Best Part-Time Online Cybersecurity Degrees (2027)

• Bachelor's

  Top Score59.9 out of 100

  The University of Texas at San Antonio

  Bachelor of Business Administration in Cybersecurity

  Texas · BBA

  The University of Texas at San Antonio's BBA Review
• 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
• Doctorate

  Top Score51.8 out of 100

  Dakota State University

  Cyber Defense, Ph.D.

  South Dakota · Ph.D.

  Dakota State University's Ph.D. Review

A program makes this list only if it is online and the school itself states a part-time option or pace on its own pages. We do not count a program just because you could enroll in fewer classes.

Within each degree level, programs are ordered by the same published scoring used across the site, which weighs cost, graduate earnings, completion and the online experience. Durations, tuition and fees come from the school's own pages.

You can read the full approach on the methodology page.

• Part-time option stated on a school page
• Delivered online
• Typical finish time noted when the school publishes it

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

How Long Part-Time Study Really Takes

Schools that publish a part-time timeline usually show it next to the full-time one, and the gap is bigger than most people guess. UT San Antonio lists as few as eight terms full-time and 13 terms part-time for its cybersecurity BBA. Southern Maine's master's takes as few as 2 years full-time or 4 years part-time. Dakota State's Ph.D. takes three years full-time or up to seven part-time.

Georgia Tech's master's lists two to three years part-time, with up to six years allowed. Most students take one or two of the ten courses at a time. NJIT lists 2 years for part-time students, and UW-La Crosse lists 2 years at one or two three-credit classes a term. West Virginia gives a range of 3 to 6 semesters, full or part time.

Use those numbers to test your own calendar. If a promotion or a baby is likely in the next two years, the longer ceilings at Georgia Tech and Dakota State leave room. The shorter ones leave less.

Start Dates and Fees Across Many Terms

Part-time students pay for more terms, so per-term charges matter as much as the per-credit rate. Georgia Tech charges $387 per credit hour at the U.S. rate, plus an online fee of $212 a semester under 4 credit hours or $531 at 4 or more. Its 32 credits total $12,384. Southern Maine charges $548 e-tuition plus $107 in fees, or $655 per credit, which comes to $16,440 for 30 credits.

The higher-priced programs show where the money goes. West Virginia's $1,063 per credit includes a $100 online learning fee, so 30 credits total $31,890. NJIT charges $1,211 per credit, or $36,330 for 30 credits. UW-La Crosse charges $850 per credit, or $26,350 for 31 credits, plus a $56 application fee that a coupon code can waive.

Two more details to check. UT San Antonio's $525 per credit leaves out material and lab fees, so the $63,000 for 120 credits is a floor. Dakota State charges $548.75 per credit, and non-resident students pay a $117.70 delivery fee on computer science courses. West Virginia gives current and former service personnel a $100 per credit discount.

Prerequisites You Need Before You Apply

Working adults often lose a semester to a prerequisite they did not know about. Read these lists first.

UW-La Crosse wants a 3.0 GPA, an introductory computer science course with programming, and calculus or statistics. Michigan-Dearborn wants a STEM bachelor's with a B average, plus one course each in probability and statistics, programming and calculus II. NJIT asks for a bachelor's in a computing field such as computer science, computer and electrical engineering or information technology.

Southern Maine asks for a 3.0 GPA and prior academic or work experience in information technology, cybersecurity or a related field. Georgia Tech's field requirement varies by track, and it wants three references, essays and a resume.

West Virginia asks for an application, transcripts and a resume, and it lists no programming requirement. Dakota State requires a master's and a 3.0 GPA. Georgia Tech, Southern Maine, UW-La Crosse, Michigan-Dearborn and Dakota State state that no GRE is required.

Matching a Program to the Job You Have Now

The strongest reason to study part-time is that your job and your coursework can feed each other, so choose by what you do at work.

If you manage people or budgets, West Virginia's business cybersecurity management degree covers eleven industry-recognized certifications, including Security+, CISM and CISA, and its capstone is a live project with a corporate partner. If you already work in security operations, NJIT's Cyber Defense Option is built for people with industry experience. If you want certification credit, Southern Maine's coursework leaves you eligible to apply for the CISSP.

Georgia Tech offers Information Security, Cyber-Physical Systems and Policy tracks, so it also suits an engineer or analyst who wants to move toward policy. UW-La Crosse offers Secure Systems Design and Digital Forensics and Security Management, and you can take both. UT San Antonio is the only bachelor's here, and its business framing fits someone finishing a first degree. Dakota State's Ph.D. fits an experienced professional who wants research.