Master's in Cybersecurity Online MS Graduate Degree Program

Yes, you can earn a cybersecurity master's degree. It can be a great idea if you're looking to move into advanced roles in the field.

In fact, 25% of information security analysts 25 or older had earned a master's degree in 2022, the most recent data available through the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.²

SNHU offers an online MS in Cybersecurity, making it easier for busy adults to reach their goals. With 24/7 access to the classroom and no live lectures, you can take your graduate courses when it's convenient for you.

"I am a mother of two and I work full time," said Beth Maldonado '20 '21G. "I am a full-time student. SNHU helps me manage to get it all done and get A’s."

The application process here is simple: You'll receive a decision just days after submitting the required materials. You can begin when the time is right for you, since SNHU has 5 graduate term starts each year.

As a student, you'll build a relationship with an academic advisor who specializes in the cybersecurity program, and you'll learn from instructors who are currently working in the field.

Jillian Seabrook ’17 ’18G chose to study cybersecurity at the graduate level after she discovered an interest in it while working at a bank. A co-worker refused to help her with a task, afraid that passing the information along would remove job security. Seabrook said she didn't want to be the person who couldn't help others when it came to such risky topics.

“I just saw fraud happen all the time,” Seabrook said. “At least once a week someone came in with a fake check or a sob story about how they got scammed on Craigslist, and I was like, this is interesting. I want to go do something about that.”

For students who don't have a tech background who want to pursue an MS in Cybersecurity, SNHU offers plenty of support and resources through our academic advising team, library, technology partners and social communities.

Earning a master's in cybersecurity can be done in as few as 15 months.

When you finish depends on you. If you're working full time and have personal obligations, you can create a schedule with your academic advisor – a timeline that allows you to both be successful and reach your goals.

SNHU categorizes students as either full time (2 courses per 10-week term) or part time (1 course per term). With a maximum of only 13 courses in our online master's in cybersecurity, you can finish your degree on your terms.

With a master's in cybersecurity, you can gain more focused skills and the ability to lead information security strategies that can identify and respond to risk.

An MS in Cybersecurity might be ideal for those who already work within the field, but are looking to move up the ladder in their career. By developing your skill set with leadership, communication and collaboration traits, you can set yourself apart from other mid-level candidates.

Jobs available to those holding a master's in cybersecurity may include:

• Cybersecurity analyst/consultant
• Computer information systems manager
• Information systems security manager/officer
• Cybersecurity director

No matter what your current role is, there can be value found in earning your master's in cybersecurity.

"Though I do not currently work in a security-specific department, I do find that broadening my security awareness and education has improved my life as an engineer," said Mallory Quaintance '21G. "I can look at problems with a different lens having completed this degree."

Richard Sebastian '21G adds that having a master's degree is a huge advantage in offering him more options in life.

"My personal mantra regarding education is that there is no such thing as a bad learning experience," he said. "Different experiences give you different opportunities. More experiences give you more opportunities. Advanced degrees give you advanced opportunities."

"Life is about options," said Sebastian. "The more you give yourself, the better the quality of life you and your family will have."

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for information security analysts was $120,360 in 2023.²

Similar occupations that require a master's degree include computer and information research scientists, with a median annual wage in 2023 of $145,080, according to the BLS.²

And, according to the BLS, those who held master's degrees in 2022 earned close to 16% more than those with only a bachelor's degree in terms of median weekly pay.²

Of course. When you earn a master's in cybersecurity online, you can still get the same hands-on learning experiences that you would in a traditional campus environment – but you're able to do it on a convenient schedule that works for you.

You'll get lab experience in several classes, like:

• Incident Detection and Response: Explore topics like detection, investigation and response by developing plans that use industry-standard processes and tools to investigate incidents and recommend processes for incidence response.
• Investigation and Digital Forensics: Learn the theory, practice and principles of digital forensics through investigation of computers, networks, operating systems and mobile devices. You'll develop skills for all steps in the evidence cycle: identification, collection, acquisition, authentication, preservation, examination, analysis and presentation.
• Network Assessment and Defense: Examine defensive measures to secure an organization’s network, and study topics like secure network fundamentals, protocols and analysis; threats and vulnerabilities; and application, data and host security, access control and identity management.

With your capstone course, you'll have the opportunity to demonstrate what you've learned with a project that's structured around emerging concerns in the cybersecurity profession. By creating a real-world project that highlights your mastery of cybersecurity, you have an example of large-scale work that you can show employers.

Another way to get hands-on experience with your cybersecurity master's degree is by incorporating an internship into your program, giving you the ability to take your learnings into the workforce. When you're able to add experience to your resume before you graduate, you indicate to employers that you're ready to take on a role that can help them advance their organization.

A bachelor’s in cybersecurity is 120 credits, while the online master’s at SNHU is only 36-39 credits (pending one foundation course IT-505: Core Technologies). The master’s degree is a shorter, focused program that would be recommended to students who have already completed a bachelor’s and are looking to advance or shift their career.

Though you do need a conferred bachelor’s degree to apply for any master’s program at Southern New Hampshire University, it does not need to be in the same field. You can pursue the online master’s in cybersecurity with a bachelor’s in another field, allowing you to further expand your skill set or even make a change in your career.

Because you can enter the master’s program without a bachelor’s specifically in cybersecurity, providing a professional resume helps the admission and academic teams determine if a student with little to no IT experience should take the foundational course, IT-505: Core Technologies. This course provides you the opportunity to get to know the basics of information systems, including hardware, software, networks and delivery systems.

If your bachelor’s is in a different field, like psychology for example, but you have worked in IT for most of your career, your professional resume may indicate the foundation course is not necessary. However, if you haven’t worked in a related field for any length of time, the resume may indicate the foundation course is required. The more details included relating to your responsibilities in your previous roles as it pertains to IT/cybersecurity, the better we can determine your readiness.

The best way to see how many credits would be required for your program is to start the application process with one of our admission counselors and have an official evaluation completed. This process can help you make an informed decision about your program choice.

Companies are paying high salaries for well-trained and well-educated cyber professionals, and even so, there are more than 700,000 unfilled cybersecurity jobs in the U.S. alone.¹ On top of that, the job market for information-security analysts, including cybersecurity professionals, is projected to grow 32% by 2032.²

The growing threat of cybercrime is creating urgency, thus creating new positions every day. However, with the increasing urgency and high stakes, there aren’t nearly enough qualified workers to meet the demand. This skill gap creates a problem that earning an online master’s in cybersecurity can work to solve.

A bachelor’s degree is only the minimum requirement for most cybersecurity jobs, meaning earning an online master’s degree in cybersecurity from SNHU can give you the credentials needed to qualify for these high-demand and high-paying positions.

To break it down, earning your master’s degree can benefit you in these key areas:

• Cybersecurity skills and career mobility: A master’s covers the basics plus leadership, management and more. With this training, you become a stronger candidate for higher-level positions, providing you the mobility to move up and around in your career.
• Job security and growing career options: With a shortfall in talent, job security for those qualified is strong, and opportunities are plenty.
• Higher salary: Likewise, with a shortage in the supply of qualified professionals, the demand is greater and salaries reflect accordingly. In 2023, the median annual wage for computer and information technology IT professionals, including cybersecurity, was $104,420.²

When it came to choosing a school for his master's degree, Richard Sebastian '21G landed on SNHU for many reasons, one being the curriculum for his career advancement.

"I felt like SNHU offered a broader and more relevant group of classes that would make me a better cybersecurity professional," he said. "The discussions and feedback from the instructors helped me keep on track and point me to new ideas and new ways of thinking about information technology security."