Best Online Master's in Cybersecurity (2027)

• Highest 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
• Lowest Price$355 per credit

  University of the Cumberlands

  Master of Science in Information Systems Security (Online)

  Kentucky · M.S.

  University of the Cumberlands's M.S. Review
• Highest Graduate Earnings$145,009 median earnings

  Champlain College

  Master of Science in Digital Forensic Science

  Vermont · M.S.

  Champlain College's M.S. Review
• Strongest CredentialsNSA CAE in Cyber Defense stated by the school

  Dakota State University

  Cyber Defense, MS

  South Dakota · M.S.

  Dakota State University's M.S. Review

We start with every online master's program in cybersecurity, information assurance and digital forensics that we could verify on a school page, then keep the ten that score highest on our published methodology. Price, credit count, GRE policy, format and credentials come from each school's own pages, checked in October 2026. You can read the full method on the methodology page.

• Master's level, delivered online
• Per-credit price, credit count, GRE policy and onsite requirements confirmed on school pages
• Ranked on the published methodology within the master's group

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

Choose the Specialty Before You Choose the School

Most of these degrees are not interchangeable. Champlain College's Digital Forensic Science degree centers on malware, mobile devices and operating system analysis, and it ends in a capstone research thesis. If your goal is investigations and incident response, this degree speaks to it directly.

Excelsior University offers General and Information Assurance concentrations, and Old Dominion University gives you five electives to shape the degree around your interests. University of Maryland Global Campus sets aside 12 elective credits in its Cybersecurity Technology degree.

Dakota State University splits its Cyber Defense degree into a technical specialization and a security management and compliance specialization, so you choose your lane inside one program. Georgia Tech does something similar with three tracks: Information Security, Cyber-Physical Systems and Policy.

A useful test: write down the job you want in three years, then read the capstone description. A degree whose final project looks like that job's daily work is usually the right one.

Check Your Background Against the Admissions Rules

Admissions are where these programs differ most. Dakota State University asks for a bachelor's in computer science, computer engineering or software engineering (or a closely related field) and a minimum 3.0 GPA. If your degree is in business or the humanities, that is a real barrier.

University of the Cumberlands says its degree is intended for people already working in information technology. Hallmark University takes a bachelor's holder with a technology degree plus two years of experience, or three years of experience without a technology degree, or an intermediate technology certification.

Excelsior University lists programming as not required, which makes it the friendlier door for a career changer. Georgia Tech asks for three references, essays and a resume, so start those early.

Champlain College recommends a 2.5 GPA and a bachelor's from a regionally accredited school. If you want to skip the GRE entirely, see our no-GRE master's list.

Count the Real Cost, Fees Included

Per-credit price alone misleads here. Georgia Tech's $387 per credit looks higher than University of the Cumberlands at $355, but Georgia Tech's 32 credits come to $12,384 in tuition, plus an online learning fee of $531 per semester at four or more credit hours ($212 under four).

Hallmark University's $21,420 for 36 credits looks steep next to Dakota State University's $14,871 for 30 credits, until you notice the CISSP certification is included in Hallmark's tuition. Its lab fee of $100 and technology fee of $125 per term are not.

Excelsior University charges an all-inclusive $715 per credit for $21,450 across 30 credits, though course materials are extra. Champlain College charges $608 per credit, and servicemembers, veterans, their families and alumni pay $500 per credit.

Western Governors University charges $4,925 per six-month term instead of a per-credit rate, so every course you finish early lowers your total. Thomas Edison State University lists $695 per credit and also publishes a flat $18,000 master's rate.

For a cheaper route, compare against our best affordable online cybersecurity degrees and the best online cybersecurity degrees for military.

Match the Pace to Your Job and Your Calendar

Champlain College runs 7-week terms and lets you take one or two courses at a time. Two per term finishes the degree in about 10 months, but that is a heavy load next to a full-time job.

Hallmark University also finishes in 12 months, with 8-week terms and six starts a year, so you rarely wait to begin. Excelsior University starts courses every 8 weeks and is asynchronous, which suits shift workers who cannot log in at a set hour.

Western Governors University lets you move as fast as you pass each assessment within six-month terms, and 63% of graduates finish within 18 months. Old Dominion University starts six times a year, and full-time students can finish in as little as one year.

Georgia Tech enrolls in August and January only, mixes asynchronous and synchronous work, and expects two to three years part-time, with up to six years allowed. Dakota State University starts three times a year.

If an employer is paying, check whether it caps tuition per year, because a fast program can bill most of the cost in a single year. For slower options, try our best part-time online cybersecurity degrees.