Is a Master's in Cybersecurity Worth It?

If you’re a professional in information security you may have been wondering if an advanced degree in cybersecurity is worth it. We will break down what a master’s in cybersecurity entails, its requirements, skills you’ll gain, and consider the costs vs. benefits.

What Is a Master’s in Cybersecurity?

Depending upon your previous experience, a Master’s in Cybersecurity can prepare you for entry to mid-level or higher roles in all areas of information security. Graduates will be well-equipped to manage security functions, assess risks, identify threats, handle digital evidence, recover data, and support decision-making to protect assets and allocate resources effectively.

Many master’s level programs require or recommend that you come in with some professional experience in a related field (three years), or a bachelor’s degree in IT or a related major such as security, MIS, software development, and/or a relevant industry security certification.

See the graduate degree-specific admissions requirements for the Master’s in Cybersecurity or the MS in Cybersecurity cohort requirements at Bellevue University. The more background and credentials you have, the smoother your road will be to earning the master’s and the more valuable your degree will be.

Key Benefits of Getting a Master’s in Cybersecurity Degree

1. Hands-on experience.

As a cybersecurity professional, you need to be proficient in an array of technical skills–including programming, conducting audits, and applying incident response plans—and be able to leverage them to achieve business objectives. For this reason, gaining practical experience as a student is critical. Bellevue University students have the opportunity to practice what they’ve learned in a virtual environment using a variety of both open-source and commercial tools. The Master’s in Cybersecurity curriculum at Bellevue University has been designed to directly apply to students’ careers.

In schools with active clubs or student organizations that allow you to practice applying cybersecurity skills, students can participate in capture-the-flag competitions such as the ones hosted by the National Cyber League. Bellevue University continuously updates the coursework based on input from professionals working in the field.

I want to show the application. Rather than just book knowledge, here’s how you’re really going to use this in the real world.

– Douglas Rausch, Program Director, Bellevue University's cybersecurity programs

2. Learn from faculty with extensive cybersecurity experience.

Who better to teach cybersecurity students than experienced professionals? Faculty who’ve worked in the field are able to offer firsthand insight and guidance you won’t receive from instructors who are solely academics. Just consider Doug Rausch’s resume. He’s been providing communications systems and cybersecurity guidance for the defense and commercial sectors for decades, including 25 years working as a cyber operations officer for the U.S. Air Force. "I spent my days basically making sure the United States was defended against cyberattacks from other countries," explained Rausch, who is now the Director of cybersecurity programs at Bellevue University.

Additionally, the programs and faculty at Bellevue University, like Dr. Lisa McKee, have received numerous honors, rankings and awards.

Almost every cybersecurity program strives to provide students with a high-quality education, but few achieve recognition as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD). Managed by the National Cryptologic School at the National Security Agency (NSA), the CAE-CDE program was initially created as a way to address the lack of qualified cybersecurity professionals. What [NSA] did is start a program where they could put forth a number of key elements of information that they felt cybersecurity professionals needed and then looked for universities that were teaching those elements to a significant level.

– Douglas Rausch, Program Director, Bellevue University's cybersecurity programs

3. Gain a recognized credential and prepare for further certifications.

The MS in Cybersecurity is a recognized credential. When you earn the degree through the program at Bellevue University, which is recognized as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD),* you are assured of an innovative education that produces a well-trained and well-versed workforce to protect our nation's information infrastructure. The Master’s in Cybersecurity can also prepare you to pursue further professional certifications in information security, such as:

• Any certifications from the Global Information Assurance Certification (GIAC)
• Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) from the cybersecurity professional organization (ISC)² for experienced security professionals
• Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) for professionals moving from the technical to the managerial side of cybersecurity

Prior to earning a master’s in cybersecurity, or depending on your desired career path, many professionals consider the following certifications:

• CompTIA Security+ (entry-level security certification)
• GIAC Certified Incident Handler (GCIH) for those working in incident response
• Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) is applicable to white hat hacking, penetration testing, and red teaming
• Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) from IT professional association ISACA for mid-level IT professionals

Skills Gained in a Master’s in Cybersecurity Degree

Skills you will learn in the master’s program include, but are not limited to:

• Strategic decision-making
• Analysis and mitigation of threats
• Information technology governance
• Risk management and recommendation of control strategies
• Recommendation of compliance procedures
• Detection and response to security incidents
• Business continuity planning and disaster recovery

How Valuable is a Master’s in Cybersecurity?

Financial Considerations

When considering whether an advanced degree like a master’s in cybersecurity is worth it, you must factor in several things such as time, cost, education requirements, and personal commitment.

Weigh the costs with the benefits of earning a master’s degree. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lists the current (2023) median annual salary of information security analysts as $120,360 per year. Graduates with a master’s degree often earn higher-than-average salaries, usually higher than those with a bachelor’s degree, and enjoy strong job security in a high-demand industry.
However, earning potential in information security varies depending on factors such as industry, location, experience, and specific job role.

Costs can vary greatly between schools and are usually measured by cost per credit. It’s important to do some research to guide your decision. Here are some of the facts:

• Cost per credit and other fees are found on the Bellevue University Tuition and Fees page.
• Graduate students are eligible for financial aid and scholarships.
• Military education funding and corporate tuition assistance are other popular ways to fund graduate courses.
• You may be able to transfer in up to 6 graduate credit hours from a previous accredited university. Contact us to learn more about how to have your credits evaluated.

Education Requirements

Beyond the financial costs, educational requirements take your time, effort, and personal commitment. Here’s what you can expect.

Most students complete a master’s degree in 2-3 years, depending on several factors, including how many credits you take per term and how many are required (part-time students may take longer). A master’s in cybersecurity degree typically requires 30-36 graduate credit hours.

Bellevue University’s 36-credit hour program is offered in a traditional and accelerated cohort format. The traditional master’s format means you choose whether to take one or two classes at a time for three-month terms. If taken full-time, the program can be completed in 18 months to 2 years. Those who select and meet the requirements of the streamlined cohort format are enrolled in all their courses right away and take two classes at a time in three-month terms, making it possible to finish the program in 14 months, if you are continuously enrolled and successfully pass all courses.

How Has the Master’s in Cybersecurity Helped Your Career?

Learn from these Bellevue University graduates how earning their Master’s in Cybersecurity helped their careers thrive and grow.

For Kim van Lavieren, “security has been the red thread throughout my career.”

van Lavieren, a native of the Netherlands, eventually went on to receive his bachelor’s degree in software engineering.

Then, a couple years ago, he took a position as a development, security and operations engineer at an organization. There, he noticed that the development team was paying little to no attention to security during their development efforts.

“Due to my interest in security, I proposed that we should implement secure development practices and security testing,” van Lavieren said. “However, at this point, I had no official qualifications in the security domain other than experience and a bachelor’s degree. To me, a master’s degree in cybersecurity seemed like the best way to gain an in-depth but also broad understanding of all aspects of cybersecurity.”

He added, “As the Netherlands do not have any good cybersecurity programs, my eye was quickly turned to the United States. After researching a wide variety of universities, Bellevue University really stood out to me due to their qualified staff, full online delivery, and designation as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education.”

van Lavieren graduated with his Master of Science in Cybersecurity in 2021 and felt his experience at Bellevue University was “one like no other.” He appreciated that the professors challenged him and made what they were teaching relevant and applicable to the real world.

Honestly, I think a lot of the faculty at Bellevue University are far more than just professors. For example, Karla Carter, Ron Woerner and Daug Rausch go well beyond what is expected of a professor and have truly made a difference in my academic career. Even after I graduated from Bellevue University, they are still willing to provide their insights and guidance.

– Kim van Lavieren, MS Cybersecurity

Since graduating, van Lavieren accepted a job offer to become a senior security consultant and has received multiple leading industry certifications—opportunities he said his master’s degree played an extremely important role in.

“The degree has provided me with an extremely broad and in-depth understanding of the cybersecurity landscape, and I apply the knowledge gained from the degree every single day,” he said.

First Gen Immigrant Cybersecurity Master’s Student Overcomes Barriers to Excel as an IT Auditor

Tajudeen Garuba is a working, adult learner and first-generation, immigrant college student who is thrilled to have graduated from Bellevue University with a Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity. Garuba was able to take advantage of corporate tuition assistance to complete the bachelor’s before transitioning into the Master’s in Cybersecurity.

“I’m really proud that I am a graduate of Bellevue. I think it is a reasonably academically strenuous institution where reading, writing, and critical thinking skills become well-developed. I studied cybersecurity, and while I wasn’t top of my class, I got pretty exceptional grades. My former employer sponsored my bachelor's degree and my current employer is paying 90% of the tuition for the Master's. I count myself lucky!”

“Bellevue University allowed me to finish out my degree quicker as they were generous at crediting my prior education for my degree at Bellevue, and I'm very grateful for that.”

“Coming from a third-world country, I faced numerous systemic barriers and emotional hardships when I immigrated to America to pursue higher education. The immense challenge of navigating a complex new culture and language initially felt insurmountable. My previous degree back home was in the Humanities—drastically different training from the technical knowledge required for success in my program of choice in Information Technology. I had no foundational understanding of computers or auditing.”

Despite the lack of background in information security and multiple barriers, Garube persevered and achieved the bachelor’s degree that launched an entry-level career, and met the requirements that fed into a master’s, ultimately leading to more opportunities in this demanding field.

I secured a stable job at a prestigious firm as an IT Auditor—blowing past expectations I'd held for my career prospects as an immigrant. While the challenges transformed me, my proudest achievement is utilizing this privilege to pave the way for those following behind my footsteps.

– Tajudeen Garuba, BS in Cybersecurity, MS in Cybersecurity student at Bellevue University and IT Auditor at Prudential

The Bottom Line: Is a Master’s in Cybersecurity Right For You?

Students and graduates from the MS in Cybersecurity program have worked for Fortune 200 companies, major military commands, state and local governments or academic institutions, and national defense contractors. This degree is for professionals in private and public sectors who have the desire to take the lead in this intriguing industry. For your future and the future of cyber defense, the possibilities for growth and rewards are great, no matter where your career takes you.

Start Your Master’s in Cybersecurity at Bellevue University Today

Explore the Bellevue University Master’s in Cybersecurity degree today!

*Designation of Excellence

The National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security have designated Bellevue University as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense, (CAE-CD). This designation covers academic years 2022 through 2027.

Related resources we think you’ll like.

What Is a Master’s in Cybersecurity?
What Can You Do With a Master’s in Cybersecurity?
The Benefits of Earning a Master’s Degree