We analyzed over 600 cybersecurity degree programs to uncover the latest tuition data.
Specifically, we will break down the current cost of a cybersecurity degree in the US by:
- Program type
- Delivery method
- Credits
- Region
Note on methods: We used automated tools to collect and analyze publicly available data found on US-based university websites. In total, 648 cybersecurity programs were analyzed for this research. The full data set used for this analysis can be found here.
- Cybersecurity Degree Fees – Top Stats
- Cost of a Cybersecurity Bachelor’s Degree
- Cost of a Cybersecurity Associate Degree
- Cost of a Cybersecurity Master’s Degree
- Cost of a Cybersecurity PhD Degree
- Cost of a Cybersecurity MBA Degree
- Degree Cost by Type
- In-State vs Out-of-State Tuition Differences
- Degree Cost by Course Delivery Method
- Degree Cost Extremes
- Degree Cost by Course Credits
- Degree Cost by Region
Cybersecurity Degree Fees – Top Stats
- A four-year bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity costs $80,832 on average.
- An associate degree in cybersecurity costs $17,115 on average.
- A master’s degree in cybersecurity costs $35,639 on average.
- A PhD degree in cybersecurity costs $66,612 on average.
- An MBA degree in cybersecurity costs $41,850 on average.
- The most expensive cybersecurity degree in the US is $294,180.
- Cybersecurity degrees in the Northeast average a nationwide high of $52,240.
- In-state total tuition in the Pacific states costs a nationwide low of $24,360.
Cost of a Cybersecurity Bachelor’s Degree
The cost of a 4-year cybersecurity bachelor’s degree in the US is $80,832 on average.
The average cost per credit for a cybersecurity bachelor’s degree is $653.
When comparing a cybersecurity 4-year degree to tech programs in general, this $80K figure is 41% more than the average in-state tech degree. But 58% less than the out-of-state tech average.
Here’s how that stacks up against the average undergraduate degree tuition cost in the US, according to College Board Research:
| Degree | Annual Tuition Cost | Total Four-Year Tuition Cost |
| In-State Tech Bachelor’s | $11,950 | $47,800 |
| Out-of-State Tech Bachelor’s | $31,880 | $127,520 |
| Private Non‑Profit Tech Bachelor’s | $45,000 | $180,000 |
| Cybersecurity Bachelor’s | $20,208 | $80,832 |
Source: College Board Research
Cost of a Cybersecurity Associate Degree
The average total cost for a US cybersecurity associate degree is $17,115.
That’s 27% more than the national average across all two-year community college degrees ($13,457).
The average cost per credit for a cybersecurity associate degree is $509.
Source: Education Data Initiative
Cost of a Cybersecurity Master’s Degree
The average total cost for a US cybersecurity master’s degree is $35,639. However, students who opt for an online master’s degree in cybersecurity often pay significantly less, as remote programs don’t typically include campus fees and out-of-state premiums.
That’s 43% lower than the average master’s degree across all subjects ($62,820), according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
Here’s a look at how the total tuition cost for a cybersecurity master’s degree compares to other master’s degrees:
| Degree | Total Tuition Cost |
| Average Master’s Degree | $62,820 |
| Education Master’s Degree | $44,640 |
| Science Master’s Degree | $61,380 |
| Arts Master’s Degree | $71,140 |
| Cybersecurity Master’s Degree | $35,639 |
The average cost per credit for a cybersecurity master’s degree is $1,109.
Source: Education Data Initiative
Cost of a Cybersecurity PhD Degree
The average total cost for a US cybersecurity PhD degree is $66,612.
The average cost per credit for a cybersecurity PhD degree is $1,010.
Cost of a Cybersecurity MBA Degree
The average total cost for a US cybersecurity MBA degree is $41,850.
The average cost per credit for a cybersecurity MBA degree is $1,441.
Degree Cost by Type
On average, a bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity costs more than any other type of degree. In fact, the average bachelor’s degree costs more than 4x more than the average associate degree.
Cybersecurity degrees average 73.4 credits each, meaning the cost per credit averages out to $561.
Here’s a breakdown of cybersecurity degree costs by degree type:
| Degree Type | Average Cost | Average Credits | Average Cost per Credit |
| Bachelor’s | $80,832 | 123.4 | $653 |
| Associate | $17,115 | 64.0 | $509 |
| Master’s | $35,639 | 32.5 | $1,109 |
| PhD | $66,612 | 66.7 | $1,010 |
| MBA | $41,850 | 39.6 | $1,441 |
| Average | $38,163 | 73.4 | $561 |
In-State vs Out-of-State Tuition Differences
Of the 648 US institutions offering cybersecurity degrees, 452 (65%) have differing degree costs for in-state and out-of-state learning.
The average in-state total tuition cost is $35,462 or $528 per credit.
Out-of-state total tuition comes in at an average of $42,376 or $613 for each credit.
Degree Cost by Course Delivery Method
The vast majority (92%) of cybersecurity courses in the US offer some form of on-campus learning.
In general, the average in-state total tuition costs $35,462, and the average out-of-state total tuition adds up to $42,376.
Around 1 in 3 institutions (33%) offer at least two separate options for course delivery.
More than half (57.3%) of degrees are campus-based, averaging a total in-state tuition fee of $35,600 and an out-of-state fee of $44,126. By comparison, online-only degrees cost 19-33% less.
Around 52% of cybersecurity degree programs come with a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) designation. In-state total tuition for these programs costs $39,164, out-of-state $47,464.
Below is a breakdown of cybersecurity degree costs by delivery method in the US:
| Program Delivery Method | Number of Programs | Proportion of Programs | Average Total Tuition(In-State) | Average Total Tuition(Out-of-State) |
| Campus Only | 371 | 57.3% | $35,600 | $44,126 |
| Online Only | 51 | 7.9% | $28,661 | $29,529 |
| Hybrid Only | 11 | 1.7% | $40,252 | $36,224 |
| Campus & Online | 188 | 29% | $37,780 | $42,919 |
| Campus & Hybrid | 8 | 1.2% | $10,082 | $23,658 |
| Online & Hybrid | 2 | 0.3% | $44,007 | $32,524 |
| Online, Campus, Hybrid | 17 | 2.6% | $37,541 | $36,238 |
Degree Cost Extremes
The most expensive cybersecurity degree in the US is offered by Brown University ($294,180).
Here are the top three costliest cybersecurity programs in the country:
| Institution | Brown University | Stevens Institute of Technology | St. John’s University |
| Program Type | MBA | Bachelor’s | Bachelor’s |
| Program Name | Executive MBA with emphasis in Cybersecurity | Bachelor of Science Degree in Cybersecurity | Bachelor of Applied Technology (BAT) in Cybersecurity |
| Location | Providence, Rhode Island | Hoboken, New Jersey | Queens, New York |
| CAE Designation | – | – | CAE-CD |
| Total Tuition | $294,180 | $254,250 | $205,680 |
| Credits | 60 | 125 | 120 |
| Cost per Credit | $4,903 | $2,034 | $1,714 |
On the other end of the spectrum, the US Military, Air Force, and Naval Academies do not charge tuition. Looking at those who do, Mt San Antonio College’s Cloud and Network Cyber Security Administration degree is the most affordable ($1,058) – 278x less than Brown.
The three least expensive in-state cybersecurity programs are all based in California.
Here are the three cheapest in-state cybersecurity degrees:
| Institution | Mt San Antonio College | Palomar College | Sacramento City College |
| Program Type | Associate | Associate | Associate |
| Program | Associate in Science in Cloud and Network Cyber Security Administration | Associate of Science in Cybersecurity | Associate in Science in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance |
| Location | Walnut, California | San Marcos, California | Sacramento, California |
| CAE Designation | – | – | CAE-CD |
| Total Tuition (In-State) | $1,058 | $1,288 | $1,426 |
| Credits | 23 | 28 | 31 |
| Cost per Credit (In-State) | $46 | $46 | $46 |
Here are the three least expensive out-of-state cybersecurity total tuitions in the US:
| Institution | San Diego City College | Garden City Community College | Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College |
| Program Type | Associate | Associate | Associate |
| Program Name | Cybersecurity AS | AS Degree in Cybersecurity | Information Systems Security A.A.S. |
| Location | San Diego, California | Garden City, Kansas | Asheville, North Carolina |
| CAE Designation | – | – | – |
| Total Tuition (Out-of-State) | $2,220 | $4,920 | $6,177 |
| Credits | 37 | 60 | 71 |
| Cost per Credit (Out-of-State) | $60 | $82 | $87 |
Degree Costs by Course Credits
DePaul University offers the most credits in its Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Security (192).
Here’s a breakdown of the cybersecurity courses with the most credits:
| Institution | DePaul University | New England Institute of Technology | Columbia Basin College* |
| Program Type | Master’s | Bachelor’s | Bachelor’s |
| Program Name | Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Security | B.S. in Information Technology – Network and Information Security Specialization | B.S. in Cybersecurity |
| Location | Chicago, Illinois | East Greenwich, Rhode Island | Pasco, Washington |
| CAE Designation | CAE-CD | CAE-CD | CAE-CD |
| Credits | 192 | 184 | 180 |
| Cost per Credit (In-State) | $796 | $650 | $124 |
| Cost per Credit (Out-of-State) | – | – | $318 |
*Western Washington University, Sullivan University, and Green River Community College also tied on 180 credits.
Here are the cybersecurity courses with the fewest credits:
| Institution | Mt San Antonio College | Morgan State University | Palomar College |
| Program Type | Associate | Master’s | Associate |
| Program Name | Associate in Science in Cloud and Network Cyber Security Administration | Master of Engineering in Cyber Engineering | Associate of Science in Cybersecurity |
| Location | Walnut, California | Baltimore, Maryland | San Marcos, California |
| CAE Designation | – | CAE-CD | – |
| Credits | 23 | 24 | 28 |
| Cost per Credit (In-State) | $46 | $473 | $46 |
| Cost per Credit (Out-of-State) | $417 | $930 | $356 |
Degree Cost by Region
Cybersecurity degree fees vary substantially by region.
The Northeast is perhaps predictably the most expensive place to study cybersecurity, with the average degree costing $52,240 – around $14,000 more than the national average.
In the West, cybersecurity degrees cost $30,676 on average. That’s approximately 41% less than in the Northeast.
This is how each US region stacks up in terms of average total tuition fees:
| Region | Northeast | Midwest | South | West | Nationwide |
| Average Total Tuition | $52,240 | $37,604 | $35,517 | $30,676 | $38,163 |
| Average Cost per Credit | $765 | $517 | $544 | $456 | $561 |
Diving deeper, in-state total tuition in the Northeast is considerably higher than the rest of the country at $57,837.
On average, studying out of state at a Northeastern institution ($41,046) will cost students almost 2x more than studying in-state in the West ($21,876).
Here’s a closer look at regional differences for cybersecurity degrees:
| Region | Northeast | Midwest | South | West | Nationwide |
| Total Tuition In-State | $57,837 | $35,639 | $29,501 | $21,876 | $35,462 |
| Total Tuition Out-of-State | $41,046 | $40,955 | $44,029 | $41,277 | $42,376 |
| Credits | 71.5 | 73.8 | 69.8 | 72.7 | 73.4 |
| Cost per Credit In-State | $847 | $497 | $464 | $333 | $528 |
| Cost per Credit Out-of-State | $605 | $556 | $652 | $605 | $613 |
Degree Fees – Northeast
The average cybersecurity degree costs of Midatlantic and New England institutions are the closest of any two regions (5% difference).
Here’s how Northeastern cybersecurity degree costs compare:
| Division | Midatlantic | New England |
| Average Total Tuition | $51,458 | $54,087 |
| Total Tuition In-State | $56,770 | $60,153 |
| Total Tuition Out-of-State | $41,609 | $39,458 |
| Average Cost per Credit | $753 | $793 |
| Credits | 72.4 | 69.5 |
| Cost per Credit In-State | $813 | $922 |
| Cost per Credit Out-of-State | $641 | $506 |
Degree Fees – Midwest
East North Central institutions average 41% more expensive in-state degrees than West North Central.
This is how the two Midwest divisions compare:
| Division | East North Central | West North Central |
| Average Total Tuition | $41,940 | $31,979 |
| Total Tuition In-State | $40,569 | $28,766 |
| Total Tuition Out-of-State | $44,572 | $36,237 |
| Average Cost per Credit | $565 | $910 |
| Credits | 75.3 | 71.8 |
| Cost per Credit In-State | $544 | $428 |
| Cost per Credit Out-of-State | $599 | $498 |
Degree Fees – South
There is a notable difference in total tuition fees between Southern regions.
On average, East South Central institutions charge $40,023 to study a cybersecurity degree, approximately 19% more than South Atlantic’s average of $33,666.
Here’s a breakdown of cybersecurity fees in the South:
| Division | South Atlantic | East South Central | West South Central |
| Average Total Tuition | $33,666 | $40,023 | $37,524 |
| Total Tuition In-State | $28,977 | $30,517 | $30,239 |
| Total Tuition Out-of-State | $40,339 | $52,301 | $47,733 |
| Average Cost per Credit | $533 | $565 | $561 |
| Credits | 67.1 | 75.5 | 73.2 |
| Cost per Credit In-State | $480 | $392 | $462 |
| Cost per Credit Out-of-State | $602 | $790 | $693 |
Degree Fees – West
In the West, the most eye-catching difference is the cost per credit in-state – Mountain state institutions charge an average of $558 per credit, while that same figure totals just $359 in Pacific states, the lowest in-state average in the US.
This is the breakdown for cybersecurity degree fees in the West:
| Division | Mountain | Pacific |
| Average Total Tuition | $37,124 | $24,360 |
| Total Tuition In-State | $26,710 | $17,042 |
| Total Tuition Out-of-State | $49,961 | $32,980 |
| Credits | 70.9 | 74.4 |
| Average Cost per Credit | $558 | $359 |
| Cost per Credit In-State | $398 | $270 |
| Cost per Credit Out-of-State | $756 | $465 |
Conclusion
Cybersecurity degree costs in the US vary widely, from as low as $1,058 to upwards of nearly $300,000, with an average of $38,163.
In-state total tuition is typically far lower than out-of-state, and regional differences can be significant.
Knowing these cost variables can help you choose a program that fits both your budget and career plans. If you want to focus on affordable programs, our list of the cheapest cybersecurity degree programs may be worth looking at.