Best Online Cybersecurity Associate Degrees: 2026 Rankings
Two-year cybersecurity degrees you can complete online, from community and technical colleges.
Updated
San Jacinto College, St. Philip's College, and St. Petersburg College offer the best online cybersecurity associate degrees on our 10-college list. San Jacinto College lists an estimated total tuition of $4,980, and St. Philip's College lists $6,540 in-state. Published totals across the list run from $4,980 to $13,080, with a median near $7,260. In-district and in-state students usually pay the lowest rates at public colleges.
Top 10 online cybersecurity associate degrees
Rank
School
Location
1
San Jacinto College
Pasadena, TX
2
St. Philip's College
San Antonio, TX
3
St. Petersburg College
St. Petersburg, FL
4
Lansing Community College
Lansing, MI
5
St. Louis Community College
St. Louis, MO
6
Metropolitan Community College
Kansas City, MO
7
Yavapai College
Prescott, AZ
8
Jefferson State Community College
Birmingham, AL
9
Ivy Tech Community College
Indianapolis, IN
10
Century College
White Bear Lake, MN
The table is for quick comparison. School write-ups below cover program name, format, and tuition—always confirm on the school site. More programs to compare appear after the write-ups when we have additional schools outside this top list.
How we ranked this list
We order schools on this page using our ranking method, with more weight on affordability (40%), student outcomes (30%), curriculum (18%). Figures draw from published school tuition and U.S. Department of Education outcomes data when available. Schools cannot pay for a higher rank. About 78% of programs on this list have full scoring data. Read the full ranking methodology.
How To Choose an Online Cybersecurity Associate Degree
Use these criteria when you shortlist—then confirm details on each school’s program page.
AAS or transfer degree
An Associate of Applied Science (AAS) is built for jobs right after graduation. An AS or AA is built to transfer. Pick the one that matches your next step.
Transfer agreements
Look for a signed transfer agreement with a four-year school you would actually attend, so your credits count toward a bachelor's instead of electives.
CAE-CD and hands-on labs
Community colleges can earn the NSA's CAE in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) designation. Pair that with virtual labs, competition teams and certification prep built into courses.
Online logistics
Check whether online labs are live or self-paced, and whether proctored exams need a campus visit.
Jobs an associate degree can lead to
Computer network support specialists earned a median $76,220 in May 2025, and BLS projects the field to grow 1.2% from 2025 to 2035. Computer user support specialists earned a median $61,860 in May 2025, and BLS projects the field to shrink 3.5% from 2025 to 2035.
Information security analysts earned a median $129,180 in May 2025, and BLS projects the field to grow 21% from 2025 to 2035. Most analyst postings ask for a bachelor's, so many associate graduates work in IT support while they finish one. See our cybersecurity analyst career guide.
School-by-school program summaries
Each school lists a quick overview (program, estimated cost, format) plus a short program summary with links to official school pages and related program paths. Tuition figures are published estimates—confirm current totals on the school’s program page before you apply.
1
San Jacinto College
Pasadena, TX
CIT · Information Technology Cybersecurity Specialty · Associate of Applied Science
Overview
Availability: Online or on campus
Estimated tuition total: $4,980 (in-district)
Credits: 60
Best for: Working adults comparing this online cybersecurity path on cost and fit
NSA CAE: NSA CAE (CAE-CD)
Program summary
San Jacinto College sits in Pasadena. Delivery is fully online—confirm live vs recorded sessions and any intensives.
Best for: Working adults comparing this online cybersecurity path on cost and fit (Jefferson State Community College)
NSA CAE: NSA CAE (CAE-CD)
Program summary
Jefferson State Community College is based in Birmingham. Cybersecurity is the focus track inside a broader computing or IT degree—check how many security-specific credits you must complete. Delivery is fully online—confirm live vs recorded sessions and any intensives.
More Online Cybersecurity Associate Programs to Compare
These schools also offer online cybersecurity associate programs. They are not numbered in the ranking above—either they sat outside the top list, or we do not yet have a defensible tuition estimate to score them fairly on cost. Confirm current tuition and admissions on each school site.
School
Location
Program
Estimated tuition
Joliet Junior College
Joliet, IL
Associate of Applied Science in Cybersecurity
$9,362 (in-state)
Herkimer College, SUNY
Herkimer, NY
Cybersecurity and Digital Forensics A.S.
$10,240
Alexandria Technical and Community College
AlexAndria, MN
Cybersecurity · Virtualization & Networking
$11,504
Bluegrass Community & Technical College
Versailles, KY
Cybersecurity AAS
$12,384 (in-state)
Eastern Iowa Community College
Davenport, IA
Information Technology — Cybersecurity · AAS
$12,958 (in-state)
Southern Arkansas University Tech
East Camden, AR
Associate of Applied Science in Cybersecurity
$15,180 (in-state)
MassBay Community College
Wellesley, MA
Associate in Science in Cybersecurity
$15,438 (in-state)
Montgomery College
Rockville, MD
Associate of Applied Science in Cybersecurity
$16,380 (in-state)
Middlesex Community College
Lowell, MA
Associate in Science in Information Technology — Cybersecurity Concentration
What is the best online cybersecurity associate degree?
San Jacinto College, St. Philip's College, and St. Petersburg College lead our ranking. Compare transfer agreements and in-district tuition before you choose.
Is an associate degree in cybersecurity worth it?
It can be a low-cost start. Computer network support specialists earned a median $76,220 in May 2025, and BLS projects the field to grow 1.2% from 2025 to 2035. Many graduates transfer into a bachelor's for analyst roles.
Can I get a cybersecurity job with just an associate degree?
Yes, mostly in IT support, help desk, network support and security operations center (SOC) roles. Certifications such as CompTIA Security+ strengthen an associate-level resume.
How long does a cybersecurity associate degree take?
About two years full time. Part-time and online students often take longer; check the program map on the school's site.
