There is no single authoritative national ranking of cybersecurity associate degrees, and a program’s position on a list does not prove teaching quality, job placement or return on investment. Compare the award, credits, total cost, delivery, practical coursework, transfer arrangements and current designations—and verify each detail with the college before enrolling.
What a 2027 program list can—and cannot—tell you
Cybersecurity Guide’s 2027 page is a directory of programs and details such as location, delivery, credits, tuition and CAE fields; it should not be treated as a definitive quality ranking. A separate 2026 ranking uses a different formula, so its results should not be blended with the 2027 listings as though they measure the same thing. Any ranking is useful only when its publisher, data cutoff and evaluation factors are clear.
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Cybersecurity Guide says its compilation includes 199 associate programs and draws records from IPEDS and College Navigator, with verification against college pages in August 2026. In that dataset, listed in-state tuition ranges from $1,288 to $107,940, with a reported average of $13,027. Those are figures from the guide’s dataset, not a government census or a guaranteed bill; tuition can change and may exclude fees, books and other expenses. See Cybersecurity Guide’s associate-program listings.
How to compare programs before applying
Use a ranking to build a shortlist, then compare the details that affect your own cost, schedule and next step. The label “cybersecurity associate degree” does not guarantee that two programs award the same credential or require the same coursework.
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- Total cost: Separate tuition from mandatory fees, books, equipment and other attendance costs. Check whether a quoted rate applies to in-district, in-state or out-of-state students, and whether aid is included.
- Credits and time: Confirm the total required credits, full-time duration and any conditions for an accelerated schedule. Cybersecurity Guide says most programs in its dataset are around 60 credits and take two years full-time; that is a broad pattern, not a promise for every program or student.
- Credential and transfer: Check whether the school awards an AS, AAS or another credential, and how much general education coursework is included. An AS may transfer more readily than a career-oriented AAS, but the receiving institution decides what it will accept.
- Delivery and hands-on learning: Determine whether the program is online, campus-based or hybrid, and ask about lab access, required attendance, proctoring and schedule constraints. A program advertised as online may still have requirements that affect where or when you can study.
- Accreditation and designation: Check institutional accreditation separately from any Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) designation. CAE-CD is a program designation, not a substitute for institutional accreditation; confirm its current status and applicable dates with official sources.
- Certification preparation: Look for the specific exams or skills covered and ask whether exam fees or vouchers are included. Coursework that prepares students for an exam does not by itself mean the credential is awarded.
- Outcomes: Prefer program-level graduate outcomes that identify the cohort, source and measure. Occupation-wide salary or growth statistics are not the same as job placement or earnings for graduates of a particular associate program.
What published tuition examples show
The following figures are Cybersecurity Guide’s 2026/2027 listings, not guaranteed student bills. Confirm current tuition, fees and eligibility directly with each college.
| College | Guide-listed tuition | Listed in-state rate | Credits | Delivery listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tarrant County College District | $4,440 total | $74 per credit | 60 | Campus and online |
| Miami Dade College | $7,093.20 total | $118.22 per credit | 60 | Campus |
The guide-reported amounts illustrate how prices and formats differ; they do not establish each student’s actual cost. Confirm residency classification, fees and current catalog requirements with the institution. Miami Dade College’s official program page describes its structure and designation, but the tuition fields on that page were blank when reviewed, so the dollar figure above remains the guide’s listing rather than an official college-page confirmation. Cybersecurity Guide program listings; Miami Dade College cybersecurity program.
Examples from the 2027 listings
Cybersecurity Guide’s list includes Central Georgia Technical College, Santa Fe College, Northwood Technical College, Tarrant County College District and Miami Dade College. Treat these as examples to investigate, not as objectively superior choices: the listing alone does not establish a shared ranking methodology or prove that one program suits a particular student better.
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Miami Dade College describes hands-on, simulation-based and team learning. Its program page identifies work in network defense, network scanning and enumeration, penetration testing, digital forensics and incident response. It also names preparation for the Security+, Linux+, Network+ and CySA+ exams. These are stated curriculum and preparation areas, not confirmation that exam fees or vouchers are included, nor a guarantee of certification or employment.
The college lists possible career directions including SOC analyst, cybersecurity specialist, incident responder, security systems administrator, consultant, analyst and management or administrator roles. These are possibilities identified by the college; the page does not establish graduate placement rates or salaries. The college states that its CAE validation covers academic years 2022–2027, so check official sources for status and scope applicable to your intended enrollment period. Miami Dade College cybersecurity program details.
Baltimore City Community College: certifications and internships
Baltimore City Community College says its Cyber Security and Assurance program provides practical experience and prepares students for commercial security certifications. The college identifies potential directions such as cybersecurity technician, analyst and risk-assessment support, and lists internships, scholarships, certification training and vouchers among program features. Confirm current availability and eligibility with the college; these statements do not establish a placement rate or a guaranteed job outcome. Baltimore City Community College.
Will an associate degree transfer to a bachelor’s program?
It may, but the degree title alone is not enough to establish how many credits will count. Cybersecurity Guide’s general guidance is that AS programs typically transfer more easily than AAS programs, which are often more career-oriented. That is not a guarantee: the receiving college’s policies control, and it may evaluate courses individually.
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- Ask the associate-degree college for its current program map, course descriptions and any formal articulation agreements.
- Give those documents to the bachelor’s institution you may attend and request written course-equivalency and transfer-credit guidance.
- Ask whether credits apply to the major, general education requirements or only elective credit, and whether grades, course age or residency rules affect acceptance.
- Recheck the plan before registering for courses if either institution changes its catalog or agreement.
What career outcomes can you reasonably expect?
An associate program can provide structured technical foundations and hands-on practice, and it may support entry-level preparation or a later transfer to a bachelor’s program. But the available program information does not establish a verified associate-graduate salary or job-placement rate. Do not read a college’s list of possible roles, a certification-preparation claim or broad occupational projections as proof of what graduates earn or how quickly they find work.
When assessing outcomes, ask the program for recent, cohort-specific completion and employment data, how “employment” is defined, whether roles are related to the degree, and whether results include all graduates or only respondents. If the school cannot provide that information, compare the program on verifiable features—cost, coursework, access to labs, transfer terms and support—rather than assuming a career result.
Quick Recap
Questions to ask a college before you commit
- What exact degree or credential will I earn, and how many credits are required under the current catalog?
- What is my estimated total cost, including fees, books, equipment and any required technology?
- Which courses include hands-on labs, and what equipment, software or on-campus access do they require?
- Is the program online, hybrid or campus-based in practice, and are there fixed meeting times or in-person exams?
- What transfer agreements apply to my intended bachelor’s institution, and can I receive course equivalencies in writing?
- What is the program’s current CAE-CD status and the period it covers, if applicable?
- Which certification exams does the curriculum prepare students for, and are exam fees or vouchers actually included?
- Can the school provide recent program-level completion, employment and graduate outcome data, with cohort and methodology clearly stated?
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