In this guide
The cybersecurity landscape is not just growing—it’s evolving at a breakneck pace. And what better way to stay ahead of the curve than by pursuing a PhD in cybersecurity?
This advanced degree is no longer confined to the realm of computer science. Today, it branches into diverse fields like law, policy, management, and strategy, reflecting the multifaceted nature of modern cyber threats.
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| School Name | Program | More Info |
|---|---|---|
| National University | Ph.D. in Cybersecurity | website |
| UC Berkeley School of Information | Online MS in Cybersecurity | No GRE/GMAT Required | website |
| Southern New Hampshire University | Online MS in Cybersecurity | website |
If you’re looking to become a thought leader in this dynamic industry, a PhD in cybersecurity offers an unparalleled opportunity to deepen your expertise and broaden your horizons.
This guide is designed to give prospective cybersecurity PhD students a general overview of available cybersecurity PhD programs. It will also outline some of the factors to consider when trying to find the right PhD program fit, such as course requirements and tuition costs.
Industry demand for PhDs in cybersecurity
Like other cutting-edge technology fields, until recently, cybersecurity PhD programs were often training grounds for niche positions and specialized research, often for government agencies (like the CIA, NSA, and FBI), or closely adjacent research organizations or institutions.
Today, however, as the cybersecurity field grows to become more pervasive and consumer-oriented, there are opportunities for cybersecurity PhDs to work at public-facing companies like startups and name-brand financial, software, infrastructure, and digital service firms.
One trend that is emerging in the cybersecurity field is that cybersecurity experts need to be well-versed in a variety of growing threats. If recent headlines about cybersecurity breaches are any indication, there are a number of new attack vectors and opportunities for cybercrime and related issues. Historically, committing cybercrime took resources and a level of sophistication that required specialized training or skill.
But now, because of the pervasiveness of the internet, committing cybercrime is becoming more commonplace. So training in a cybersecurity PhD program allows students to become an experts in one part of a growing and multi-layered field.
In fact, this trend of needing well-trained, but adaptable cybersecurity professionals is reflected by the move by cybersecurity graduate schools to offer specialized master’s degrees, and many companies and professional organizations offer certifications in cybersecurity that focus on particular issues related to cybersecurity technology, cybersecurity law, digital forensics, policy, or related topics.
That said, traditional research-oriented cybersecurity positions continue to be in demand in academia and elsewhere — a trend that will likely continue.
One interesting facet of the cybersecurity field is trying to predict what future cybersecurity threats might look like and then develop tools and systems to protect against those threats.
As new technologies and services are developed and as more of the global population begins using Internet services for everything from healthcare to banking — new ways of protecting those services will be required. Often, it’s up to academic researchers to think ahead and examine various threats and opportunities to insulate against those threats.
Another key trend coming out of academic circles is that cybersecurity students are becoming increasingly multidisciplinary.
As cybersecurity hacks impact more parts of people’s everyday lives, so too do the academic programs that are designed to prepare the next generation of cybersecurity professionals. This emerging trend creates an enormous amount of opportunity for students who have a variety of interests and who are looking to create a non-traditional career path.
The best cybersecurity PhD programs for 2025
Nova Southeastern University
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Program: Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Cybersecurity Management
CAE designation: CAE-CD
Delivery method: Online & campus
Total tuition: $49,929
2024/2025 Cost per credit: $979
Credits: 51
GRE requirement: Not required
Learn more: Program detailsNortheastern University
Boston, MassachusettsProgram: Ph.D. in Cybersecurity
CAE designation: CAE-R
Delivery method: Campus
Total tuition: $80,736
2024/2025 Cost per credit: $1,682
Credits: 48
GRE requirement: Optional
Learn more: Program detailsAugusta University
Augusta, GeorgiaProgram: Ph.D., Computer and Cyber Sciences
CAE designation: CAE-CD
Delivery method: Campus
Total tuition: $59,112
2024/2025 Cost per credit: $235 in-state | $821 out-of-state
Credits: 72
GRE requirement: Not required
Learn more: Program detailsUniversity of North Texas
Denton, TexasProgram: Information Science Ph.D. With a Concentration in Cybersecurity
CAE designation: CAE-CD, CAE-R
Delivery method: Hybrid
Total tuition: $53,580
2024/2025 Cost per credit: $483 in-state | $893 out-of-state
Credits: 60
GRE requirement: Not required
Learn more: Program detailsPurdue University
West Lafayette, IndianaProgram: Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program in Information Security
CAE designation: CAE-R
Delivery method: Campus
Total tuition: $162,000
2024/2025 Cost per credit: $625 in-state | $1,800 out-of-state
Credits: 90
GRE requirement: Required
Learn more: Program detailsUniversity of Tulsa
Tulsa, OklahomaProgram: Cyber Studies, Ph.D.
CAE designation: CAE-CD, CAE-R
Delivery method: Hybrid
Total tuition: $106,128
2024/2025 Cost per credit: $1,474
Credits: 72
GRE requirement: Required
Learn more: Program detailsUniversity of Central Florida
Orlando, FloridaProgram: Security Studies (PhD)
CAE designation: CAE-CD, CAE-R
Delivery method: Campus
Total tuition: $66,864
2024/2025 Cost per credit: $370 in-state | $1194 out-of-state
Credits: 56
GRE requirement: Required
Learn more: Program detailsDakota State University
Madison, South DakotaProgram: Doctor of Philosophy in Cyber Defense (PhDCD)
CAE designation: CAE-CD, CAE-R, CAE-CO
Delivery method: Online & campus
Total tuition: $47,736
2024/2025 Cost per credit: $374 in-state | $663 out-of-state
Credits: 72
GRE requirement: Not required
Learn more: Program detailsArizona State University
Tempe, ArizonaProgram: Ph.D. in Computer Science - Cybersecurity
CAE designation: CAE-R
Delivery method: Campus
Total tuition: $68,544
2024/2025 Cost per credit: $295 in-state | $816 out-of-state
Credits: 84
GRE requirement: Optional
Learn more: Program detailsBoise State University
Boise, IdahoProgram: Cybersecurity Ph.D.
CAE designation: CAE-CD
Delivery method: Campus
Total tuition: $59,100
2024/2025 Cost per credit: $360 in-state | $985 out-of-state
Credits: 60
GRE requirement: Not required
Learn more: Program detailsUniversity of Colorado - Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs, ColoradoProgram: PhD in Security
CAE designation: CAE-CD
Delivery method: Campus
Total tuition: $121,260
2024/2025 Cost per credit: $1,356 in-state | $2,021 out-of-state
Credits: 60
GRE requirement: Required
Learn more: Program details
These rankings were compiled from data accessed in December 2024 from the Integrated Post-Secondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and College Navigator (both services National Center for Education Statistics). Tuition data was pulled from individual university websites and is current as of December 2024.
2024 Rankings
What is required to get a PhD in cybersecurity?
Good news first: Obtaining a PhD in a field related to cybersecurity will likely create tremendous employment opportunities and lead to interesting and dynamic career options.
Bad news: Getting a PhD requires a lot of investment of time and energy, and comes with a big opportunity cost (meaning you have to invest four to five years, or longer, or pursue other opportunities to obtain a doctoral degree.
Here’s a quick breakdown of what is required to get a PhD in cybersecurity. Of course, specific degree requirements will vary by program. One growing trend in the field is that students can now obtain degrees in a variety of formats, including traditional on-campus programs, online degree programs, and hybrid graduate degree programs that combine both on-campus learning with online learning.
Related resources
Preparing for a cybersecurity doctorate program
Cybersecurity is a relatively new formalized technology field, nonetheless, there are several ways that students or prospective PhD candidates can get involved or explore the field before and during a graduate school program. A few examples of ways to start networking and finding opportunities include:
Join cybersecurity organizations with professional networks
Specialized professional organizations are a good place to find the latest in career advice and guidance. Often they publish newsletters or other kinds of information that provide insights into the emerging trends and issues facing cybersecurity professionals. A couple of examples include:
The Center for Internet Security (CIS) is a non-profit dedicated to training cybersecurity professionals and fostering a sense of collaboration. The organization also publishes information and analysis of the latest cybersecurity threats and issues facing the professional community.
The SANS Institute runs several different kinds of courses for students (including certification programs) as well as ongoing professional cybersecurity education and training for people working in the field. The organization has several options including webinars, online training, and live in-person seminars. Additionally, SANS also publishes newsletters and maintains forums for cybersecurity professionals to interact and share information.
Leverage your social network
Places like LinkedIn and Twitter are good places to start to find news and information about what is happening in the field, who the main leaders and influencers are, and what kinds of jobs and opportunities are available.
Starting a professional network early is also a great opportunity. Often professionals and members of the industry are willing to provide guidance and help to students who are genuinely interested in the field and looking for career opportunities.
Cybersecurity competitions
Cybersecurity competitions are a great way to get hands-on experience working on real cybersecurity problems and issues. As a PhD student or prospective student, cybersecurity competitions that are sponsored by industry groups are a great way to meet other cybersecurity professionals while getting working on projects that will help flesh out a resume or become talking points in later job interviews.
The US Cyber Challenge, for example, is a series of competitions and hackathon-style events hosted by the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate and the Center for Internet Security to prepare the next generation of cybersecurity professionals.
Internships
Internships also continue to be a tried and true way to gain professional experience. Internships in technical fields like cybersecurity can also pay well. Like the industry itself, cybersecurity internships are available across a wide range of industries and can range from academic research-oriented to more corporate kinds of work.
Things to consider when choosing a cybersecurity PhD program
There are many considerations to evaluate when considering any kind of graduate degree, but proper planning is essential to be able to obtain a doctoral degree. It’s also important to note that these are just guidelines and that each graduate program will have specific requirements, so be sure to double-check.
What you will need before applying to a cybersecurity PhD program:
- All undergraduate and graduate transcripts
- GRE scores
- A statement of intent, which is like a cover letter outlining interest
- Letters of reference
- Application fee
- Online application
- A resume or CV outlining professional and academic accomplishments
What does a cybersecurity PhD program cost?
Obtaining a PhD is a massive investment, both in terms of time and money. Cybersecurity PhD students are weighing the cost of becoming an expert in the field with the payoff of having interesting and potentially lucrative career opportunities on the other side.
Degree requirements are usually satisfied in 60-75 hours, so the cost of a doctoral degree can be well into the six-figure range. Here’s a more specific breakdown:
Tuition rates
The Cybersecurity Guide research team looked at 39 programs that offer a cybersecurity-related PhD degree. Here’s a breakdown of tuition rates (all figures are based on out-of-state tuition).
$27,468 is the most affordable PhD program option and it is available at the Mississippi State University.
$84,964 is the average cost of a cybersecurity PhD and is based on tuition rates from all 39 schools.
$182,100 is the most expensive cybersecurity PhD program and is available at New York University.
The good news is that by the time students get to the PhD level there are a lot of funding options — including some graduate programs that are completely funded by the university or academic departments themselves.
Additionally, funding in the form of research grants and other kinds of scholarships is available for students interested in pursuing cybersecurity studies.
One example is the CyberCorps: Scholarships for Service program. Administered by the National Science Foundation, PhD students studying cybersecurity are eligible for a $34,000 a year scholarship, along with a professional stipend of $6,000 to attend conferences in exchange for agreeing to work for a government agency in the cybersecurity space after the PhD program.
Frequently asked questions
Most traditional and online cybersecurity graduate programs require a minimum number of credits that need to be completed to obtain a degree. On average, it takes 71 credits to graduate with a PhD in cybersecurity — far longer (almost double) than traditional master’s degree programs. In addition to coursework, most PhD students also have research and teaching responsibilities that can be simultaneously demanding and great career preparation.
At the core of a cybersecurity doctoral program is a data science doctoral program, you’ll be expected to learn many skills and also how to apply them across domains and disciplines. Core curriculums will vary from program to program, but almost all will have a core foundation of statistics.
All PhD candidates will have to take a series of exams that act as checkpoints during the lengthy PhD process. The actual exam process and timing can vary depending on the university and the program, but the basic idea is that cybersecurity PhD candidates generally have to sit for a qualifying exam, which comes earlier in the program (usually the winter or spring of the second year of study), a preliminary exam, which a candidate takes to show they are ready to start the dissertation or research portion of the PhD program, and a final exam where PhD students present and defend their research and complete their degree requirements.
A cybersecurity PhD dissertation is the capstone of a doctoral program. The dissertation is the name of a formal paper that presents the findings of original research that the PhD candidate conducted during the program under the guidance of faculty advisors. Some example cybersecurity research topics that could potentially be turned into dissertation ideas include:
* Policies and best practices around passwords
* Ways to defend against the rise of bots
* Policies around encryption and privacy
* Corporate responsibility for employee security
* Internet advertising targeting and privacy
* The new frontier of social engineering attacks
* Operation security (OpSec) strategy and policy
* Network infrastructure and defense
* Cybersecurity law and policy
* The vulnerabilities of biometrics
* The role of ethical hacking
* Cybersecurity forensics and enforcement
A complete listing of cybersecurity PhD programs
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cybersecurityguide.org is an advertising-supported site. Clicking in this box will show you programs related to your search from schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other information published on this site.
Featured Cybersecurity Training
| School Name | Program | More Info |
|---|---|---|
| National University | Ph.D. in Cybersecurity | website |
| UC Berkeley School of Information | Online MS in Cybersecurity | No GRE/GMAT Required | website |
| Southern New Hampshire University | Online MS in Cybersecurity | website |
The following is a list of cybersecurity PhD programs. The listing is intended to work as a high-level index that provides enough basic information to make quick side-by-side comparisons easy.
You should find basic data about what each school requires (such as a GRE score or prior academic work) as well as the number of credits required, estimated costs, and a link to the program.
Augusta University
Augusta, GeorgiaProgram: PhD in Computer and Cyber Sciences
CAE designation: CAE-CD, CAE-CO
Delivery method: Campus
Total tuition: $60,336
2025/2026 Cost per credit: $236 in-state | $838 out-of-state
Credits: 72
GRE: Not Required
Learn more: Program detailsMarymount University
Arlington, VirginiaProgram: D.Sc. in Cybersecurity
CAE designation: CAE-CD
Delivery method: Online & campus
Total tuition: $49,968
2025/2026 Cost per credit: $1,388
Credits: 36
GRE: Not Required
Learn more: Program detailsNew Jersey City University
Jersey City, New JerseyProgram: Doctor of Science in Civil Security - Leadership, Management and Policy (CSLMP)
CAE designation: CAE-CD
Delivery method: Campus
Total tuition: $62,075
2025/2026 Cost per credit: $1,293
Credits: 48
GRE: Not Required
Learn more: Program detailsNew Mexico Tech
Socorro, New MexicoProgram: Ph.D. in Transdisciplinary Cybersecurity
Delivery method: Campus
Total tuition: $150,280
2025/2026 Cost per credit: $757 in-state | $2,210 out-of-state
Credits: 68
GRE: Not required
Learn more: Program detailsNortheastern University
Boston, MassachusettsProgram: Ph.D. in Cybersecurity
CAE designation: CAE-R
Delivery method: Campus
Total tuition: $90,000
2025/2026 Cost per credit: $1,875
Credits: 48
GRE: Not Required
Learn more: Program detailsNova Southeastern University
Fort Lauderdale, FloridaProgram: Ph.D. in Cybersecurity Management
CAE designation: CAE-CD
Delivery method: Online & campus
Total tuition: $95,172
2025/2026 Cost per credit: $1,442
Credits: 66
GRE: Not Required
Learn more: Program detailsSam Houston State University
Huntsville, TexasProgram: Ph.D. in Digital and Cyber Forensic Science
CAE designation: CAE-CD
Delivery method: Campus
Total tuition: $71,655
2025/2026 Cost per credit: $843
Credits: 85
GRE: Required
Learn more: Program detailsSt. Thomas University
Miami Gardens, FloridaProgram: Doctor of Business Administration in Cyber Security Management
Delivery method: Campus
Total tuition: $63,300
2025/2026 Cost per credit: $1,055
Credits: 60
GRE: Not required
Learn more: Program detailsUniversity of Central Florida
Orlando, FloridaProgram: Security Studies (PhD)
CAE designation: CAE-CD, CAE-R
Delivery method: Campus
Total tuition: $71,456
2025/2026 Cost per credit: $370 in-state | $1,276 out-of-state
Credits: 56
GRE: Not required
Learn more: Program detailsUniversity of Colorado Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs, ColoradoProgram: Cybersecurity, PhD
CAE designation: CAE-CD, CAE-R
Delivery method: Campus
Total tuition: $64,020
2025/2026 Cost per credit: $1,067
Credits: 60
GRE: Required
Learn more: Program detailsUniversity of Idaho
University of IdahoProgram: Cybersecurity Ph.D.
CAE designation: CAE-CD
Delivery method: Campus
Total tuition: $114,582
2025/2026 Cost per credit: $482 in-state | $1,469 out-of-state
Credits: 78
GRE: Not required
Learn more: Program detailsUniversity of Tulsa
Tulsa, OklahomaProgram: Cyber Studies, Ph.D.
CAE designation: CAE-CD, CAE-R
Delivery method: Online & campus
Total tuition: $111,456
2025/2026 Cost per credit: $1,548
Credits: 72
GRE: Not required
Learn more: Program details