Online Master's in Cybersecurity Degree

There’s no place like Maryville University to earn your cybersecurity master’s degree online. Expert cybersecurity professionals are in high demand as public, private, and nonprofit organizations race to stay ahead of the latest threats. As the need for protection grows and cybersecurity budgets soar, now is the perfect time to capitalize on this critical global need.

Our online master’s degree in cybersecurity can help you reach areas of the industry a bachelor’s degree typically can’t, including management and the C-suite. When you earn your online master’s in cybersecurity from Maryville, you can grow your cybersecurity credentials with in-demand technical skills, knowledge of vital business concepts, and industry-relevant certifications such as CISSP, ECSA, ECES, CISA, CCSP, and Splunk Core Certified Power User.

Get Curriculum Details

Access coursework 100% online — no campus visits are required.

Graduate in as few as 12 months.

Learn from case studies pulled from the latest headlines.

Complete coursework using the Maryville Virtual Lab, which was distinguished by Apple for mobile innovation.

Prepare for certifications while you complete your degree: ECSA, ECES, Splunk, CISA, CCSP, and CISSP.

Why Choose Maryville for Your Online Master’s in Cybersecurity?

Your success in the field of computer science depends on details and decisions. Maryville University is uniquely prepared to help you learn the technical intricacies of cybersecurity and turn them into strategies that protect precious data.

For example, the Maryville Virtual Lab is a course delivery system that doubles as a virtual training ground. From any device, anywhere, you can hone your skills in a safe and protected environment. It’s literally practice for the professional world.

Most of our faculty members work actively in cybersecurity, which keeps us directly connected with the marketplace. They know the industry’s highest expectations because they’ve seen them firsthand in their positions in Fortune 500 companies and the FBI. That’s why they have built six industry-relevant certifications into the course curriculum — to help give you the competitive edge you need to succeed.

Become integral to your organization’s success.

Our online cybersecurity master’s program, which is part of the John E. Simon School of Business, can help prepare you for the changing role of cybersecurity professionals by equipping you with the hard and soft skills that employers desire. Aspire to sit shoulder to shoulder with top decision-makers. Make your cybersecurity strategies an integral part of the business.

Cybersecurity professionals are increasingly taking on larger roles in their organizations, even seeing time in the C-suite. According to a 2021 Gartner report, “With technology becoming a major enabler for businesses, the role of the CIO is evolving from technology expert to business strategist.”

Why Maryville?

Maryville University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission

What Can I Do with an Online Master’s in Cybersecurity?

The job outlook for cybersecurity professionals is exceptional. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the demand for information security analysts to grow 31% from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations.

This growth is driven by the need for organizations of all kinds, from financial institutions and healthcare systems all the way down to small- and medium-sized businesses, to protect their information infrastructure as more and more transactions take place in the cloud.

Master’s Degree in Cybersecurity Career Paths

With your online master’s in cybersecurity, you can build the expertise to pursue careers including:

Chief information security officer
Chief information officer
Network architect
Information security manager
Security engineer
Chief technology officer
Security consultant
Director of security

In business settings such as:

Government
Intelligence
Finance
Information technology
Large corporations

What Is the Median Cybersecurity Salary?

Cybersecurity professionals earn a range of salaries that vary depending on factors such as location, industry, education, and experience. Here’s a look at the median salaries for a few careers, according to 2021 PayScale data:

$166,000
Chief Information Security Officer

$166,000
Chief Information Officer

$122,000
Network Architect

$117,000
Information Security Manager

$93,000
Security Engineer

Gain incentives beyond salary.

Salary numbers paint a clear picture of the potential ROI of an online master’s degree in cybersecurity. Top earners in the field make salaries well into six figures. But information professionals often also enjoy the additional perks of a competitive marketplace and a modern work environment. According to Business News Daily, today’s employers offer unique benefits to top talent, including complimentary meals, company gyms, massage therapists, and in-house health services.

How Does Our Online Master’s in Cybersecurity Prepare You for the Workforce?

Our curriculum makes the difference. As a student in our program, you’ll spend half of your time in core courses focused on IT management, cyber defense, and cybersecurity incident response, to name a few. In addition, you’ll have a choice of three focus areas: Technical, Leadership, and General. Students can choose to concentrate on one specialization track or take courses from all three.

Our Technical elective courses focus on network security, mobile device hacking and forensics, security log management, and more. Courses in this specialization will prepare you to take the ECSA, ECES, and Splunk Core Certified Power User exams.

Our Leadership elective courses cover such topics as the principles of cybersecurity auditing, data security and analysis, risk metrics and analysis, cloud migration, and more. These courses will prepare you to take the CISA and CCSP exams.

Our General elective courses cover security operations management and responsible information security operations, with the opportunity to apply learned concepts through projects with industry partners. In the course Domains of Cybersecurity, you’ll gain the skills necessary to take the CISSP exam.

In addition, you’ll have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in our Cyber Fusion Center, a next-generation learning center where students provide cost-free cybersecurity services to a wide range of clients, including nonprofit organizations, charities, schools, and small businesses.

Why Choose an Online Master’s in Cybersecurity Over a Degree in Computer Science?

As technology advances and more and more devices go online — from cars to kitchen appliances to election systems — the need for well-trained cybersecurity professionals with the skills to protect these systems from threats continues to grow. A master’s degree in cybersecurity will prepare you to meet these changing cyber threats and find success in a high-demand field.

Higher income potential

Cybersecurity workers can command an average salary premium of $12,700 per year compared with other IT workers, according to Burning Glass Technologies, a company that specializes in job market analytics.

Exciting opportunities

Your cybersecurity master’s degree can help you qualify for high-growth jobs. U.S. News & World Report ranks “information security analyst” fourth on its list of Best Technology Jobs of 2021, among other high-growth positions such as data scientist and IT manager.

Sean K

Sean K., graduate, Master of Science in Cybersecurity

“Every single time I’ve ever talked to anyone at Maryville, they’ve done whatever they can to help me. Every time I called, I got help. I value customer service very highly. That’s why I chose Maryville: Everybody who I’ve met here has always been really cool.”

The Maryville Online Master’s in Cybersecurity Curriculum

Our online master’s in cybersecurity features a curriculum designed to help you improve your technical skillset, hone your expertise, and gain industry-relevant certifications. Pursue professional credentials such as:

EC Council-Certified Security Analyst (ECSA)
EC Council-Certified Encryption Specialist (ECES)
Splunk Core Certified Power User
Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)
Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP)
Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)

You can further customize your master’s degree experience by pursuing one of three areas of emphasis: Leadership, Technical, or General. Whether it’s cybersecurity governance and information security management, ethical hacking and network security, or security operations management and research, you’ll have the opportunity to gain the specialized knowledge to create the career you want.

Because our program is housed in the John E. Simon School of Business, you can develop a great business sense, too. Learn more on our curriculum page.

Grow your career on offense and defense.

To become a cybersecurity expert, you must be well-versed in offensive and defensive techniques. We teach you both. Courses such as Mobile Device Hacking and Forensics will give you firsthand knowledge of the types of threats you may see in your career. And courses such as Controls for Effective Cyber Defense and Cybersecurity Incident Response and Examination can prepare you to build defensive and preventive strategies.

Learn the legal side, too.

Our online master’s in cybersecurity teaches more than technical skills. In our Legal Aspects of Privacy and Compliance course, you’ll get the opportunity to study the legal and ethical perspectives of cybersecurity by exploring questions of jurisdiction, regulation of online speech, privacy, security, and intellectual property.

Insights from Our Faculty

Our cybersecurity professors shared their thoughts on Maryville’s online master’s in cybersecurity program and the cybersecurity industry:

What are some of the most crucial skills students will gain from this degree that can be applied throughout a cyber career?

Maryville’s program has a wide range of hands-on activities such as virtual labs and our Cyber Fusion Center, but the most crucial skill a student can gain from this degree and apply throughout their career is a soft skill: the ability to communicate with technical and non-technical peers. This is arguably the single greatest skill for a cybersecurity professional.

—Randy Magiera

What’s the advantage of earning a graduate degree and certifications?

A degree attests that you are able to enter into a project and see it through to completion and that you’ve been exposed to a number of critical functional areas. I would say that having a degree in cyber will complement experience along with certifications and may be a determining factor in whether you are considered for a position or not. Both degrees and certs are advantageous to one’s career.

—Mark McRoy

How can an organization successfully balance its business needs with its security efforts?

The role of a security professional is to support the business, not the other way around. That’s why a good cybersecurity professional needs to be able to communicate risks to leadership and help it understand the potential impact on an organization. If a cybersecurity professional cannot get management on their side, they’ll have a very difficult time securing their organization.

—Randy Magiera

What do you think the biggest advancements in cybersecurity will be in the next 10 years?

I’d think that the continued advancement in AI, security, and hacking sophistication will be the focus. It’s a never-ending cat-and-mouse game between hackers and defenders. This gives us job security, but as the tactics, techniques, and procedures continue to evolve, we as cybersecurity professionals must continue to step up to combat the adversary. Education will continue to play a big part in the cyber professional’s career.

—Mark McRoy

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I do with a master’s degree in cybersecurity?

With a holistic curriculum designed to create well-rounded cybersecurity professionals, Maryville’s online master’s degree in cybersecurity will prepare you for career advancement in a variety of fields across all sectors — public, private, and nonprofit.

Defend your organization’s information systems as a security engineer with advanced knowledge of intrusion detection and prevention protocols or take charge of the design and review of your organization’s networks as a network architect. With enough experience, you can advance to chief information officer, the high-level executive who manages IT/IS departments and makes critical decisions regarding an organization’s information framework.

With a master’s degree in cybersecurity, you have a world of career options to choose from.

What is the median cybersecurity salary for graduates of a master’s in cybersecurity program?

Is the online master’s in cybersecurity accredited?

Yes. The Master of Science in Cybersecurity program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). This means the program meets the ACBSP’s industry-specific standards for teaching excellence and quality student outcomes.

Additionally, Maryville University proudly holds regional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Maryville has maintained accreditation from the HLC since 1941, and this status was most recently reaffirmed in 2015.

How long is the master’s in cybersecurity online program?

What certifications can you earn with Maryville’s online master’s in cybersecurity?

Certifications play a key role in the hiring of IT and cybersecurity professionals. That’s why Maryville’s online master’s in cybersecurity curriculum offers six industry-relevant certifications to help give you a competitive edge with hiring managers.

Students who take courses from our Technical specialization track can prepare to take the ECSA, ECES, and Splunk Core Certified Power User exams.
Students who select courses from our Leadership specialization can prepare to take the CISA and CCSP exams.
Students who enroll in General specialization courses can prepare to take the CISSP exam.

You can choose to focus on one specialization area or take courses across all three tracks, allowing you to earn the right certifications for your career goals. Certification exams are administered upon completion of the corresponding courses, meaning no significant outside time commitment is required.

Apply to the online master’s degree in cybersecurity program at Maryville University.

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Master's in Cybersecurity Online