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The 10 Best Online MBAs in Cyber Security Degree Programs

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the 10 best online MBAs in cyber security degree programs

Best Online Masters in Cybersecurity Degree Programs

Cybersecurity and Information Assurance is one of the fastest-growing fields in the country. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts infosec employment to grow 28% over the next decade, about four times the national average, and the computer and IT sector expects to add over 550,000 through 2026.

Business, in particular, will experience major changes, as more organizations are forced to adapt to information assurance risks including malware, ransomware, data breaches, and more. For instance, security for cloud services — which in 2018 stores about “>10.6 zettabytes – is a serious concern. The average enterprise experiences over 23 cloud-related threats per month, and only 23% of organizations completely trust public clouds to keep their data secure. As for cyber attacks, while 80% of organizations implement standard security protections, malware attacks bypass security for nearly half.

One solution is cyber literacy: without a widely informed workforce, and not just on the IT side, businesses will continue to be at risk. Fortunately, cybersecurity and information assurance MBA specializations are starting to become standard offerings at programs across the country, combining the traditional MBA core with in-depth coursework on cybersecurity from a business perspective.

Below, we’ve ranked the top 10 online MBAs in Cybersecurity, with a focus on flexible programs for working professionals. Click the link to find out more about each degree, and keep in mind that coursework may vary.

1) Salve Regina University Department of Business Studies and Economics – Newport, Rhode Island

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Founded in 1934, Salve Regina is a private Catholic institution with a total enrollment of about 2,700, including 600 graduate students. US News ranks the university 37th in the region, as well as 40th for overall value and 20th for veteran services. The 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio fosters a highly collaborative, intimate learning community with individualized instruction and small class sizes: 45% have fewer than 20 students, and less than 1% have 50 or more. Admissions are rolling.

Salve Regina offers an online 36-creidt MBA with five specialization options, including Cybersecurity Issues in Business. Core coursework includes Managing in a Global Economy, Business Law, Social Justice and Business Ethics, Management of Cyber Opportunities and Threats, Financial Management, Creative Problem Solving, and a capstone in Strategic Management and Business Policy. The cyber specialization requires Cyberthreat Management and Analytic Methods. SRU’s generous transfer program allows students to waive some credit requirements, and all courses are designed for maximum flexibility to accommodate a wide range of working professionals, adult learners, and non-traditional students. The degree is accredited by the IACBE.

2) Capitol Technology University

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Capitol Technology University is a private institution outside of Baltimore with approximately 460 graduate students. With a 16:1 student-to-faculty ratio, CTU combines the resources of a larger school with the intimate, personalized feel of a small educational setting, offering collaborative learning opportunities, manageable class sizes, and instruction from top-flight professors and experts in the field.

Capitol Tech’s online MBA is a 36-39 credit program with available specializations in Information Assurance, Information Technology, Technology Management Law and Policy, and Leadership. (The university reports that an “additional specialization option emphasizing acquisition in the federal government and DoD contracting arena is under development.”) IA requirements include Network Systems Security Concepts, Malicious Software, and Internal Protection; IT requirements include Managing Information Systems, Business Data Communications and Networking, and Decision Support and Expert Systems. Coursework emphasizes career-oriented skill development, and Capitol is designated by the NSA and DHS as a Center of Academic Excellence in information assurance and cyber defense.

3) University of Dallas

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Founded in 1956, University of Dallas is a private Catholic institution with a total enrollment of about 2,400 students, half of whom are in graduate programs. US News ranks UD among the top 15 colleges and universities in the South region, and 4th for overall value. With an 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio, Dallas supports a tight-knit educational community that features collaborative learning experiences, tailored instruction from expert faculty, and small class sizes: over 60% of classes have fewer than 20 students, and just 3% have 50 or more.

US News also touts Dallas’s online MBA program, a 30-credit program which features concentrations in Accounting, Business Analytics, Finance, Global Business, Information & Technology Management, and Cybersecurity, which will prepare you for a career in areas such as threat analysis, cyber defense, network security, penetration testing and digital forensics. Courses include Data Protection, Compliance and Legal Issues, Operational Cybersecurity Management, and Network Security. Eight-five percent of Dallas MBA students are full-time professionals, so the program is designed for maximum flexibility to accommodate busy schedules. It is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International).

4) Excelsior College School of Business and Technology – Albany, New York

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Excelsior College is a private institution with approximately 1,400 graduate students and 35,000 undergraduate students. The 16:1 student-to-faculty ratio helps to support individualized instruction and collaborative learning, while the school’s undergraduate size contributes to a vibrant educational environment. Eighty-three percent of Excelsior students are working professionals, seventy-four percent of which are full-time, and forty-six percent of students are active duty military or veterans.

Excelsior offers an online MBA in Cybersecurity Management that requires 36 credits. Core requirements include Global Business Environment, Information Technology, Leadership, Managerial Finance, Marketing, Operations Management, and Project Management Principles and Applications, among others. Specialization courses are Foundations of Cybersecurity Management, IT Risk Analysis and Management, and an approve cybersecurity elective in areas such as cyber attacks and defenses, mobile and cloud security, and cybercrime and cyberterrorism. Courses are designed for maximum flexibility to fit the needs of working professionals, and transfer credits are available. Program objectives include applying cybersecurity principles and regulatory standards to minimize liabilities and risks, and integrating risk management and threat mitigation techniques to business decision-making and IT governance.

5) Cardinal Stritch University College of Business and Management – Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Founded in 1937, Cardinal Stritch University is a private Franciscan Catholic institution with a total enrollment of about 2,500 students, half of whom are graduate students. The university’s Franciscan values emphasize hands-on, purpose-driven education, and the 15:1 student-to-faculty ratio translates to personalized instruction and an intimate learning community. Three-quarters of classes have less than 20 students, and less than 1 percent have 50 or more.

Stritch’s online MBA program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs, and includes concentrations in Marketing, Justice Administration, Healthcare Management, and Cybersecurity. Required coursework includes Principles of Organizational Financial Planning and Business Development, Strategic Management of Information Resources and Systems, Principles of Continuous Process Improvement and Tools for Quality Management, two capstone experiences, and more. Graduates of the Cybersecurity specialization will be prepared to identify, assess, and manage security risks and vulnerabilities, as well as design and implement appropriate safeguards and controls. To provide maximum flexibility, hybrid delivery formats are available, and there are five entry dates throughout the year.

  • Tuition Per Credit: $665

6) Maryville University John E. Simon School Of Business – Saint Louis, Missouri

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Founded in 1872, Maryville University s a private institution with a total enrollment of about 6,800, including about 3,800 graduate students. Forbes and Kiplinger’s consistently rank Maryville among the best private schools in the country, and US News places it on “Best Of” lists for National Universities and High School Counselor Rankings. With a 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio, the school fosters a tight-knit educational setting with collaborative learning opportunities, tailored instruction, and small class sizes: nearly seventy percent have fewer than 20 students.

Maryville’s online MBA is accredited by the ACBSP and NCA, and is designed for maximum flexibility to fit the busy schedules of working professionals, adult learners, and nontraditional students. Eight concentrations offer you the ability to tailor the degree to areas of professional interest, including cybersecurity and information assurance, and all courses are 100% online. Better yet, no previous business experience is required for admission, and you won’t need to submit GMAT or GRE scores. Students on an accelerated track can complete the MBA in as little as one year, and there are six annual entry dates.

7) Baker College College of Business – Flint, Michigan

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Baker College, founded in 1911, has thirteen campuses throughout Michigan – including Auburn Hills, Flint, Allen Park, Cadillac, and Port Huron – plus one campus in Reading, Pennsylvania. Featuring a variety of career-centered undergraduate, graduate, and pre-professional programs, all Baker degrees are designed for maximum flexibility to accommodate working professionals and adult learners, including 24/7 access to course material. The university’s 16:1 student-to-faculty ratio helps to balance a collaborative atmosphere with tailored instruction and manageable class sizes, and for students who to combine on-campus and online classes, Baker offers offers the ability to enroll in hybrid delivery courses.

Baker offers an online MBA in Cloud Security Risk Management designed to help students improve their understanding of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Risk Management Framework (RMF). In addition to 26 major credits, students complete courses in Cloud Security Vulnerability Management, Cloud Security Risk Management Policy and Methods Review, CSRM methodology credit, and two practicum requirements to develop hands-on, real-world experience. All courses are designed for maximum flexibility and address specific professional skills. The program is accredited by the International Accreditation Council for Business Education.

8) Saint Leo University Donald R. Tapia School of Business – Saint Leo, Florida

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Saint Leo University, founded in 1889, is Florida’s oldest Catholic institution of higher learning, with a total enrollment of about 6,000 students, over 60% of which take online classes. Pitted among the best 60 schools in the South by US News, Saint Leo also ranks 23rd for overall value and places in the top 40 for veteran support. Leo’s 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio promotes tailored instruction, collaborative education, and a tight-knit learning community that combines the intimacy of a liberal arts school with the resources of large research institution.

Saint Leo’s 36-credit online MBA in Cybersecurity Management includes coursework in Professional Development, Global Business Management, Systems Security Management, Network Security Management, Strategic Planning for Cybersecurity, Disaster Recovery Management, and Web Services Security, among others. The program is designed for maximum flexibility to accommodate a wide variety of learners, and there are six entry dates throughout the year. Courses deliver in 8-week blocks, allowing students on an accelerated track (two courses per block) to complete the degree in as little as one year. For those interested, and with approval of the MBA director, students can pursue an additional concentration alongside Cybersecurity. The degree is accredited by he Accreditation Council for Business Schools & Programs (ACBSP) and the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE).

9) Northcentral University School of Business – San Diego, California

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Established in 1996, Northcentral University is a 100% online university, with a headquarters in San Diego, California. Offering bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees across three schools, NU has a total enrollment of just over 10,000 students. Through its unique delivery model, all students receive one-on-one instruction from expert faculty and industry leaders, encouraging an intimate, collaborative educational setting with career-centered goals. NU holds accreditations from the WASC Senior College and University Commission and the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs.

Northcentral offers a 100% online MBA in Computer and Information Security. In addition to a rigorous business core, students select three courses in subjects such as Corporate Computer and Network Security, Cyber Forensics, Systems Certification and Accreditation, Risk Management in Information Assurance and Security, and Cyberterrorism, among others. For maximum flexibility, NCU’s program is entirely asynchronous — weekly course starts, no scheduled lecture hours — and can be completed in as little as 16 months (through students have up to 5 years). Upon graduation of the program, you’ll be prepared to evaluate the health of an organization, deliver effective business solutions, and understand basic security threats, information assurance and security management in corporations.

10) Florida Institute of Technology Nathan M. Bisk College of Business – Melbourne, Florida

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Florida Institute of Technology, founded in 1958, is a private university with 6,500 students, half of which are enrolled in graduate programs and include students from all 50 states and over 100 countries. US News, Forbes, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Monthly all rank FIT among the best schools in the country; PayScale, the Brookings Institution, and Barron’s highlight FIT’s return-on-investment potential. With an approach called “High Tech with a Human Touch,” FIT emphasizes professional development and personalized instruction. The student-to-faculty ratio is 13:1, and nearly half of classes have under 20 students.

Florida Tech’s online MBA in Cybersecurity features rigorous core coursework in managerial business as well as in-depth studies in cybersecurity for business. Example courses include Information Security Management, Security in the Enterprise, Host Based Security, Secure Networks and Communication, and Management Information Systems. In addition, students learn how to analyze cybersecurity policy, trends, and intelligence to prepare for and identify current and emerging threats. All online classes are asynchronous to accommodate working professionals and adult learners. Student support services include enrollment services representatives, 24/7 tech support, e-libary and tutoring services, and career management services.