Pursuing an online program is an easier way to complete a cybersecurity degree in higher education, and Pennsylvania has many institutions that offer certifications, undergraduate, and graduate programs.

Courses can be offered in a synchronous format, where students can watch lectures remotely and take part in a virtual classroom, or watch videos of lectures recorded on demand. Coursework is typically completed at any time of the day, either at the students' own pace, or in order to keep up with the rest of the class, they will have to meet weekly deadlines. All interaction is done through a content management system either created by the university or with a third-party service, such as Blackboard.

Here is a list of Pennsylvania cybersecurity degrees that are from NSA CAE Designated Institutions:

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania
Carnegie Mellon University
Drexel University
East Stroudsburg University
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Lehigh Carbon Community College
Pennsylvania Highlands Community College

Click to jump to the full list of Pennsylvania cybersecurity schools.

NSA CAE Designated Institutions for Cyber Security in Pennsylvania

The National Security Agency (NSA) endorses cybersecurity programs in higher education by designating them as one of the National Centers of Academic Excellence (CAE). With the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), many of these institutions will fall under Cyber Defense, either setting an education (CAE CDE) or research (CAE-R) standard. There is a separate designation for two-year degrees, which are generally reserved for community or specialized school. A handful of colleges have been designated as a CAE in Cyber Operations (CAE-CO).

In the state of Pennsylvania, there are 12 institutions that have received one of the CAE designations. Many of the larger, popular universities, like Drexel University, Robert Morris University, and the University of Pittsburgh, have accredited cybersecurity programs. There are a few two-year programs available at Lehigh Carbon and Pennsylvania Highlands Community College, and Valley Forge Military College.

Online Cyber Security Programs in Pennsylvania

Drexel University has online cybersecurity programs in both undergraduate and graduate format. The Bachelor of Science in Computing and Security Technology gives students the ability to analyze problems within an organization's network, develop the soft skills needed to communicate and work together with a team, and be able to design processes that will protect the flow of information that blocks unauthorized access. Up to 24 semester credits can be transferred into the program if they have been taken in the past 15 years, and students will need to submit official transcripts and a completed application to gain admittance.

For further education, Drexel offers the online Master of Science in Cybersecurity. This provides a more advanced look at the cybersecurity field with required courses in Principles of Cybersecurity, Information Ethics, Information Policy, and Security Engineering. There are 33 more credit hours needed, or 11 courses, to complete the full curriculum. Each course is completed within a 10-week quarter, with four of them available each year. There is no difference between the online programs and their on-campus counterparts.

Master's in Cyber Security Degrees in Pennsylvania

Due to the complicated nature of information technology and network security, it is recommended that those who are looking to get into engineering or managerial roles should consider a Master's program. This provides the education needed to advance along in a specific career, or make the switch into cybersecurity for those working in a different segment of the IT sector. In order to gain entry into a Master's program, students will typically need to have an undergraduate degree with a 3.0 cumulative GPA, prior coursework in computer science and mathematics, and they will need to submit official transcripts, an updated resume, letters of recommendation, and a personal statement declaring why they are pursuing this degree.

The University of Pittsburgh's School of Computing and Information offers a graduate certificate and a Master of Science in Information Science with a specialization in Information Security. This is a program that is completed on-campus and has a curriculum of 36 credits. Additionally, there are subtracks in this specialization: Big Data, Health Informatics, and Database and Web Systems. Some courses, like Cryptography, Algorithm Design, and Database Management, will all be taken regardless of track, but then there will be a series of recommended courses that are customized to their specific category.

Getting Started Working in Cyber Security in Pennsylvania

With a dozen institutions to choose from in Pennsylvania, and even more programs that offer a pathway toward a cybersecurity degree, this is one of the more flexible states to get a degree from. While there is solid employment like many other states in the Northeast, salary is a bit lower for cybersecurity analysts.

• Undergraduate Degrees:

  At Pennsylvania Highlands Community College, students can pursue the Associate of Applied Science in Information Technology and take the Cyber Security track to gain an edge in getting an entry-level position. Education within this sector will prepare students for the ethical and legal issues involved in data, discover techniques and identifiers to stop intrusions into an organization’s network, and be able to communicate and work with others on a team and when presenting information to other employees. The Blair Center and Richland Campus are locations where students can complete this program.

  Valley Forge Military College has a Cybersecurity Certificate Program that prepares military personnel for the important task of keeping sensitive national information secure on a global scale. There are four courses within the curriculum: Introduction to Computer Information Systems, Data Management and Security, Network Communications and Security, and Information Systems Security. Admission requires the submission of high school transcripts, standardized test scores, and an essay on how military education will be beneficial. Candidates must also complete an interview and medical requirements to demonstrate their physical fitness.

• Masters and Continuing Education:

  There are two different types of cybersecurity programs at Robert Morris University. The School of Informatics, Humanities, and Social Sciences offers the Master of Science in Cyber Investigations and Intelligence, a 30-credit program that is only available on-campus. However, the program is offered in a hybrid format with online coursework during the summer. There are two ways to complete the program in a year – through the standalone Master’s format with two full semesters of classes and summer courses, or by taking two courses in the final undergraduate year.

  The other program at Robert Morris University is available both on-campus and online, the Master of Science in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance. This is also a 30-credit program that has courses such as Information Technology Governance, Microcomputing Technology, and Network Technology and Management. While the former degree focuses on investigations and gathering information, this degree emphasizes the work in system development, and finding and eliminating threats within the network.

• Cyber Security Employment Options:

  Employers that have taken graduates from these programs include Deloitte, PwC, PNC, and local professional sports teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Pittsburgh Penguins. Philadelphia and Pittsburgh are the cities providing the most opportunity, with many cybersecurity positions at the Big Four accounting firms, CDW, Accenture, and academically at Penn State University.

Pennsylvania Cyber Security Careers

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Philadelphia, Camden, and Wilmington metropolitan area employs over 2,280 information security analysts in the area with an average salary that shoots just over $101,000 per year. This amount skyrockets between Chambersburg and Waynesboro in Pennsylvania, where there is less overall employment but there is an average wage of over $122,000 on salary. This amount is only smaller than the New York City area.

Top Cyber Security and Tech Employers and Organizations in Pennsylvania

PNC Financial Services is a banking company that is one of the top 10 largest banks in the United States and has its headquarters at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and there are numerous positions available for security managers and engineers. Managers will have the responsibility of overseeing a team that controls operations on cybersecurity and evaluates programs used in the process, audits to maintain a secure structure and develops policies to follow for finding vulnerabilities and processes when an attack occurs, and they document and present findings to other team members and higher-level positions to raise awareness on potential issues or make improvement suggestions.