Best Online Cybersecurity Policy and Law Degrees (2027)

• Master's

  Top Score79.4 out of 100

  Georgia Institute of Technology

  Online Master of Science in Cybersecurity

  Georgia · M.S.

  Georgia Institute of Technology's M.S. Review
• Bachelor's

  Top Score59.4 out of 100

  University of Maryland Global Campus

  Cybersecurity Management and Policy Bachelor of Science

  Maryland · B.S.

  University of Maryland Global Campus's B.S. Review

We included an online program only when policy, law, governance or compliance is its main focus or a named concentration, track or required course group. Then we compared cost per credit, total tuition, start dates, admission rules, capstones and credentials the school states on its own pages.

Programs that only mention policy in one elective did not qualify. Scores come from the same data on every list, and you can read the full approach on our methodology page.

• Policy, law, governance or compliance in the program name or a concentration
• Delivered online
• Ranked within each degree level on the shared methodology

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

Match the Policy Track to the Work You Want

Policy is a broad label, so start with the job you picture and look for the curriculum that points there. The programs on this list lean in clearly different directions.

For corporate governance and compliance, look at Ferris State's concentration in Information Systems Assurance, Strategy and Governance, which includes a Governance, Risk & Compliance course. Regent's M.S. lets you pick a Cybersecurity Policy or Cybersecurity Management concentration and takes a Cybersecurity Compliance course.

For health information privacy, Albany's master's offers a Cybersecurity and Privacy of Health Information concentration beside Cyber Risk Management and Compliance. That fits hospital and insurer settings better than a general policy degree.

For government and public-sector resilience, Arizona State's Cybersecurity Policy and Management concentration sits inside an emergency management and homeland security degree. Brown's Policy track is offered with the Watson School of International and Public Affairs, which suits an international or public-affairs angle.

For risk reporting, Mankato's Professional Science Master's teaches Researching and Analyzing Information Security Risks and Reporting Information Security Risks, so you practice writing risk findings for decision makers.

Check Admission Rules Before You Fall for a Curriculum

Policy degrees attract career changers, but the doors are not equally open. Read the admission page first, because it can rule out a program faster than price will.

Brown's Policy track accepts any undergraduate degree, and the Computer Science track is the one that requires a STEM or social sciences degree plus math and introductory computer science. Georgia Tech asks for a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution, with the field varying by track, plus three references, essays and a resume.

Dakota State is stricter: a bachelor's in computer science, computer engineering, software engineering or a closely related field, and a 3.0 GPA. Its Security Management and Compliance specialization still builds on technical courses such as Incident Response and Digital Forensics.

Test requirements matter too. Georgia Tech, Dakota State and Brown do not require the GRE. Ferris State expects a GMAT of 500 or higher or a GRE score in the upper 50 percent, but waives it with another master's degree or a bachelor's GPA of 3.50 or higher. If testing worries you, compare our list of online master's programs with no GRE.

Compare Total Tuition Instead of the Per-Credit Rate

A low rate per credit can still lead to a high bill, and a high rate can include extras. Multiply by credits, then add fees.

Georgia Tech charges $387 per credit for 32 credits, which comes to $12,384 in total tuition. Dakota State totals $14,871 for 30 credits. UMGC and Regent land close together, at $20,820 for UMGC's 30-credit master's and $20,850 for Regent's, though Regent adds a $750 services fee each semester.

At the other end, George Washington charges $1,250 per credit for $37,500 in total, and says eBooks and software are included. Mankato charges non-residents $1,103 per credit for $33,090 in total, while Minnesota residents pay $847 per credit plus fees. For context, the median total tuition across online master's programs is $25,488.

Look for price breaks, too. Brown awards scholarships covering 50% or 25% of tuition automatically, with no separate application. UMGC's bachelor's costs $499 per credit, or $250 per credit for military students. Our best affordable online cybersecurity degrees list shows the lowest prices across every field.

Look for Proof of Work Beyond the Coursework

Policy degrees can feel abstract to employers, so favor programs that end with something you can show.

Mankato's capstone component is a 4-credit internship, and Ferris State finishes with a thesis or capstone. Albany offers both internship and thesis options. Arizona State ends in an applied project, and UMGC's master's ends in a capstone course.

Technical credibility helps a policy graduate talk with engineers. Regent gives online students access to its multimillion-dollar cyber range, which is unusual for a policy-leaning degree. Dakota State's NSA designation as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense and George Washington Engineering's Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Research designation, renewed through academic year 2030, both signal federal review of the curriculum.

If you want to compare programs built around management more broadly, see our online cybersecurity management degrees and information assurance degrees.