Cybersecurity Guide

Mastering cybersecurity: Degrees and training in Montana

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Written by Cybersecurity Guide Contributors

Collaborative Cybersecurity Guide byline for regularly updated content reviewed and maintained by multiple contributors.

In this guide

For students comparing cybersecurity education options, Montana includes several college pathways linked to workforce demand in major industries such as finance, defense contracting, insurance, and healthcare.

This page is focused specifically on degree and school pathways, and institutions are referenced only when they offer distinctive research, workforce, or training initiatives.

How we keep this page current

This page is reviewed periodically and updated using authoritative workforce and education sources, including CyberSeek, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Montana’s labor market publications from the Montana Department of Labor & Industry, Montana’s state cybersecurity resources through the State Information Technology Services Division, and the federal CyberCorps®: Scholarship for Service program.

Any program or initiative claims about institutions are verified against official university or state pages. We periodically review this page and remove or revise time-sensitive claims that can’t be re-verified.

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Featured Cybersecurity Degree Programs

School NameProgram More Info
Southern New Hampshire UniversityOnline BS in Cybersecurity or Online MS in Cybersecurity website
Eastern Oregon UniversityOnline BS in Cybersecurity website
Grand Canyon UniversityOnline BS in Cybersecurity or Online MS in Cybersecurity website
UC Berkeley School of InformationMaster’s in Cybersecurity | No GRE/GMAT Required website
Purdue GlobalOnline BS in Cybersecurity website

Cybersecurity workforce demand in Montana

Cybersecurity demand is often discussed using online job postings (a signal of hiring activity) and employment/wage estimates (how many people are employed in specific occupations and what they earn).

These measures are related, but they are not the same: postings can be duplicated, remote/hybrid, or left open for long periods, while employment estimates are a different statistical product. CyberSeek explains its supply/demand approach and notes that its heatmap data is calculated over a defined 12-month window.

State demand signals (postings-based): CyberMontana publishes Montana job report summaries that include advertised jobs, employers, and where jobs are located in-state.

State projections context (state labor agency): Montana DLI’s Montana Employment Projections publication describes statewide projections and annual openings across the economy (useful for broader planning, but not a direct count of “cyber jobs”).

BLS wages and employment (Montana):

What these metrics do (and don’t) mean: postings-based sources are best for understanding what employers are advertising right now and which skills/certifications show up in listings; OEWS data is best for understanding wage ranges and employment levels by occupation. Neither measure, on its own, tells you exactly how many “entry-level cybersecurity jobs” exist in a given month.

Learn how to respond to cyber threats

Cybersecurity degree pathways in Montana

The goal of this section is to help you choose the right pathway (associate → bachelor’s → master’s, or certificates → degree), not to list every program in the state.

Associate degrees

An associate degree is often the fastest path into help desk, SOC support, junior sysadmin, or network/security technician roles—especially when paired with hands-on labs and industry certifications.

Distinctive Montana initiative examples:

  • Gallatin College (Montana State University): Gallatin documents an IT cybersecurity pathway and certificate options on official program pages.
Learn more about associate degrees

Related resources

Bachelor’s degrees

A bachelor’s degree is typically the most flexible credential for analyst/engineer tracks (security analyst, cloud security, appsec, GRC) and for roles that prefer a 4-year degree.

What to look for in Montana bachelor’s pathways:

  • curriculum aligned to recognized knowledge areas (security fundamentals, networking, operating systems, scripting, secure software, cloud, governance/risk)
  • internships/co-ops or employer partnerships
  • hands-on labs (defensive tooling, network monitoring, incident response exercises)

Examples of distinctive Montana initiatives connected to bachelor’s-level ecosystems:

Montana State University’s Software Engineering and Cybersecurity Laboratory (SECL) presents itself as a hub for cybersecurity research and workforce development and provides official pages describing its work.

Master’s degrees

A master’s degree can be a strong fit if you’re pivoting into cybersecurity from another field, moving into security leadership/GRC, or specializing (cloud security, secure software, critical infrastructure security). In Montana, verify whether a program is positioned as technical (hands-on) vs. management/strategy and whether it includes experiential learning or applied projects.

One Montana example of a defined graduate-level credential pathway:

Cybersecurity degree programs in Montana

  1. The University of Montana

    Missoula, MT
    Program: Associate of Applied Science in Information Technology and Cybersecurity
    Credits: 63-64
    Cost per credit: $123 in state | $470 out of state
    Delivery method: Campus
    Program highlights:
    • Goal: They work closely with businesses to get students ready for the global job market, teaching current business trends.
    • Teachers: Experienced professionals who focus on hands-on learning to help students adapt to a changing world.
    • Missoula College provides student support like advising, tutoring, study workshops, and services for those with disabilities.
    Learn more: Program details

  2. The University of Montana

    Missoula, Montana
    Program: Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity
    Credits: 120
    Cost per credit: $978
    Delivery method: Campus
    Program highlights:
    • Relevant and rigorous curriculum
    • Skills-based learning and general education
    • Internships with local high-tech companies
    Learn more: Program details

  3. Missoula College

    Missoula, MT
    Program: Cybersecurity Certificate of Technical Skills (CTS)
    CAE designation: CAE-CD
    Credits: 12
    Cost per credit: $118 in state | $272 out of state
    Delivery method: Online
    Program highlights:
    • NSA Recognition: Missoula College's cybersecurity program is approved by the National Security Agency (NSA).
    • Program Details: It can lead to advanced degrees and prepares students for two important industry exams: CompTIA Security+ and CompTIA Network+.
    • Skills Gained: Students will learn professional behavior and teamwork in cybersecurity, legal and ethical aspects of security and techniques to protect computer systems.
    Learn more: Program details

  4. The University of Montana

    Missoula, MT
    Program: Cybersecurity Management Certificate
    Credits: 18
    Cost per credit: $239
    Delivery method: Campus
    Program highlights:
    • Program: Teaches students about different areas of cybersecurity.
    • Foundation Course: Network basics, security management, and system administration.
    • Capstone Course: Advanced network and security management.
    Learn more: Program details

Certifications and workforce programs

Certifications can complement degrees and help show job-ready skills—especially for entry and early career roles.

Montana-specific workforce/training infrastructure to know about:

Montana’s state enterprise cybersecurity resources, incident reporting expectations, and the role of the State CISO are documented on SITSD’s official cybersecurity page.

CyberMontana positions itself as a statewide hub for cyber workforce education and publishes job reports and education resources

Scholarship for Service

The federal CyberCorps®: Scholarship for Service (SFS) program provides scholarships in exchange for government service after graduation.

As of our review date, the SFS Participating Institutions list published by OPM does not show an in-state Montana participating institution.

Unique Montana cybersecurity initiatives

These initiatives are included because they are documented by state or institutional primary sources and may affect student pipelines and training opportunities.

Frequently asked questions about cybersecurity degrees in Montana

How many cybersecurity jobs are in Montana?

There isn’t a single perfect “cybersecurity jobs” count because different sources define the cyber workforce differently. For a specific occupation benchmark, BLS reports 8 employed Information Security Analysts in Montana.

What is the average cybersecurity salary in Montana?

For a commonly used cyber occupation benchmark, BLS reports an annual mean wage of $95,110 for Information Security Analysts in Montana.

Are cybersecurity salaries in Montana higher for some related roles?

Yes—some cyber-adjacent roles can report higher mean wages. For example, Computer Network Architects have an annual mean wage of $112,910 in Montana.

Is cybersecurity in demand in Montana?

Demand is commonly measured using online postings and hiring signals. CyberMontana publishes Montana job report summaries that include advertised jobs and employer counts, which can be used as a demand signal alongside national dashboards like CyberSeek.

What is the best cybersecurity degree in Montana?

“Best” depends on your goal. For hands-on, job-ready training, look for programs with labs, internships, and documented workforce alignment (e.g., CAE-aligned curricula). Missoula College documents a cybersecurity-focused pathway and CAE-related information.

Can I start cybersecurity with an associate degree in Montana?

Yes. Montana has associate-level pathways and related certificates designed to build practical IT and cybersecurity skills. Examples include UM Missoula College’s A.A.S. pathway and Gallatin College’s cybersecurity programs.

Are there online cybersecurity programs in Montana?

Some Montana institutions offer online/remote options for parts of cybersecurity training (such as online certificate structures). Verify delivery format directly on official program pages. For example, UM Missoula College publishes online certificate information.

Does Montana have cybersecurity bootcamps or short-term training?

Montana has short-term and certificate-style training pathways, including cybersecurity certificate programs and workforce resources aggregated by CyberMontana.

What certifications are most requested in Montana?

Certification demand varies by employer and role and is best validated using postings-based sources and dashboards. CyberSeek includes certification and openings-related views as part of its workforce tools.

How long does a cybersecurity degree take?

Typical timelines are: associate degree 2 years, bachelor’s degree 4 years, master’s degree, commonly 1–2 years (varies by prerequisites). Confirm exact requirements on the official program pages you’re considering.

Does Montana participate in Scholarship for Service (SFS)?

The SFS program is federally administered via OPM. As of this page’s last review, the official list of participating institutions does not include a Montana institution; check the current list for updates.

What industries in Montana hire cybersecurity graduates?

Industry mix can be assessed via postings-based reporting and public sector resources. Montana’s state cybersecurity operations documentation is maintained by SITSD, and CyberMontana job reports summarize employer and location patterns.

Are there entry-level cybersecurity roles in Montana?

Entry-level availability fluctuates and is best validated by reviewing current postings and skill requirements. Use postings-based sources (CyberMontana job report summaries and CyberSeek) to spot common titles, baseline requirements, and certification mentions.

Sources