PHOENIX, AZ / ACCESSWIRE / May 18, 2020 / Cyber Degrees EDU is pleased to announce a new ranking list for the best ranked cyber security school programs in the U.S. Now more than ever, everyone depends on the internet. Keeping networks and computer systems free from cyber-attacks is a top priority and the demand for cyber security graduates continues to increase. This means that students seeking a career in cybersecurity will need to know their best educational options based on objective criteria. It’s all a matter of performing due diligence, and that is where these school rankings step in to help.
What were the criteria for determining the top cyber security colleges in the United States? First, researchers looked at colleges specializing in cyber security with a variety of degree programs. All schools on the list are either high quality or very affordable and are located across the country. While the list provides some of the best schools for cyber security, Cyber Degrees EDU also recognizes that it is important for students to find the best school for their particular needs and so these rankings aim to provide the information needed for students to make the best possible choice for them.
Proprietary Ratings System
A proprietary ratings system was used to rank the various colleges and universities offering cyber security bachelor’s and master’s degree programs. Data used for this includes items like the school’s retention rate, which is the number of first-time students returning to the university the following year. The graduation rate focuses on the percentage of those first-time students receiving a degree from the school within 150% of standard program time. While the standard program time for completing an undergraduate degree is four years, a student graduating within six years is included in the graduation rate as the longer time frame becomes more normal across the country.
Costs are also a major concern for most students and their parents. Because of this not only were tuition rates included, but also the percentage of students receiving grants and scholarships, for a realistic examination of true tuition expenses. Also included is the availability of work-study and similar online programs.
Cyber security is a fast paced growing and well-paying field. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of information security analysts is projected to grow 32 percent from 2018 to 2028, much faster than the average for all occupations. The average salary for graduates reflects the quality of the education and the demand by top employers for these students. Researchers used this information to weight schools based on their graduate’s average salary.
Selectivity is also determined by a school’s acceptance rate. The acceptance rate is the number of students accepted to a school versus the number of applicants. All acceptance rates involve first-time, first-year students.
Keep in mind that while retention, graduation, and acceptance rates are good indicators of a school’s overall quality, what matters most is the reputation of the individual cyber security program. That is why knowing which schools were attended by the best cyber security professionals is so vital.
Online reviews provide information unobtainable elsewhere. While it is true that students are more likely to post a negative review of a school if they have issues, it is also true that such reviews may bring up crucial details about courses or campus culture.
Increasingly, education is occurring via online programs. Many of the universities offering the best cyber security programs are brick and mortar institutions, but most offer a combination of in-class and online learning. There are also high-quality schools offering cyber security degrees online only. For many students with work or family obligations, an online only or hybrid program is the most practical choice.
Other Choices
What makes a university a great fit for one student may not work out so well for another. It is a matter of each student knowing what they want and need in an education, whether it is an undergraduate or graduate experience. That is why these cyber security programs include ranking information based on the needs for students.
Students will find a profile of each school and its cyber security program. With this information, students can determine which schools meet all of their needs and which provide their “wants”. Students may also discover that the school in which there was the most interest originally is not as suitable as it could be, while another might prove a perfect match. Some of the colleges and universities that were included in the rankings are: Stanford University, Carnegie Mellon University, University of California-Davis, Johns Hopkins University, The University of Texas at Austin and Brigham Young University-Provo. The full 55 ranked cyber security colleges can be found on the Cyber Degrees EDU website.
If going the traditional route, note that these institutions are primarily located in large cities. Students can benefit from the wide range of activities, business and cultural opportunities available. Such locations likely offer more internships and job possibilities.
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SOURCE: Cyber Degrees EDU