Best Online Cybersecurity Programs in Pennsylvania (2027)

• Bachelor's

  Top Score58.3 out of 100

  Penn State World Campus

  Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity Analytics and Operations

  Pennsylvania · B.S.

  Penn State World Campus's B.S. Review
• Master's

  Top Score58.8 out of 100

  Pennsylvania Western University

  Professional Science Master's in Cybersecurity

  Pennsylvania · P.S.M.

  Pennsylvania Western University's P.S.M. Review
• Associate

  Top Score41.9 out of 100

  Harrisburg Area Community College

  Cybersecurity (New Fall 26)

  Pennsylvania · A.S.

  Harrisburg Area Community College's A.S. Review

Pennsylvania's online cybersecurity choices are spread across public and private schools in different parts of the state. Penn State's online campus, Pennsylvania Western University and Harrisburg Area Community College are public. Immaculata, Mercyhurst and Harrisburg University are private nonprofits.

Only the community college and Pennsylvania Western set a separate Pennsylvania resident rate, so a few of these schools price differently depending on your address. Pennsylvanians can also look past state lines, and our best online cybersecurity degrees list shows how these schools compare with national options.

A program appears here when the school is based in Pennsylvania and the degree is delivered fully online, confirmed on the school's own pages. We read price, length, courses and admissions from those pages and from federal college data.

Pennsylvania has 7 qualifying programs, so all of them are included. Within each degree level, the order comes from our shared scoring of cost, graduate earnings, completion and online experience. The methodology page explains each measure and where the data comes from.

• School based in Pennsylvania, program delivered online
• In-state rate shown when the school publishes one
• Scored on the same seven factors as every list and ranked inside its degree level

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

Where Pennsylvania Residents Pay Less

Two schools here set a lower rate for Pennsylvanians. Harrisburg Area Community College lists $290 per credit for non-sponsored Pennsylvania residents and $430 for out-of-state students. With institutional, capital outlay and technology fees, the in-state cost is $342.25 per credit. Pennsylvania Western University charges $557 per credit in-state and $568 out-of-state for its master's, plus a technology fee and an instructional support fee.

The other schools quote one rate to everyone. Penn State's online campus, Immaculata and Mercyhurst charge the same whether you live in Erie or Ohio, so your address brings no discount there.

If budget decides everything, Immaculata's $250 per credit is the lowest sticker price on the list, and it works out to $15,000 for the full associate degree.

Choosing Between Penn State, Pennsylvania Western and Mercyhurst for a Master's

The three master's degrees suit different people. Pennsylvania Western's P.S.M. is the least expensive at $16,710 in-state. It asks for a bachelor's in a computing field with a 3.00 GPA, and it ends with a six-credit capstone internship.

Mercyhurst takes a bachelor's in any discipline, so it fits career changers. It runs 36 credits and costs $40,752 in tuition by our calculation, and the school publishes $42,125.

Penn State's M.P.S. takes a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited school and says a related degree helps but isn't required. At 33 credits, tuition comes to $34,584.

Labs, Certifications and Internships Across the State

Hands-on practice looks different at each school. Mercyhurst uses online cyber ranges and builds Security+, CEH, SSCP and CISSP preparation into its coursework. Pennsylvania Western offers a CompTIA Security+ prep course as an elective. Penn State's M.P.S. offers an optional lab-based capstone, IST 894, built around real-world cybersecurity scenarios.

Internships are common at the bachelor's level. Penn State's B.S. lists an internship, IST 495, that can be arranged around coursework, and Harrisburg University requires an internship or applied practice. Harrisburg University's courses point toward the CISSP.

Immaculata has a partnership with Fortalice Solutions, a cybersecurity firm, and an advisory board of working consultants.

Starting at a Community College and Moving Up

Pennsylvania has two associate degrees, and each one leads somewhere. Immaculata says its associate credits transition into its own B.S. in Cybersecurity.

Harrisburg Area Community College's A.S. is new for Fall 2026 and holds the National Security Agency's Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense designation. Its transfer guides name Harrisburg University, University of Maryland Global Campus, Southern New Hampshire University and Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania, Bloomsburg campus.

A student could start at Harrisburg Area Community College at $342.25 per credit and move into Harrisburg University's bachelor's, which has Cyber Management and Leadership and Cyber Operations Management concentrations.