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Cyber security engineer education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a cyber security engineer. Cyber security engineers usually study computer science, information technology, or business. 60% of cyber security engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 20% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 686 real cyber security engineer resumes to see exactly what cyber security engineer education sections show.
The most common colleges for cyber security engineers are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online cyber security engineer courses to help get the education required to be a cyber security engineer.
There are certain cyber security engineer certifications that you should consider. These cyber security engineer certifications include Certified Information Systems Security Professional - Architecture (CISSP) and Security 5 Certification.
What education do you need to become a cyber security engineer?
What degree do you need to be a cyber security engineer?
- Bachelor's, 60%
- Associate, 20%
- Master's, 16%
- Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become a cyber security engineer?
- Computer Science, 13%
- Business, 12%
- Other Majors, 50%
Most common colleges for cyber security engineers
| Cyber security engineer common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 12.28% |
| George Mason University | 12.28% |
| University of Maryland - College Park | 9.65% |
| Strayer University | 8.77% |
| Capella University | 6.14% |
Best majors for cyber security engineers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Computer Science | 13.4% |
| 2 | Information Technology | 12.7% |
| 3 | Business | 11.7% |
| 4 | Computer Information Systems | 11.7% |
| 5 | Criminal Justice | 7.8% |
Best colleges for cyber security engineers
The best colleges for cyber security engineers are Boston College, Boston University, and University of Tulsa.
A cyber security engineer with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for cyber security engineers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become cyber security engineers.
1. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
2. University of Chicago
Chicago, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$58,230
Enrollment
6,600
3. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
4. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Enrollment
9,142
5. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Enrollment
31,503
6. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,808
Enrollment
13,990
7. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
8. Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,464
Enrollment
9,639
9. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Enrollment
24,163
10. North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$9,101
Enrollment
23,708
20 best online courses for cyber security engineers
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5. Intro to Cybersecurity
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6. Security Analyst
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7. Information Security Fundamentals - Cyber Security Bootcamp
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8. Cyber Security: Awareness For Everyone (2023)
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9. Security Architect
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10. Enterprise Security
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11. Introduction to Cyber Security
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Learn cyber security best practice tips on securing computer networks from internal & external IT cyber security threats...
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19. Cyber Security - Python and Web Applications
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20. The Complete Cyber Security Course: Hackers Exposed!
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Top 10 most affordable universities for cyber security engineers
The most affordable schools for cyber security engineers are California State University - Bakersfield, california state university - long beach, and brigham young university.
If the best universities for cyber security engineers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for cyber security engineers.
1. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
2. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
3. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
4. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
5. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
6. University of Houston - Victoria
Victoria, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$6,491
Cost of attendance
19,075
7. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
8. Clayton State University
Morrow, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$5,419
Cost of attendance
17,697
9. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
10. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for cyber security engineers
The hardest universities for cyber security engineers to get into are Boston College, Boston University, and University of Tulsa.
Some great schools for cyber security engineers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for cyber security engineers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA • Private
Admissions rate
28%
SAT average
1,429
2. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
3. University of Tulsa
Tulsa, OK • Private
Admissions rate
41%
SAT average
1,321
4. University of Chicago
Chicago, IL • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,520
5. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
Admissions rate
40%
SAT average
1,376
6. American University
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
32%
SAT average
1,320
7. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
8. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
Admissions rate
23%
SAT average
1,398
9. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
10. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for cyber security engineers
The easiest schools for cyber security engineers to get into are Nyack College, la roche college, and saint martin's university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a cyber security engineer without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for cyber security engineers.
1. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
2. La Roche College
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
99%
SAT average
1,008
3. Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,111
4. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
5. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
6. Iona College
New Rochelle, NY • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,089
7. University of North Texas at Dallas
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
992
8. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
9. Saint Thomas University
Miami Gardens, FL • Private
Admissions rate
52%
SAT average
1,031
10. Saint Xavier University
Chicago, IL • Private
Admissions rate
74%
SAT average
1,061
Average cyber security engineer salary by education level
| Cyber security engineer education level | Cyber security engineer salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $108,205 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $99,887 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $87,223 |
Cyber security engineer education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common computer and mathematical questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025