by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 69 U.S. colleges awarded 1,714 degrees and certificates in Cybersecurity Defense Strategy/Policy. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 51% of graduates. College Factual ranks 27 schools in its 2027 Best Cybersecurity Defense Strategy/Policy Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $51,422 one year after completing, rising to $69,868 after four years.
A major in Cybersecurity Defense Strategy/Policy covers A Program That Focuses On The Study Of Strategy, Policy, And Standards Regarding The Security Of And Operations In Cyberspace. Includes Instruction In Incident Response, Information Assurance, Recovery Policies, Vulnerability Reduction, Deterrence, Threat Reduction, And Resiliency.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Nationwide, cybersecurity defense strategy/policy is a widely-pursued major, with 1,714 degrees awarded annually. 69 colleges award cybersecurity defense strategy/policy degrees, an average of 25 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 357.
By level, the 1,714 awards include 13 certificates, 130 associate degrees, 692 bachelor’s degrees and 876 master’s degrees.
Women earned 27% of cybersecurity defense strategy/policy degrees and certificates in the latest year (462 of 1,714). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (768) and Black or African American (394), and international students earned 17.
College Factual ranks 27 schools in its 2027 Best Cybersecurity Defense Strategy/Policy Schools ranking, including 3 for associate degrees, 8 for bachelor’s degrees and 11 for master’s degrees. It also ranks cybersecurity defense strategy/policy schools within 6 states. In all, 69 colleges offer cybersecurity defense strategy/policy programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Cybersecurity Defense Strategy/Policy Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common cybersecurity defense strategy/policy credential is the master’s degree: 876 of the 1,714 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to cybersecurity defense strategy/policy call most for Reading Comprehension, Speaking and Critical Thinking, and for knowledge of English Language, Law and Government and Administration and Management, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Oral Comprehension and Written Expression.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a cybersecurity defense strategy/policy degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 13 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 130 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 692 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 876 |
Bachelor’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to cybersecurity defense strategy/policy, at 51.5%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 51.5% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 16.6% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 8.7% |
| Master’s degree | 7.6% |
| Some college courses | 6.7% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 4.3% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 2.4% |
| Doctoral degree | 1.5% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.7% |
| First professional degree | 0.1% |
Source: O*NET Online.
12 occupations are related to Cybersecurity Defense Strategy/Policy, with an average median salary of $96,294; the strongest outlook belongs to Compliance Managers, at 13.0% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Safety Supervisor, Compliance Director, Superintendent of Generation and Shift Manager.
The occupation related to cybersecurity defense strategy/policy with the most projected jobs is Managers, All Other, at 468,025.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Managers, All Other | 468,025 | 6.2% |
| Compliance Managers | 310,203 | 13.0% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | 290,410 | 11.9% |
| Loss Prevention Managers | 265,210 | 2.2% |
| Regulatory Affairs Managers | 206,415 | 9.9% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Protective Service Workers, All Other | 148,156 | 2.6% |
| Wind Energy Operations Managers | 128,884 | 5.2% |
| Wind Energy Development Managers | 107,541 | 10.1% |
Cybersecurity Defense Strategy/Policy graduates earn a median $51,422 one year after completing their program, $69,868 after four years and $58,543 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $51,422 |
| 4 years | $69,868 |
| 5 years | $58,543 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to cybersecurity defense strategy/policy is Wind Energy Development Managers, with a median salary of $169,952.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Wind Energy Development Managers | $169,952 |
| Loss Prevention Managers | $165,723 |
| Wind Energy Operations Managers | $122,567 |
| Compliance Managers | $117,178 |
| Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers | $99,321 |
| Managers, All Other | $95,684 |
| Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary | $91,449 |
| Regulatory Affairs Managers | $77,828 |
Cybersecurity Defense Strategy/Policy has 8 similar majors in the Law Enforcement & Firefighting field, which together award 8,820 degrees a year; the largest are Forensic Science and Technology (5,123), Cyber/Computer Forensics and Counterterrorism (2,476) and Criminalistics and Criminal Science (632). Browse all Law Enforcement & Firefighting majors or the full list of college majors.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
