University of Tulsa Master of Science in Cyber Security (Online)

Tulsa's online master's has the longest cybersecurity pedigree on this site and the clearest certification story: its curriculum is validated as an approved Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense program of study, and the school names Security+, PenTest+, CISSP and OSCP preparation.

It costs $884 per credit, or $26,520 for 30 credits, which is mid-range for a private university. It suits people with no IT background who still want a respected technical degree, and it suits less well anyone who needs the lowest price.

The University of Tulsa is a private nonprofit university in Oklahoma with 3,914 students and a 72% graduation rate, the highest overall graduation rate among these six schools' data. The Master of Science in Cyber Security is 100% online, built for working professionals, and requires 30 credit hours that you can finish in as few as 20 months.

Only 8% of Tulsa's students are exclusively online, so this is a specialized program at a mostly campus-based school. The school says its School of Cyber Studies is the nation's first and only dedicated cyber department, and it has been designated a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense by the NSA and DHS since 2000.

Entry is accessible: you need a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution, no GRE and no prior IT experience.

You earn a Master of Science in Cyber Security. Beyond the degree, the CAE-CD designation and validated program of study matter for federal scholarship and job pipelines. The certification list is the practical edge: Security+ is a common entry requirement, PenTest+ and OSCP target penetration testers, and CISSP is a senior-level credential that also requires work experience.

Ask which credentials the courses prepare you for directly and which you would study for on your own.

Where this degree can lead: Cybersecurity Degree Jobs.

Who It Fits

• Career changers with a bachelor's in any field, because no IT experience, programming prerequisite or GRE is required.
• Professionals who want to pick a direction: Offensive Security, Defensive Security, Leadership or Security Economics.
• Students who want certification practice built into electives, since some courses carry fees that cover exam prep materials.
• People who would like the option of up to 12 credits in person.

Who Should Skip It

• Students looking for the lowest tuition. At $884 per credit, the degree costs more per credit than several public options.
• Anyone who wants a thesis.
• Learners who need a very flexible timeline longer than the intended pace, since the program is designed around a 20-month plan.

Four optional specializations shape the electives. Offensive Security leans toward penetration testing, Defensive Security toward protecting systems, Leadership toward managing teams and Security Economics toward the cost and risk side of decisions, which is rare. The school names four exam families in connection with the degree: CompTIA Security+ and PenTest+, CISSP and OSCP (PEN-200).

OSCP is a famously hands-on exam, so a program that points toward it is aiming at practical skills. The curriculum is validated as an approved CAE-CD program of study, which is a federal checklist of topics, not just a marketing label. Because there is no programming prerequisite, early courses start from fundamentals.

Standout Features

• Designated Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense by the NSA and DHS since 2000, with the curriculum validated as an approved CAE-CD Program of Study
• School of Cyber Studies described as the nation’s first and only dedicated cyber department

The price is $884 per credit hour for 30 credit hours, for a total tuition of $26,520. Some elective courses carry course fees that cover certification exam preparation materials, so budget a little beyond tuition.

Federal data lists a campus charge of $1,474 per credit, so the online rate is a clear step below what an on-campus student faces. If you take up to 12 credits in person, ask whether that changes the rate.

30 credits at $884 a credit comes to $26,520 in tuition, before fees.

The program is built for working adults and is delivered online, with an optional in-person component of up to 12 credits. Ask whether classes meet live, how long terms run and how many starts there are each year.

A 20-month finish means roughly two courses a term for a working person, so expect a steady load. Federal data shows a 72% overall graduation rate and 60% for transfer students at the university.

The full rubric is on the methodology page.

• Tuition is $26,520, higher than several public-university programs.
• Elective course fees add to the bill.
• Only 8% of Tulsa students study exclusively online, so online-specific services may be smaller than at an online-first school.
• Elective course fees and optional in-person credits make the full cost harder to predict up front.

• How many starts are there each year, and what is the next application deadline?
• Which elective courses carry fees, and how much are they?
• Do online classes meet live, or can I work asynchronously?
• How do the four specializations change the courses I take?
• If I take the optional in-person credits, where do they happen and does the rate change?

• Best Cybersecurity Management Degrees Rank 9 of 10, master's
• Best With No Programming Rank 3 of 5, master's

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