Is a Master’s in Cybersecurity Worth It?

Written by: University of Tulsa • Jan 29, 2025

A Cybersecurity Student Studying on Some Monitors..jpg

Is a Master’s in Cybersecurity Worth It?

Organizations and individuals lose trillions of dollars to cybercrime every year worldwide. Statista reports the average cost of a data breach in the U.S. is around $9.4 million. The economic impact of hacking and other cybercrime is staggering, and these figures illustrate how vulnerable our sensitive digital data is.

What statistics such as these fail to convey, however, is that cybercrime is preventable — provided there are enough qualified cybersecurity professionals to keep hackers at bay. Unfortunately, there aren’t. A persistent cybersecurity workforce gap equates to hundreds of thousands of vacant positions.

Consequently, this is a very good time to launch a career in cybersecurity. However, this requires an upfront investment of time and money to meet the educational standards and necessary training to perform cybersecurity work. Naturally, this may lead students to question whether a master’s in cybersecurity is worth it.

When evaluating the current landscape, employers are willing to pay a premium for cybersecurity, network security, and information assurance skills, which explains why the demand for cybersecurity professionals keeps growing. Ensuring that the digital assets of government agencies, businesses, and individuals stay safe requires specialized skills and knowledge.

Is now the right time to pursue this new career path? Absolutely — particularly when you don’t have to put your life on hold to get the credentials you need to join and excel in this fast-growing field. Finding the right master’s in a cybersecurity program means learning as much as you can about the career benefits of a cybersecurity degree and determining whether your goals align with the focus of each program you’re considering.

What Is a Master’s in Cybersecurity?

Most Master of Science (M.S.) in Cyber Security programs are highly technical, STEM-focused, and geared toward professionals who already work in computer science, information technology, information systems, or network engineering and architecture. These graduate-level programs typically teach students how to identify and combat security threats, how to protect computer systems and networks against cyber attacks, and how to resolve data breaches and mitigate the impact of successful attacks. Every university approaches this subject differently; however, some programs take a broader view.

At TU, the online cybersecurity master’s program is for professionals who want to become technical and managerial leaders in the cybersecurity world without taking time out of the workforce. The master of cybersecurity curriculum covers a variety of advanced cybersecurity concepts, including the following:

Best practices to secure information systems and networks, including detection of abnormal events, intrusion detection, incident handling, response, and recovery.
Essential defensive cybersecurity techniques and technologies used by modern organizations to protect data and systems.
Design and maintenance of safe, reliable, and scalable high-assurance information systems.
Human factors that can compromise network and computer security, as well as the economic and ethical issues relevant to the cybersecurity field.
Legal, policy, technical, and logical dimensions of information security, computer systems security, and network security.
Principles of computer networks and network security design and operation, including incident response, design fundamentals, and security assessments.
Standard penetration testing methodology and outcomes plus auditing and testing methodologies.
Technical aspects of computer, network, and information system security, and techniques related to access control, authentication, secure communication, and auditing.

In short, The University of Tulsa’s M.S. in Cyber Security teaches the theory, concepts, and techniques that form the foundation of modern information assurance and network defense. TU faculty regularly update the curriculum to ensure coursework and hands-on lab work are up-to-date, scalable, and in alignment with the needs of private and public sector employers. You’ll graduate ready to apply what you’ve learned in real-world settings to protect sensitive digital assets.

Why Pursue a Master’s in Cybersecurity?

Earning a master’s degree in cybersecurity offers many advantages for professionals looking to excel in this quickly growing field. Here are some compelling reasons why a master’s in cybersecurity is worth it:

Specialized knowledge: Students gain in-depth expertise in advanced topics such as cryptography, ethical hacking, threat intelligence, and security architecture.
Career advancement: Graduates can qualify for senior roles such as Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), cybersecurity consultant, or security architect, which typically require advanced credentials.
High earning potential: Professionals with a master’s in cybersecurity often earn significantly higher salaries than those with only a bachelor’s degree.
Demand for expertise: With cyber threats rapidly evolving, organizations seek highly skilled professionals to address complex security challenges.
Access to leadership opportunities: Students develop leadership and management skills to effectively oversee cybersecurity teams and strategies.
Hands-on experience: Many master’s programs include practical training, simulations, and research opportunities to build real-world expertise.
Networking opportunities: Graduates can connect with peers, faculty, and industry professionals to expand their professional networks and open doors to new career opportunities.
Preparation for certifications: Graduate programs often align with the curriculum of prestigious certifications, helping you achieve these credentials more efficiently.
Stay ahead in technology: Students learn about cutting-edge advancements such as AI-driven security, blockchain, and quantum computing.
Broader career options: A master’s degree can open doors to roles in government agencies, private corporations, academia, and consulting firms.

Pursuing a master’s in cybersecurity not only strengthens technical and analytical skills but also positions graduates as leaders in protecting critical systems and data from ever-evolving cyber threats.

What Can You Do with a Master of Science in Cybersecurity?

One way to find out if a master’s in cybersecurity is worth it is to review what you can do with the degree.

According to the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers & Studies (NICCS), cybersecurity encompasses dozens of specialty areas and over 50 career roles. Many fall into categories such as information technology (IT) security, national intelligence, network security, risk analysis, software engineering, or systems engineering.

Entry-level cybersecurity jobs tend to attract professionals from networking, software development, and IT who have seen first-hand how vulnerable the systems they work with can be. With a bachelor’s degree and some technical experience, you can become a cybersecurity specialist, cybersecurity analyst, or IT auditor — all early-career cybersecurity roles appropriate for generalists.

Cybersecurity master’s degree holders, on the other hand, have the credentials and the skills to step into higher-paying, higher-profile management and technical positions blog/high-level-cybersecurity-careers/ in the field. After earning a master’s in cybersecurity, you can qualify to become a cybersecurity director, security architect, or ethical hacker. You can also specialize in niche areas of cybersecurity, such as cloud security; cryptography; security automation; digital forensics; or governance, risk, and compliance.

Is Demand for Cybersecurity Experts the Same Everywhere?

Global demand for cybersecurity expertise is booming, but job markets are stronger in some areas of the country and weaker in others. According to Statista, there were around 755,743 cybersecurity job openings in the U.S. in 2023. Of those, most were concentrated in California (81,584), Texas (73,302), Virginia (60,398), Florida (39,686), and New York (31,152).

You don’t have to limit your post-cybersecurity master’s job search to the country’s technology hubs, however. While tech companies do employ the lion’s share of cyber professionals, government agencies concerned with national security, law enforcement agencies, financial firms, health care networks, and retail enterprises also hire plenty of cybersecurity and information security professionals. Banking and investment companies, in particular, have a vested interest in keeping their computer systems and customer data as safe as possible.

One of the major benefits of earning a cybersecurity master’s from The University of Tulsa is that you’ll be able to land higher-profile jobs in areas where salaries are highest, fields where the market for cybersecurity talent is more competitive, and companies known for being highly selective. Your M.S. in Cyber Security can make it easier to get your foot in the door at companies such as Amazon, CymSTAR, Google, GPSG, Hilti, Instagram, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory — all of which employ TU M.S. in Cyber Security graduates.

How to Calculate the ROI of a Master’s in Cybersecurity

You need to look at the long-term financial value of this degree to answer whether a master’s in cybersecurity is worth it. The simplest 10-year return-on-investment calculation looks like this: (expected post-master’s annual salary x 10) – (pre-master’s annual salary x 10) – (the total cost of a graduate degree). That means the questions you need to answer to calculate the ROI of a cybersecurity master’s include the following:

How Much Does a Master’s in Cybersecurity Cost?

The average cost of a master’s in cybersecurity isn’t particularly illuminating because very few advanced degree candidates pay the full price of tuition out of pocket. Total tuition for The University of Tulsa’s Online M.S. in Cyber Security is $25,500, which represents a substantial investment, but many students admitted to the online cybersecurity master’s program receive need-based financial aid and other forms of financial assistance, including merit grants and internal and external scholarships.

What Is the Typical Master’s in Cybersecurity Salary?

The median cybersecurity salary was close to $100,000 in 2024 according to Payscale, which is higher than the average for all IT jobs. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), information security analysts earned a median annual salary of $120,360 as of May 2023.

TU alumni who specialize in cybersecurity typically earn around $95,000 after graduation, though they quickly earn more as they advance. A cybersecurity director can earn over $188,000 per year, according to Payscale. Experienced chief information security officers earn close to $192,000.

Calculating the Return On Investment

As long as you know the cost of a cybersecurity degree and the master’s in cybersecurity salary you expect to earn after graduation, you can calculate the ROI equation. For example, if you’re currently a cyber analyst earning $82,000 annually and you’re interested in pursuing a master’s degree to become a cybersecurity manager with a median salary: of $138,000, the ROI of a cybersecurity master’s from TU is more than $500,000.

Of course, the equation above doesn’t factor in future raises. The actual return on investment of your master’s in cybersecurity could be much higher. It also doesn’t account for the impact of the university’s reputation on ROI. A cybersecurity graduate degree from The University of Tulsa, which has a long-standing reputation for excellence in cybersecurity, may give you a bigger career boost than one from another school.

TU’s on-campus and online programs have the backing of federal government agencies, including the National Security Agency, the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Department of Transportation, and the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA). The University of Tulsa has also been a designated Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense since 2000 when it was one of the first 14 institutions awarded this distinction.

Since then, TU has held and continues to hold all three NCAE-C designations, and the university’s cybersecurity master’s program alumni go on to work in leading roles in the private sector, the public sector, and academia.

Pursue a Degree That Offers a Return on Your Investment

Is a master’s in cybersecurity worth it? Cyber threats are more difficult than ever to manage. Not only are there more of them, but they’re also more complex. It’s challenging to predict what the cyber attacks of the future will look like based on what hacking groups, cybercriminals, and foreign government agencies have done in the past. Qualified cybersecurity professionals must have the technical skills to address the threats of the present as well as a thorough understanding of where digital technology is headed so they can respond to the threats yet to come.

Choose a flexible online program, and you can learn leading-edge information assurance and network defense skills and earn an in-demand graduate degree without sacrificing either income or professional growth. In just 20 months, The University of Tulsa’s online M.S. in Cyber Security program will give you the skills and knowledge you’ll need to protect sensitive information for business entities and government agencies — and earn top dollar in a field where average salaries are close to double the national average — now and in the future.

Are you ready to take the next step in your career? Apply now or visit the website for more information about this program.

Recommended Readings

5 Blockchain Careers to Consider

How to Become an Ethical Hacker

Malware Analyst Career Overview

Sources:

Monster, “Your Guide to Cybersecurity Careers”

NICCS, Workforce Framework for Cybersecurity (NICE Framework)

Payscale, Average Chief Information Officer (CIO) Salary

Payscale, Average Cyber Security Analyst Salary

Payscale, Average Cyber Security Manager Salary

Payscale, Average Director of Cyber Security Salary