessarily the quality of the program. Median earnings for graduates in this field are $100,937, which is the number to weigh against the $59,880 or $40,440 tuition.

The key point is that finishing is the hard part, so build a schedule you can sustain.

Where this degree can lead: Cybersecurity Degree Jobs.

Who It Fits

• Maryland residents, who pay $337 per credit instead of $499, bringing the 120-credit total to $40,440.
• Military students, who pay $250 per credit.
• Working adults who want a technical cybersecurity degree and plan to sit for CompTIA certifications along the way.
• Students who want to practice in a lab and compete. The Cybersecurity Competition Team is open to tryouts, and it competes in nationwide events.

Who Should Skip It

• Students watching every dollar who live outside Maryland and aren't in the military. At $499 per credit, the total reaches $59,880.
• People who want a management or policy degree. UMGC has a separate Cybersecurity Management and Policy bachelor's for that.
• Anyone who wants an intimate, small-cohort feel. UMGC is huge, and you'll work mostly independently.

The degree is UMGC's technology-focused cybersecurity bachelor's. Its sibling, Cyber Operations, sits in the same family at the same $499 rate, and Cybersecurity Management and Policy covers the governance and leadership side. If you're deciding between them, compare the course lists line by line. The Technology degree is the one the school pairs with certification exams and the Virtual Security Lab.

Courses are designed to prepare you for industry certification exams, including CompTIA Security+, PenTest+ and CySA+ (Cybersecurity Analyst). Security+ is the common entry credential, PenTest+ covers penetration testing, and CySA+ focuses on analyzing threats. Together they map to the entry-level and mid-level jobs this degree points toward.

The capstone, CMIT 495, brings the program together in one project.

Standout Features

• Competition team and Virtual Security Lab for hands-on practice
• Courses align to industry certification exams including CompTIA Security+, PenTest+ and CySA+

UMGC publishes two online rates. Out-of-state students pay $499 per credit, and in-state students pay $337. Over 120 credits, that comes to $59,880 out of state and $40,440 in state. Military students pay $250 per credit. Other fees may apply, so ask for a written estimate.

Those are full-degree numbers with no transfer credit applied. UMGC is built for transfer students, and many people arrive with credits from a community college or other school. Every credit you bring in is a credit you don't pay $499 for, so get your transcript evaluated before you compare prices.

The in-state rate is the biggest price break, so Maryland residents should price this program first.

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.

Every course is available online. UMGC's online population is large enough that the support systems are built around it, which includes advising, writing help and technical support.

The hands-on piece is the Virtual Security Lab. You practice with real tools in a controlled environment, so you aren't limited to reading about attacks. The Cybersecurity Competition Team gives you a way to test those skills against other students nationwide, and the team is described as award-winning.

The scale cuts both ways. You'll have many sections and start dates to choose from, but with so many students, you need to ask for help rather than wait for someone to notice you need it.

• Full price is $59,880 for out-of-state students before any transfer credit.
• The 33% graduation rate and 42% transfer-student completion rate show many students don't finish.
• The school is very large, so personal attention takes effort on your part.
• Certification exams are separate costs, even though the courses are aligned to them.
• Cybersecurity Technology overlaps in subject with Cyber Operations and Cybersecurity Management and Policy, so picking the wrong one is an easy mistake.

• How many of my existing credits will transfer, and what will my remaining credits cost at my rate?
• Do I qualify for the in-state rate of $337 per credit or the military rate of $250?
• How does Cybersecurity Technology differ from Cyber Operations in the courses I'd take?
• How do I join the Cybersecurity Competition Team, and can online students try out?
• Which certification exams are tied to which courses, and are there exam vouchers?
• What other fees apply on top of per-credit tuition?

• Best Online Cybersecurity Degrees Rank 7 of 10, bachelor's
• Best Online Bachelor's Programs Rank 7 of 10, bachelor's
• Best Public University Programs Rank 2 of 10, bachelor's
• Best 100% Online Programs Rank 7 of 10, bachelor's
• Best Programs With Certifications Rank 4 of 10, bachelor's
• Best Online Programs in Maryland Rank 1 of 6, bachelor's

• Cyber Operations Bachelor of Science

  B.S., Bachelor's

  Fully Online $499 per credit Score 60.3

• 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

• University of Arkansas Grantham

  Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity

  Arkansas $305 per credit Score 65.0

• Southern New Hampshire University

  Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity

  New Hampshire $354 per credit Score 63.2

• Norwich University

  Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity

  Vermont $415 per credit Score 65.3

• Excelsior University

  Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity

  New York $510 per credit Score 62.8