- Why Texas stands out in cyber
- Texas job market
- 2026 Rankings
- Associate degrees
- Bachelor’s degrees
- Master’s degrees
- Certifications
- Career paths
- Salary and cost of living
- FAQs
Texas is one of the few places where you can walk from a university lab into a federal cyber mission without leaving the metro. San Antonio has the largest concentration of cyber assets in the United States outside the Washington, D.C., region, which is why locals call it Cyber City.
The NSA’s Texas Cryptologic Center runs signals intelligence and cyberspace operations from a 633,000-square-foot facility staffing more than 3,000 people, and the Sixteenth Air Force (AFCyber) is headquartered at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland.
That gravity pulls in employers across the state: USAA and Rackspace in San Antonio, Lockheed Martin’s Missiles and Fire Control campus in Grand Prairie, RTX in Richardson with more than 6,000 workers, and Dell, Texas Instruments, and AT&T across the Dallas-Fort Worth and Austin corridors.
For students weighing where to study, Texas offers something rare: NSA-designated programs at the University of Texas at San Antonio, Texas A&M, and UT Dallas that feed directly into that ecosystem.
QUICK ANSWER
Texas runs the second-largest concentration of cybersecurity talent in the country after Washington, D.C., anchored by San Antonio’s “Cyber City” cluster around NSA Texas and the Sixteenth Air Force.
The University of Texas at San Antonio, Texas A&M, and UT Dallas are the state’s flagship NSA-designated Centers of Academic Excellence, and Information Security Analysts in Texas earn a mean wage of $119,480.
The best fit depends on whether you want federal and defense work in San Antonio, finance and corporate security in Dallas-Fort Worth, or startup and product security in Austin.
Why Texas is distinctive for a cybersecurity career
Most states pitch cybersecurity as a generic growth field. Texas can point to a specific map. San Antonio is the anchor. It holds the largest concentration of cyber assets in the country outside the D.C. region, home to NSA Texas, the Sixteenth Air Force (Air Forces Cyber) at JBSA-Lackland, and more than 200 companies serving the cybersecurity market.
The city also has the most NSA and DHS Center of Academic Excellence-designated schools of any metro in the nation, which keeps a cleared, credentialed workforce flowing straight into federal and contractor roles.
The rest of the state fills out four distinct lanes. Dallas-Fort Worth runs on finance and defense, with USAA-scale security operations, Lockheed Martin’s IT and Missiles and Fire Control work in Grand Prairie, RTX in Richardson, and telecom and banking security teams at AT&T and Texas Instruments.
Austin is the startup and product lane, dense with Dell, Oracle, Tesla, and a deep bench of AI, semiconductor, and software firms that need application and cloud security talent.
Houston is energy, which means industrial control systems and operational technology security for the pipelines, refineries, and grid operators that keep the Gulf Coast running. Pick a city in Texas and you are effectively picking a specialization.
The Texas cybersecurity job market
Texas has one of the steepest cybersecurity workforce growth curves in the country. The state’s demand for cyber talent grew 307.1 percent between 2010 and 2025, outpacing the national growth rate of 240.8 percent over the same period.
Openings peaked at 66,682 in 2022 during the post-pandemic hiring surge and settled at 42,559 in 2025, still one of the largest pools of unfilled cyber roles of any state.
The interactive supply-and-demand data below breaks those openings down by role, certification, and metro so you can see where the gaps actually sit.
Inside Texas’s cybersecurity job market
Texas is one of the country’s largest cybersecurity employment markets, with demand spread across Dallas–Fort Worth, Austin, Houston, San Antonio, and other regional centers serving technology, finance, energy, defense, health care, government, and professional-services employers.
Published job-opening benchmarks, 2010–2025. Because CyberSeek reporting windows and occupational definitions have changed over time, the figures below are best read as market snapshots rather than a continuous, like-for-like annual series.
CyberSeek listings during the 12 months from May 2024 through April 2025.
Behind Virginia and California in the June 2025 CyberSeek release.
Texas accounted for about one in twelve of the 514,359 U.S. listings.
Texas openings, published benchmarks
Cybersecurity job postings reported in selected periods
The 2010 value is an estimate derived from Texas’s reported 18,525 postings in 2014 and 113% growth from 2010 to 2014. The 2019 figure was published as “more than 24,000.” The 2024 and 2025 values use different rolling 12-month CyberSeek reporting periods, so this chart shows direction and scale—not a strict annual time series.
Texas vs. national, indexed benchmarks
2010 = 100 — directional comparison across selected published snapshots
On this benchmark basis, Texas expanded faster than the national market. Interpret the index directionally: the underlying sources use different occupational definitions and reporting windows, and the 2010 Texas value is derived rather than directly published.
Three phases of market development
Rapid expansion
Texas postings rose 113% to 18,525, while Dallas and Austin appeared among the country’s leading metropolitan markets for cybersecurity demand and growth.
Multi-metro scale
Demand broadened across the state’s technology, finance, energy, defense, health care, government, and professional-services employers, pushing published statewide openings above 24,000 by 2019.
Renewed hiring growth
CyberSeek’s published count increased from 36,873 in the prior reporting snapshot to 42,559 in the May 2024–April 2025 period, placing Texas third nationally.
Published benchmark data
| Year / period | Texas | Change | National | TX share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 estimate | ≈8,697 | — | ≈124,690 | ≈6.98% |
| 2014 | 18,525 | +113.0% | 238,158 | 7.78% |
| 2019 snapshot | 24,000+ | At least +29.6% | 300,000+ | Not comparable |
| Sep. 2023–Aug. 2024 | 36,873 | Different period | 457,398 | 8.06% |
| May 2024–Apr. 2025 Latest | 42,559 | +15.4% | 514,359 | 8.27% |
The 2010 Texas estimate is calculated from the 2014 total and the report’s stated 113% growth. The 2010 national estimate is calculated from the 2014 national total and stated 91% growth. “Change” compares each figure with the preceding displayed benchmark, except where reporting periods or definitions are not directly comparable.
What it means for job seekers
- A top-three state market. Texas recorded 42,559 cybersecurity-related listings in CyberSeek’s May 2024–April 2025 reporting period.
- Demand is geographically diverse. Dallas–Fort Worth, Austin, Houston, and San Antonio create multiple entry points rather than a single-city labor market.
- Industry options are broad. Candidates can target technology, finance, energy, defense, health care, government, consulting, and other security-intensive sectors.
- Read posting counts carefully. Online listings measure employer demand, not guaranteed unique vacancies, hires, entry-level availability, or outcomes for individual applicants.
Best cybersecurity schools and programs in Texas
The clearest signal of program quality in Texas is the NSA and DHS Center of Academic Excellence (CAE) designation.
The University of Texas at San Antonio sits in a small national group, and one of only a few schools in Texas, holding all three CAE designations at once: Cyber Defense (CAE-CD), Cyber Operations (CAE-CO), and Research (CAE-R). UTSA’s National Security Collaboration Center puts students alongside federal and industry partners on real problems.
Texas A&M in College Station holds CAE-CD and CAE-CO designations and runs a large security research program, and UT Dallas set a public goal back in 2012 of becoming a national cyber leader and has built one of the deeper technical faculties in the state.
At the master’s level, the page currently features St. Mary’s University and Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, the University of Dallas and Southern Methodist University in the Dallas metro, and Houston Christian University. Our Lady of the Lake and SMU both carry CAE-CD status.
Across the 95 programs we track, the median cost is $259 per credit and $21,167 in total tuition. 34 programs cost under $20,000 in total. 16 of the 20 programs that report an admissions policy don't require the GRE, and 43 hold an NSA Center of Academic Excellence (CAE) designation. Our top 5 have a median of $1,166 per credit, and 4 of them are fully online. Prices are tuition only and don't include fees. Data last verified . Master of Science in Cybersecurity Master's in Cybersecurity Masters of Science (M.S.) in Cybersecurity Master of Science in Cybersecurity Masters in CybersecuritySt. Mary's University
Ranking factors
How it does on the ranking factors we track
Our Lady of the Lake University
Ranking factors
How it does on the ranking factors we track
University of Dallas
Ranking factors
How it does on the ranking factors we track
Houston Christian University
Ranking factors
How it does on the ranking factors we track
Southern Methodist University
Ranking factors
How it does on the ranking factors we track
These rankings were compiled from data accessed in March 2026 from the Integrated Post-Secondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and College Navigator (both services of the National Center for Education Statistics). Tuition data was pulled from individual university websites and is current as of March 2026.
For bachelor’s degrees, the strongest in-state names on the page include the University of Texas at San Antonio, Sam Houston State University in Huntsville (CAE-CD), Angelo State University in San Angelo (CAE-CD), the University of Texas at El Paso, and the University of Houston-Downtown, with community-college pathways at Austin Community College, Collin College, and Lone Star College feeding into them.
Across the 95 programs we track, the median cost is $259 per credit and $21,167 in total tuition. 34 programs cost under $20,000 in total. 16 of the 20 programs that report an admissions policy don't require the GRE, and 43 hold an NSA Center of Academic Excellence (CAE) designation. Our top 10 have a median of $378 per credit, and 2 of them are fully online. Prices are tuition only and don't include fees. Data last verified . Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity Bachelor of Arts in Security Studies Cybersecurity B.S. Cybersecurity (BS) Cybersecurity (BS) BS in Cybersecurity Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity Cybersecurity, BATHallmark University
Ranking factors
How it does on the ranking factors we track
Abilene Christian University
Ranking factors
How it does on the ranking factors we track
The University of Texas at El Paso
Ranking factors
How it does on the ranking factors we track
The University of Texas at San Antonio
Ranking factors
How it does on the ranking factors we track
East Texas A&M University
Ranking factors
How it does on the ranking factors we track
Dallas Baptist University
Ranking factors
How it does on the ranking factors we track
Sam Houston State University
Ranking factors
How it does on the ranking factors we track
McMurry University
Ranking factors
How it does on the ranking factors we track
University of Houston-Downtown
Ranking factors
How it does on the ranking factors we track
Collin College
Ranking factors
How it does on the ranking factors we track
These rankings were compiled from data accessed in March 2026 from the Integrated Post-Secondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and College Navigator (both services of the National Center for Education Statistics). Tuition data was pulled from individual university websites and is current as of March 2026.
On the associate and CAE-CD community-college side, San Antonio College, St. Philip’s College, El Paso Community College, Hill College, and Collin County Community College all carry Cyber Defense designations.
How to choose a Texas program
Start with the CAE question. A program’s NSA and DHS designation is the single most portable quality signal, and it matters most if you are aiming at federal or cleared defense work in San Antonio, where hiring pipelines are built around CAE schools.
Next, match the program’s location to the career lane you want, since studying in the metro where you plan to work gives you access to internships, adjunct instructors who work in the field, and a local alumni network.
Weigh delivery format honestly: an online bachelor’s or master’s makes sense if you are already working, while an on-campus program near a hub buys you proximity to employers.
Finally, read the curriculum for hands-on labs, capture-the-flag work, and clear certification alignment, because Texas employers hire on demonstrated skills as much as on degrees.
Cybersecurity degree pathways in Texas
Comparing cybersecurity education pathways
| Pathway | Best suited for | Primary purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Students or professionals seeking focused training | Develop a specific skill, prepare for certification, or test interest in cybersecurity |
| Associate degree | First-time college students and career changers | Build technical foundations and prepare for entry-level work or transfer |
| Bachelor’s degree | Students seeking a broad cybersecurity education | Qualify for a wider range of analyst, engineering, consulting, and government roles |
| Master’s degree | Bachelor’s degree holders and experienced professionals | Develop advanced technical, leadership, policy, or risk-management expertise |
Building a stackable cybersecurity pathway
We track 95 cybersecurity programs at 55 Texas schools: 17 associate's degree programs, 35 bachelor's degree programs, 22 master's degree programs, 3 PhD programs, 15 certificate programs and 3 bootcamps. 41 of them can be completed fully or partly online, and 21 schools hold an NSA Center of Academic Excellence (CAE) designation. In-state students pay as little as $33 per credit, at Houston City College.
Prices are tuition only and don't include fees. Data last verified .
| School and program | Level and format | Per credit | Total | Credits | CAE | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alamo Colleges District – Northeast Lakeview CollegeCyber Defense, A.A.S. · Universal City, Texas | Associate'sOnline + Campus | $109in-state | $6,540 est. | 60 | – | |
| Amarillo CollegeCIS-Computer Networking/Cyber Security, AAS · Amarillo, Texas | Associate'sCampus | $47in-state | $2,820 est. | 60 | – | |
| Central Texas CollegeCyberdefense - Information Assurance (CDIA.AAS) · Killeen, Texas | Associate'sOnline + Campus | $125in-state | $7,500 est. | 60 | – | |
| Collin County Community College DistrictInformation Systems Cybersecurity, AAS · McKinney, Texas | Associate'sCampus | $65in-state | $3,900 est. | 60 | – | |
| Dallas CollegeCyber Security A.A.S. · Dallas, Texas | Associate'sCampus | $99in-state | $5,940 est. | 60 | – | |
| Dallas CollegeCyber Security A.A.S. - Cyber Defense Emphasis · Dallas, Texas | Associate'sCampus | $99in-state | $5,940 est. | 60 | – | |
| El Paso Community CollegeAssociate of Applied Science in Cybersecurity · El Paso, Texas | Associate'sCampus | $116in-state | $6,960 est. | 60 | CD | |
| Hill CollegeNetworking Cybersecurity Associate of Applied Science · Hillsboro, Texas | Associate'sCampus | $97in-state | $5,820 est. | 60 | CD | |
| Houston City CollegeComputer Systems Networking - Cybersecurity - Specialization, A.A.S. · Houston, Texas | Associate'sHybrid + Campus | $33in-state | $1,980 est. | 60 | – | |
| Laredo CollegeComputer Information Systems, Cloud Computing, Associate of Applied Science · Laredo, Texas | Associate'sCampus | $50in-state | $3,000 est. | 60 | – | |
| National American UniversityOnline Information Technology Associate of Applied Science Degree Program · Online (Rapid City, South Dakota) | Associate'sFully online | $304–$380 | $28,272–$35,340 est. | 93 | – | |
| Northwest Vista CollegeAssociate of Applied Science in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance · San Antonio, Texas | Associate'sOnline + Campus | $109in-state | $10,800 est. | 60 | CD | |
| San Antonio CollegeInformation Assurance and Cybersecurity, A.A.S. · San Antonio, Texas | Associate'sOnline + Campus | $109in-state | $6,540 est. | 60 | CD | |
| San Jacinto Community CollegeCIT, Information Technology Cybersecurity Specialty, Associate of Applied Science · Pasadena, Texas | Associate'sOnline + Campus | $83in-state | $4,980 est. | 60 | – | |
| South Texas CollegeCybersecurity Specialist, Associate of Applied Science · McAllen, Texas | Associate'sCampus | $164in-state | $9,840 est. | 60 | – | |
| St Philip’s CollegeInformation Technology Cybersecurity Specialist, A.A.S. · San Antonio, Texas | Associate'sOnline + Campus | $109in-state | $6,540 est. | 60 | – | |
| Texas State Technical CollegeCybersecurity · Fort Bend County, Harlingen, Marshall, North Texas and Waco, Texas | Associate'sOnline + Hybrid + Campus | $270in-state | $16,200 est. | 60 | CD | |
| Abilene Christian University#2 bachelor's programOnline Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity · Abilene, Texas | Bachelor'sFully online | $395 | $47,400 est. | 120 | – | |
| Angelo State UniversityBachelor of Science (B.S.) in Cybersecurity · San Angelo, Texas | Bachelor'sOnline + Hybrid | $187in-state | $22,476 est. | 120 | CD | |
| Austin Community College DistrictBachelor of Applied Science in Cybersecurity · Austin, Texas | Bachelor'sCampus | $67in-state | $8,040 est. | 120 | – | |
| Baylor UniversityBachelor of Science in Computer Science (BSCS), Cybersecurity Concentration · Waco, Texas | Bachelor'sCampus | $2,824 | $350,176 est. | 124 | CD, R | |
| Collin College#10 bachelor's programCybersecurity, BAT · McKinney, Texas | Bachelor'sCampus | $65in-state | $7,800 est. | 120 | CD | |
| Dallas Baptist University#6 bachelor's programCybersecurity (BS) · Dallas, Texas | Bachelor'sCampus | $1,373 | $164,760 est. | 120 | – | |
| East Texas A&M University#5 bachelor's programCybersecurity (BS) · Bryan, Texas | Bachelor'sCampus | Tuition not published separatelyRELLIS publishes only combined annual tuition and fees for full-time students for 2026-2027: $9,450 resident and $22,035 nonresident. | 120 | – | ||
| Hallmark University#1 bachelor's programBachelor of Science in Cybersecurity · San Antonio, Texas | Bachelor'sHybrid | $550 | $66,000 est. | 120 | – | |
| Hallmark UniversityBachelor of Science in Information Systems · San Antonio, Texas | Bachelor'sHybrid | $550 | $66,000 est. | 120 | – | |
| Houston Christian UniversityBachelor of Science (BS) in Cybersecurity · Houston, Texas | Bachelor'sCampus | $1,630 | $200,490 est. | 123 | – | |
| Houston Christian UniversityBachelor of Science in Cyber Engineering · Houston, Texas | Bachelor'sCampus | $1,630 | $208,640 est. | 128 | – | |
| Lamar UniversityBachelor of Science in Cybersecurity · Beaumont, Texas | Bachelor'sCampus | $259in-state | $31,139 est. | 120 | – | |
| LeTourneau UniversityBachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems · Longview, Texas | Bachelor'sFully online | $380–$410 | $49,020–$52,890 est. | 129 | – | |
| Lone Star CollegeBachelor of Applied Technology in Cybersecurity · Cypress and Houston, Texas | Bachelor'sCampus | $111in-state | $13,320 est. | 120 | – | |
| McMurry University#8 bachelor's programBachelor of Science in Cybersecurity · Abilene, Texas | Bachelor'sOnline + Hybrid | $360 | $43,200 est. | 120 | – | |
| Our Lady of the Lake UniversityComputer Information Systems and Security (BS, BBA or BAS) · San Antonio, Texas | Bachelor'sCampus | $1,037 | $124,440 est. | 120 | CD | |
| Sam Houston State University#7 bachelor's programBachelor of Science, Major in Cybersecurity · Huntsville, Texas | Bachelor'sCampus | $244in-state | $29,280 est. | 120 | – | |
| Sam Houston State UniversityBachelor of Science, Major in Cybersecurity · Huntsville, Texas | Bachelor'sCampus | $244in-state | $29,280 est. | 120 | – | |
| Southern Methodist UniversityComputer Science, B.S. (Security Track) · Dallas, Texas | Bachelor'sCampus | $2,662 | $324,764 est. | 122 | CD | |
| St. Philip’s CollegeBachelor of Applied Technology (BAT) in Cybersecurity · San Antonio, Texas | Bachelor'sOnline + Hybrid + Campus | $259in-state | $31,080 est. | 120 | – | |
| Texas A&M University San AntonioBAAS: Information Technology/Information Assurance and Security Concentration · San Antonio, Texas | Bachelor'sCampus | Tuition not published separatelyA&M-San Antonio publishes $50 per credit statutory tuition for Texas residents plus a sliding designated-tuition schedule by hours enrolled ($1,471.22 for 12 hours in 2026-27) rather than a single per-credit rate; 2026-27 nonresident rates weren't posted. | 120 | CD | ||
| Texas A&M University-Central TexasInformation Technology, B.A.A.S. · Killeen, Texas | Bachelor'sOnline + Campus | $275in-state | $32,963 est. | 120 | – | |
| Texas A&M University-Corpus ChristiComputer Science, BS - Cyber Security and Infrastructure Option (CSIF) · Corpus Christi, Texas | Bachelor'sCampus | $175in-state | $20,974 est. | 120–124 | CD | |
| Texas A&M University-San AntonioBachelor of Science in Cyber Security · San Antonio, Texas | Bachelor'sOnline + Campus | Tuition not published separatelyTexas A&M-San Antonio publishes 2026-2027 resident tuition as an hourly table: statutory tuition of $50 per SCH plus designated tuition that is not linear ($230.36 for 1 SCH, $1,471.22 for 12 SCH); no 2026-2027 nonresident table is published. | 120 | CD | ||
| Texas A&M University-VictoriaComputer Information Systems, B.S. (Cyber Security concentration) · Victoria, Texas | Bachelor'sOnline + Campus | $213in-state | $25,553 est. | 120 | – | |
| The University of Texas at DallasBachelor of Science in Cybersecurity and Risk Management · Richardson, Texas | Bachelor'sCampus | Tuition not published separatelyUT Dallas publishes guaranteed tuition per term by load rather than per credit: for 2026-27 entrants, $8,256 (resident) or $22,600 (nonresident) for 12 or more undergraduate hours, plus a $60 per-hour JSOM designated fee. | 120 | CD, R | ||
| The University of Texas at El Paso#3 bachelor's programBachelor of Arts in Security Studies · El Paso, Texas | Bachelor'sFully online | $420in-state | $50,400 est. | 120 | CD, R, CO | |
| The University of Texas at San Antonio#4 bachelor's programBachelor of Science in Cybersecurity · San Antonio, Texas | Bachelor'sOnline + Campus | $248in-state | $29,754 est. | 120 | CD | |
| University of HoustonB.S. in Computer Science · Houston, Texas | Bachelor'sCampus | Tuition not published separatelyUH publishes a combined tuition-and-incidental-fee rate for Natural Sciences and Mathematics of $385.59 per credit for residents and $939.38 for nonresidents in AY2027, with no tuition-only split. | – | CD, R | ||
| University of Houston-Downtown#9 bachelor's programBachelor of Science in Cybersecurity · Houston, Texas | Bachelor'sCampus | $246in-state | $29,490 est. | 120 | – | |
| University of North TexasCybersecurity, BS · Denton, Texas | Bachelor'sCampus | $280in-state | $33,613 est. | 120 | CD, R | |
| University of North TexasInformation Science, B.S. · Denton, Texas | Bachelor'sOnline + Campus | $280in-state | $33,613 est. | 120 | CD, R | |
| University of Texas at AustinBachelor of Science in Computer Science, Cybersecurity Concentration · Austin, Texas | Bachelor'sCampus | Tuition not published separatelyUT Austin charges flat-rate tuition that bundles mandatory fees: $5,883 per semester for Texas residents and $22,485 for nonresidents in Natural Sciences at 12+ hours for 2026-27; no tuition-only per-credit rate is published. | – | – | ||
| University of Texas at San AntonioBachelor of Science in Applied Cyber Analytics · San Antonio, Texas | Bachelor'sCampus | $248in-state | $29,754 est. | 120 | CD | |
| University of Texas at San AntonioBachelor of Science in Computer Science, Cybersecurity Concentration · San Antonio, Texas | Bachelor'sCampus | – | – | 120 | CD | |
| Baylor UniversityOnline MBA, Cybersecurity Concentration · Waco, Texas | Master'sFully online | $1,189 | $49,938 | 42 | CD, R | |
| East Texas A&M UniversityBusiness Administration (MBA) with a Cybersecurity minor · Commerce, Texas | Master'sOnline + Campus | Tuition not published separatelyEast Texas A&M publishes tuition and fees together: $3,851 for Texas residents and $7,703 for nonresidents for nine graduate hours in Fall 2026, plus a $50/hour online fee and $25/hour College of Business fee. | 30 | – | ||
| Houston Christian University#4 master's programMaster of Science in Cybersecurity · Houston, Texas | Master'sOnline + Hybrid | $620 | $18,600 est. | 30 | – | |
| Our Lady of the Lake University#2 master's programOnline Master of Science in Cybersecurity · San Antonio, Texas | Master'sFully online | $1,031 | $30,930 est. | 30 | CD | |
| Sam Houston State UniversityMaster of Science in Cybersecurity · Huntsville, Texas | Master'sFully online | $320in-state | $9,608 est. | 30 | – | |
| Southern Methodist University#5 master's programMaster of Science in Cybersecurity · Dallas, Texas | Master'sOnline + Campus | $1,450 | $43,500 est. | 30 | CD | |
| St. Mary's University#1 master's programMaster of Science in Cybersecurity · San Antonio, Texas | Master'sOnline + Campus | $1,201 | $39,633 est. | 33 | CD | |
| Stephen F Austin State UniversityCyber Security, MS · Nacogdoches, Texas | Master'sCampus | Tuition not published separatelySFA uses a flat-rate tuition table: a Texas resident graduate student pays $359 in tuition for one credit hour ($50 statutory, $204 designated, $30 graduate, $75 graduate differential), but designated tuition is not linear above that. | 36 | – | ||
| Texas A&M University School of LawMaster of Legal Studies (MLS), Cybersecurity Law and Policy · Fort Worth, Texas | Master'sFully online | $1,200 | $36,000 est. | 30 | – | |
| Texas A&M University – College StationMaster of Engineering in Engineering, Cybersecurity specialization · College Station, Texas | Master'sCampus | – | – | 30 | – | |
| The University of Texas at DallasMaster of Science in Cyber Security, Technology and Policy · Richardson, Texas | Master'sCampus | Tuition not published separatelyUT Dallas publishes guaranteed graduate tuition per term by load: for 2026-27 entrants, $1,916 (resident) or $2,827 (nonresident) for one hour and $10,468 or $21,206 for 12 hours, plus a $95 per-hour ECS designated fee. | 36 | CD, R | ||
| The University of Texas at San AntonioMaster of Science in Cybersecurity Science · San Antonio, Texas | Master'sCampus | $371in-state | $11,125 est. | 30 | CD | |
| The University of Texas at San AntonioMaster of Science in Information Technology, Cybersecurity Concentration · San Antonio, Texas | Master'sCampus | – | – | 33 | CD | |
| The University of Texas at TylerMaster of Science in Cybersecurity and Data Analytics · Tyler, Texas | Master'sFully online | $363in-state | $13,068 est. | 36 | – | |
| University of Dallas#3 master's programMS in Cybersecurity · Dallas, Texas | Master'sFully online | $1,300 | $39,000 est. | 30 | CD | |
| University of DallasMBA, Cybersecurity Concentration · Dallas, Texas | Master'sOnline + Campus | $1,300 | $50,700 est. | 39 | CD | |
| University of HoustonMaster of Science in Cybersecurity · Sugar Land, Texas | Master'sCampus | Tuition not published separatelyUH publishes only a consolidated tuition-and-incidental-fee rate: $676.25 per SCH resident and $1,204.25 nonresident for Engineering-Technology master's students in AY2027. | 30 | CD, R | ||
| University of Houston-DowntownMaster of Security Management (MSM), Cybersecurity Concentration · Houston, Texas | Master'sFully online | – | – | 36 | – | |
| University of North TexasCybersecurity, MS · Denton, Texas | Master'sCampus | $353in-state | $10,584 est. | 30–33 | CD, R | |
| University of Texas - AustinMaster of Science in Information Security and Privacy (MSISP) · Austin, Texas | Master'sOnline + Campus | – | $50,000 | – | – | |
| University of Texas at AustinMaster of Laws (LL.M.), Cybersecurity Law concentration · Austin, Texas | Master'sCampus | Tuition not published separatelyTexas Law publishes LL.M. tuition per semester for a 12-hour load: $16,652 for Texas residents and $24,745 for nonresidents in 2026-27, with no per-credit rate. | 24 | – | ||
| University of Texas at TylerMaster of Business Administration, Cyber Security Concentration (Online) · Tyler, Texas | Master'sFully online | $893 | $32,147 est. | 36 | – | |
| Sam Houston State UniversityPh.D. in Digital and Cyber Forensic Science · Huntsville, Texas | DoctorateCampus | $320in-state | $23,698 est. | 74 | – | |
| University of North TexasInformation Science PhD, Cybersecurity Concentration · Denton, Texas | DoctorateOnline + Campus | $353in-state | $21,167 est. | 60–72 | CD, R | |
| University of Texas at San AntonioDoctor of Philosophy in Information Technology, Cybersecurity Concentration · San Antonio, Texas | DoctorateCampus | – | – | 57–75 | CD | |
| Amarillo CollegeComputer Cyber Security Certificate · Amarillo, Texas | CertificateCampus | $47in-state | $1,410 est. | 30 | – | |
| Collin CollegeInformation Systems Cybersecurity, Level 1 Certificate · McKinney, Texas | CertificateNot reported | $67in-state | $2,412 est. | 36 | CD | |
| Dallas CollegeInformation Security Occupational Skills Award · Farmers Branch, Texas | CertificateNot reported | $99in-state | $891 est. | 9 | – | |
| Hill CollegeNetworking Cybersecurity Certificate of Technology · Hillsboro, Texas | CertificateCampus | $97in-state | $2,619 est. | 27 | CD | |
| Houston City CollegeComputer Systems Networking - Cybersecurity, C1 · Houston, Texas | CertificateHybrid + Campus | $33in-state | – | – | – | |
| San Antonio CollegeInformation Assurance and Cybersecurity, Certificate Level 1 · San Antonio, Texas | CertificateOnline + Campus | $109in-state | – | – | CD | |
| San Jacinto CollegeCIT, Advanced Information Technology Cybersecurity Specialty, Occupational Certificate · Pasadena, Texas | CertificateOnline + Campus | $83in-state | $1,494 est. | 18 | CD | |
| South Texas CollegeCybersecurity Specialist Certificate · McAllen, Texas | CertificateCampus | $164in-state | $3,936 est. | 24 | – | |
| St. Mary’s UniversityGraduate Certificate in Cybersecurity · San Antonio, Texas | CertificateOnline + Campus | $1,201 | $14,412 est. | 12 | – | |
| Texas A&M UniversityCyber Operations - Certificate · College Station, Texas | CertificateCampus | – | – | 12 | CD, R, CO | |
| Texas A&M-San AntonioNSA/DHS Cyber Defense Education Certificate · San Antonio, Texas | CertificateNot reported | Tuition not published separatelyTexas A&M-San Antonio publishes 2026-2027 resident tuition as an hourly table: statutory tuition of $50 per SCH plus designated tuition that is not linear ($230.36 for 1 SCH, $1,471.22 for 12 SCH); no 2026-2027 nonresident table is published. | 24 | – | ||
| Texas State Technical College Fort Bend CountyCybersecurity Certificate 1 · Rosenberg, Texas | CertificateOnline + Campus | $270in-state | – | – | – | |
| The University of Texas at DallasCybersecurity Systems Certificate · Richardson, Texas | CertificateCampus | Tuition not published separatelyUT Dallas publishes guaranteed graduate tuition per term by load: for 2026-27 entrants, $1,916 (resident) or $2,827 (nonresident) for one hour, plus a $100 per-hour JSOM designated fee. | 12 | CD, R | ||
| The University of Texas at El PasoGraduate Certificate in Cyber Security · El Paso, Texas | CertificateCampus | – | – | 15 | CD, R, CO | |
| University of North TexasSecurity Certificate · Denton, Texas | CertificateCampus | $280in-state | $5,042 est. | 18 | CD, R | |
| QuickStartOnline Cybersecurity Bootcamp · Austin, Texas | BootcampFully online | – | $8,900 | 18 weeks | – | |
| Southern Methodist UniversityCybersecurity Bootcamp · Dallas, Texas | BootcampFully online | – | $9,900 | 45 weeks | CD | |
| Texas A&M International UniversityOnline Cybersecurity Boot Camp · Laredo, Texas | BootcampFully online | – | – | 6 months | – | |
Cybersecurity education does not have to follow one fixed sequence. Common pathways include:
Certificate → associate degree → bachelor’s degree
Associate degree → applied bachelor’s degree
Bachelor’s degree → entry-level employment → master’s degree
IT or computer science degree → cybersecurity certificate or graduate degree
Military or professional experience → academic credential → advanced security role
Students planning to combine credentials should review transfer and residency requirements before enrolling.
Selecting programs whose credits can be applied to a later degree can reduce repeated coursework, shorten completion time, and make the overall pathway more affordable.
The Texas program directory below can be used to compare credentials, delivery methods, credit requirements, tuition information, and institutional cybersecurity designations.
Program details can change, so students should verify current requirements and costs with the institution before applying.
Associate degrees in cybersecurity
An associate degree can provide an accessible starting point for students entering cybersecurity without an existing college degree. Most programs concentrate on practical foundations such as networking, operating systems, system administration, security monitoring, access control, and basic incident response.
Students commonly use an associate degree in one of two ways:
- Enter the workforce in a technical support, networking, junior security, or security operations role.
- Transfer into a bachelor’s program after completing lower-division and general education requirements.
Prospective transfer students should verify whether an Associate of Applied Science degree will transfer into their intended bachelor’s program. Applied degrees are often designed primarily for workforce preparation, and not every course will automatically count toward a four-year degree.
When comparing Texas associate programs, look for hands-on laboratories, internship opportunities, clearly published transfer agreements, and coursework that develops both networking and security skills.
Bachelor’s degrees in cybersecurity
Bachelor’s programs are the most comprehensive undergraduate route into the cybersecurity profession. It generally combines cybersecurity coursework with broader study in computing, communication, mathematics, business, or criminal justice.
Program titles and academic emphasis can differ significantly:
- Bachelor of Science programs usually place greater emphasis on programming, networks, operating systems, technical security, and computing theory.
- Bachelor of Arts programs may include more coursework in policy, communication, intelligence, criminal justice, or the social dimensions of security.
- Applied bachelor’s programs, including Bachelor of Applied Science and Bachelor of Applied Technology degrees, are often designed for students transferring from technical or associate-level programs.
- Information systems or computer science degrees with security coursework may provide a broader technology education rather than concentrating exclusively on cybersecurity.
Students should compare curricula rather than relying solely on the degree title. A strong program should provide opportunities to apply security concepts through laboratories, projects, competitions, internships, research, or a senior capstone.
Master’s degrees in cybersecurity
A cybersecurity master’s degree is generally intended for students who already hold a bachelor’s degree and want advanced preparation for technical, managerial, research, policy, or risk-focused positions.
Not every master’s program serves the same type of student. Some emphasize secure systems, cyber operations, digital forensics, threat intelligence, or security engineering. Others focus more heavily on governance, compliance, privacy, strategy, or organizational risk.
Applicants should determine whether a program expects previous coursework or professional experience in programming, networking, computer science, engineering, or information technology.
Career changers may benefit from programs that provide prerequisite or foundation courses before advanced security study begins.
A master’s degree may help experienced professionals move into positions involving security architecture, engineering, consulting, program management, governance, or leadership.
However, graduate education should complement—not replace—practical experience and demonstrated technical ability.
Career paths and where the jobs are
Where you want to work in Texas should shape what you study. If you want federal or defense cyber work, San Antonio is the destination: NSA Texas, the Sixteenth Air Force, and contractors around Port San Antonio hire for cleared roles in signals intelligence, offensive and defensive operations, and threat analysis, and a UTSA or Texas A&M pedigree plus a clearance moves you to the front of the line.
If you want corporate and financial security, Dallas-Fort Worth is the deepest market in the state, with security operations, compliance, and threat-response teams at USAA, RTX, Lockheed Martin, AT&T, and the region’s banks and insurers.
Austin rewards application security, cloud security, and product security engineers who can sit inside fast-moving software and hardware companies like Dell, Oracle, and Tesla.
Houston is the place for operational technology and industrial control system security, protecting the energy infrastructure along the Gulf Coast. Common entry titles across all four hubs include SOC analyst, security analyst, and GRC analyst, with clear ladders into engineering, incident response, and architecture.
Salary and cost of living in Texas
Information security analysts in Texas earn a mean annual wage of $119,480, with the top ten percent of earners clearing roughly $167,000. That sits modestly below the national median of $124,910 for the occupation, but the comparison is misleading without the cost-of-living adjustment.
Texas has no state income tax, and housing across San Antonio, Houston, and most of the DFW metro runs well under coastal-tech benchmarks, so a Texas salary generally stretches further than the raw number suggests.
Austin is the exception, where tech-driven housing costs have climbed closer to national highs, though salaries there tend to run higher to match. Cleared federal and defense roles in San Antonio also carry a premium, since a security clearance is a scarce, portable credential in that market.
Certifications and workforce programs
Certifications provide a shorter and more specialized route than a full degree. Texas institutions offer undergraduate certificates, graduate certificates, continuing-education programs, and workforce credentials for students at different stages of their careers.
A college certificate and an industry certification are not the same:
- An academic certificate is a group of courses completed through a college or university.
- An industry certification is earned by passing an examination administered by an organization such as CompTIA, Cisco, ISACA, ISC2, or another certification provider.
Certificate programs may be useful for professionals adding security responsibilities to an existing IT role, degree holders seeking graduate-level cybersecurity coursework, or beginners who want focused training before committing to a longer program.
Before enrolling, students should confirm whether certificate credits can be applied toward a related associate, bachelor’s, or master’s degree. They should also check whether the curriculum prepares them for an external certification exam or merely covers similar subject matter.
Frequently asked questions about cybersecurity degrees in Texas
The strongest programs are the NSA-designated Centers of Academic Excellence. The University of Texas at San Antonio holds all three CAE designations (Cyber Defense, Cyber Operations, and Research), Texas A&M holds Cyber Defense and Cyber Operations designations, and UT Dallas runs one of the state’s deeper technical faculties. Beyond those flagships, Sam Houston State, Angelo State, Our Lady of the Lake, and SMU all carry CAE Cyber Defense status. The best choice depends on your target city and career lane.
San Antonio is the center of gravity for cyber in Texas. The University of Texas at San Antonio is the standout, holding all three NSA CAE designations and running the National Security Collaboration Center with federal and industry partners. St. Mary’s University and Our Lady of the Lake University offer master’s programs, and San Antonio College and St. Philip’s College provide CAE-designated associate and transfer pathways. Studying here puts you next to NSA Texas, the Sixteenth Air Force, USAA, and Rackspace.
Yes. In Dallas-Fort Worth, UT Dallas, Southern Methodist University, and the University of Dallas anchor the region, feeding security teams at USAA, RTX, and Lockheed Martin. Austin students draw on the University of Texas at Austin and Austin Community College for a startup and product-security market led by Dell, Oracle, and Tesla. Houston options include the University of Houston-Downtown and San Jacinto College, well positioned for the energy sector’s operational technology security needs.
Information Security Analysts in Texas earn a mean annual wage of $119,480, with top earners clearing roughly $167,000. That runs slightly below the national median of $124,910, but Texas has no state income tax and lower housing costs across most metros, so real take-home stretches further. Cleared federal and defense roles in San Antonio typically pay a premium.
It is not strictly required, but it helps, especially for federal and cleared defense work. The NSA and DHS Center of Academic Excellence designation is the most portable quality signal in the field, and hiring pipelines around San Antonio’s NSA Texas and Sixteenth Air Force are built around CAE graduates. For corporate roles in Dallas or Austin, demonstrated skills and certifications can matter as much as the designation.
Texas is one of the strongest markets in the country. The state’s cyber workforce demand grew 307.1 percent between 2010 and 2025, ahead of the national 240.8 percent, and stood at 42,559 openings in 2025. With San Antonio’s federal cluster, Dallas-Fort Worth finance and defense, Austin tech, and Houston energy, Texas offers more distinct career lanes than almost any other state.
Sources
- CyberSeek | Cybersecurity Supply/Demand Heat Map | Accessed July 22, 2026
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics | Accessed July 22, 2026
- Texas Workforce Commission | Labor Market Information | Accessed July 22, 2026
- Texas Department of Information Resources | State Cybersecurity Programs | Accessed July 22, 2026
- University of Texas at San Antonio | National Security Collaboration Center | Accessed July 22, 2026
- NSA’s Texas Cryptologic Center | NSA’s Texas Cryptologic Center | Accessed July 22, 2026
- Alamo ACE 2024 Coverage | AFCEA | Accessed July 22, 2026
- Sixteenth Air Force Homepage | Sixteenth Air Force | Accessed July 22, 2026
- National Science Foundation / OPM | CyberCorps Scholarship for Service | Accessed July 22, 2026