Best Online Bachelor's in Cybersecurity (2027)

• Highest Score75.9 out of 100

  Champlain College

  BS in Computer Forensics & Digital Investigations

  Vermont · B.S.

  Champlain College's B.S. Review
• Lowest Price$305 per credit

  University of Arkansas Grantham

  Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity

  Arkansas · B.S.

  University of Arkansas Grantham's B.S. Review
• Highest Graduate Earnings$129,303 median earnings

  Strongest CredentialsABET stated by the school; prepares for SECURITY PLUS

  Western Governors University

  Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance

  Utah · B.S.

  Western Governors University's B.S. Review

We started with every online bachelor's degree in cybersecurity, information assurance and digital forensics that we could verify from the school's own pages, then compared them on cost, graduation outcomes, flexibility, credential alignment, curriculum depth and track record. Accreditation claims are labeled as confirmed or as stated by the school. Sponsored placements never change a program's position. The full scoring method is on our methodology page.

• Bachelor's level, delivered online
• Ranked on cost, outcomes, flexibility, credential alignment, depth and track record
• ABET and NSA CAE claims noted as confirmed or as stated by the school

Scores combine seven published factors. The methodology page shows each weight and rubric.

How to Compare Tuition Across These Programs

Per-credit price is only the start, because schools bill in different units. Western Governors University charges $4,425 per six-month term instead of per credit, so your total depends on how many courses you finish each term. SNHU lists $354 per credit and $1,062 per course. Most others bill by the credit, which makes 120 credits easy to multiply.

Fees change the picture. Grantham adds a $50 per credit hour resource fee that covers textbooks and technology, and gives degree-seeking students a laptop. Excelsior adds a $40 per credit hour Academic Services Fee. Franklin adds a $100 resource fee each semester but offers a Tuition Guarantee that locks in your first-term rate.

Totals tell the rest. Champlain comes to $41,040 and Grantham to $36,600, while Wilmington is $52,680 and Excelsior $61,200. University of Maryland Global Campus is $59,880 for out-of-state students and $40,440 for in-state students, so residency can move a program from the top of the price range to the bottom.

Matching a Program to the Credits You Already Have

Check transfer rules before you compare anything else. Franklin allows up to 94 transfer credits, and Norwich allows up to 90 with multiple start dates each year. Champlain and Norwich both accept prior learning, which can count work or military training toward the degree. Franklin's 4-credit Cybersecurity Capstone cannot be transferred in, so you always finish there.

Ask each admissions office for a written credit evaluation before you apply. A school with a lower price per credit can cost more overall if it accepts fewer of your credits. Norwich reports an average of 18 months to completion, which shows how much faster a transfer student can move.

If you are starting with no college credit, the calculation flips. Then the full 120 credits are yours to pay for, and the per-credit rate and fees matter most. Grantham and Champlain give the lowest totals here for students who start from scratch.

Choosing Between Certification Prep and Labs

Employers often screen for CompTIA Security+ before they read your degree, so it helps to know which programs build toward it. Western Governors University, University of Maryland Global Campus, Wilmington, Grantham and Excelsior all connect coursework to Security+. Wilmington also points toward CISSP, a senior credential, and Excelsior adds SSCP and CEH.

Labs are the other half. Champlain describes hands-on virtual labs that mirror industry scenarios. Norwich partners with Hack The Box, a platform with exercises tied to Department of Defense job roles. UMGC offers a Virtual Security Lab and a competition team, and Franklin's student chapter competes in the National Cyber League.

Match the strength to your gap. If you need proof for a resume, favor the programs with exam alignment. If you need real practice before a first security job, favor the ones with named lab environments or competition teams.

Picking a Format That Fits Your Schedule

Short terms keep momentum but leave little slack. Champlain's 7-week terms let you take 1 to 3 courses at a time, and its 3 years, 6 months timeline assumes two courses per term. Franklin runs 6- and 12-week courses with eight start dates a year. Wilmington, SNHU and Excelsior start courses every 8 weeks.

Grantham starts most courses monthly, so a missed term costs you weeks instead of months. Western Governors University works differently: you move through courses as fast as you can inside a six-month term, and 60% of its graduates finish within 29 months. That suits self-directed people who already know some IT, and it is hard on anyone who needs outside deadlines.

Excelsior also offers an optional hybrid format with in-person lab sessions in St. Petersburg, Florida. The fully online option has no on-site sessions, so you can ignore that unless you live nearby and want the extra contact.