Is a Cybersecurity Master's Degree Worth It? A Former vCISO's Take

A cybersecurity master's degree costs $36,984 on average and takes about two years to finish, according to our analysis of 125 U.S. programs. Whether that pays off depends largely on the experience you already have.

This post pairs the data with commentary from Michael Kelly, Ph.D., a cybersecurity consultant who has worked as a vCISO, a Chief Technology Officer and a cybersecurity risk officer at a global bank. Kelly reviewed a number of popular cybersecurity master's programs, and his comments appear throughout in his own words. If you want to dig deeper, this ranking of the best cybersecurity master's programs is a good place to start.

The numbers at a glance

The degree pays off when you're moving up

The entry-level credential in cybersecurity is a bachelor's degree. That is the typical education for information security analysts, a job with median pay of $129,180 and 21% projected growth from 2025 to 2035, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Graduate degrees start to show up one level higher. Computer and information systems managers earn a median of $175,140 and typically need five or more years of related experience. The BLS notes that "some organizations require or prefer that computer and information systems managers have a graduate degree in computer science, information technology, or business administration."

That matches what Kelly has seen in the field.

"My experience is that a cybersecurity master's degree helps a cybersecurity practitioner who wants to move into a more managerial or senior role," he says. "This person is working in the field so has gained some experience, possibly in a specific area (e.g. SOC operations or IAM), and may want to move into a role with broader scope to enhance career options. The master's degree provides the foundation for this bridge."

Experience still comes first

The field's senior credentials are built on years of work. The CISSP requires five years of work experience, and the CISM requires five years of information security management experience.

A master's degree doesn't replace those years. As our ranking puts it: "Often, a master's degree reduces the number of years' experience an employer asks for, but does not function as a necessary condition."

Kelly goes a step further.

"Obtaining a cybersecurity master's degree without cybersecurity or relevant experience (such as technical or broader operations) for the role will seldom suffice for obtaining a managerial role," he says. "I have found many firms value experience over a degree, unless there is some specific regulatory requirement for the degree."

The type of senior role matters too.

"Experience and specific training are often more valuable for senior technical roles, while broader senior roles such as CISO benefit from the expanded view provided by a master's degree," Kelly says.

Where regulators are involved, degrees carry more weight

Regulators pay attention to credentials. Under rules the SEC adopted on July 26, 2023, public companies must describe in their annual reports the "relevant expertise" of the managers responsible for cybersecurity risk. The rule's instruction lists what counts: "Prior work experience in cybersecurity; any relevant degrees or certifications; any knowledge, skills, or other background in cybersecurity."

Kelly saw degrees used this way at a bank.

"While at an international bank I did see that a cybersecurity master's degree helped with applicants competing against others for a managerial position, but even this depended on the role," he says. "For more technical managerial positions experience and technical credentials tended to be desired. For broader cybersecurity management roles the bank looked favorably at degrees especially to bolster its governance responses with some regulators."

He adds that "where competition exists for senior roles in major corporations then the master's degree can help to either differentiate an applicant or level the playing field with other applicants."

The top of the field pays accordingly. CISOs earn a median base salary of $212,000, according to Glassdoor data. Our ranking's advice for that tier: "Even so, if you're aiming for the very top jobs, a cybersecurity master's degree is likely to be beneficial. It equips you with knowledge that is not only deep but also broad, which will position you to oversee numerous teams with different roles and responsibilities."

"I strongly agree with this statement," Kelly says.

Policy and compliance degrees have their own market

Some programs are built around policy rather than technical skills. George Washington University (GW), No. 18 in our ranking, offers its $37,500 Master of Engineering in Cybersecurity with a cybersecurity policy and compliance track.

Kelly says graduates of programs like it fit a particular set of jobs.

"In large financial institutions, especially international ones, there are senior roles in cybersecurity policy, governance and risk," he says. "Graduates with cybersecurity master's degrees in less technical areas could be well placed for these roles (GW's cybersecurity policy and compliance concentration degree is an example)."

What to look for in a program

AI in the curriculum

AI is the skill security teams say they need most. In ISC2's 2025 Cybersecurity Workforce Study of 16,029 professionals, 41% named AI as a top skill need, ahead of cloud security at 36%.

Several programs in our ranking have built it in. Auburn offers up to two AI for Security electives, Duke has an AI and Security track, and George Mason and the University of Delaware offer AI-focused concentrations.

For Kelly, this is a requirement.

"I would not advise taking any program that did not make it clear that AI was part of some of the courses or have at least one course on AI security and the use of AI for cybersecurity," he says.

Certification alignment

Our ranking gives credit to programs aligned with certifications such as CISSP and CEH. Some programs include the certifications themselves: the SANS Technology Institute's master's comes with 9 GIAC certifications, and WGU's includes CompTIA CySA+ and PenTest+.

Kelly, who is CISM and CRISC certified, says of our methodology: "I agree with the 'Hands-on practice' section and the value of programs that align with or even incorporate obtaining professional certifications. For regulated organizations and their reports to regulators the certifications sometimes count more than the degrees."

Time to finish

The average program requires 32 credits and takes about two years, but the range is wide. Old Dominion's program can be finished in 12 months. At WGU, where students move to the next course as soon as they complete one, 63% of graduates finish within 18 months. The SANS program, designed for working professionals, takes 3 to 5 years.

"When I taught university courses there were some programs that could be fast tracked and others that would not provide any options for fast tracking – for professionals seeking to get on with their careers this can be an important consideration," Kelly says.

Credit for what you already know

Kelly's review asked: "Do any programs accept work experience toward any courses?"

Some do, usually through certifications rather than job history. SANS waives up to 9 of its 36 credit hours for students who have taken SANS training classes and hold active GIAC certifications.

The GRE

Only 13.6% of the 125 programs we analyzed require the GRE, and 79.2% state that it isn't required. Where it does appear in our ranking, it is often conditional: UNC Charlotte asks for GRE or GMAT scores only from applicants with an undergraduate GPA below 3.0. The test costs $249.

Kelly's review put the question this way: "Was there any rationale for the effort (and therefore cost) of taking the GRE except that an applicant specifically wants to get into that specific program that requires a GRE?"

The bottom line

A cybersecurity master's degree is worth it for someone already working in security who wants a management role, a CISO-track job, or a policy, governance and risk position in a regulated industry.

For someone without relevant experience, Kelly says it "will seldom suffice for obtaining a managerial role." The way in is still a bachelor's degree, certifications and time on the job.

About Michael Kelly

Michael Kelly, Ph.D., cybersecurity consultant, former vCISO, cybersecurity risk officer and Chief Technology Officer. CISM and CRISC certified.

Michael has extensive experience in cybersecurity, IT, telecommunications and business in Asia, Europe and North America. He has functioned as a cybersecurity risk officer in a global bank, a cybersecurity consultant for system design and implementation projects for critical infrastructure providers, a cybersecurity assessor, and a vCISO. He is currently an independent consultant assisting companies to assess their cybersecurity posture and its risk to their business.