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Key Takeaways
Best cybersecurity degree programs: DePaul, Illinois State, Lewis
Ranked by graduation rates, program outcomes, and institutional quality
Tuition ranges from $5,640 to $50,270/year
Moraine Valley Community ... offers the most affordable option at $7,968/yr
Cybersecurity degree programs available: 24 associate's, 6 master's in Illinois
From community college pathways to advanced research degrees
14 online cybersecurity degree programs in Illinois
Flexible scheduling for working professionals
Illinois community college transfer can save 40-60% on total degree costs
24 associate's programs provide transfer pathways to bachelor's degrees
Education Commission of the States
Major employers: Salesforce, Google, Groupon, Grubhub
Tech hubs in Chicago and Naperville
Hakia Research 2026
Cybersecurity degree programs near 113+ cities across Illinois
Search by city to find programs within 200 miles of your location
Updated June 26, 2026
How we ranked Illinois Cybersecurity programs
We rank 45 accredited cybersecurity programs in Illinois using IPEDS 2024 institutional data, BLS OEWS 2024 state salary data, and College Scorecard outcomes. A 4-factor weighted composite is normalized to a 0–100 score. Schools cannot pay for placement; rankings are produced algorithmically.
Source: BLS OEWS May 2024
Cybersecurity Degree Rankings in Illinois
Compare the top-ranked Cybersecurity programs in Illinois by degree level. Tuition, graduation rate, and Hakia Score for every accredited program.
Best Associate's Cybersecurity Programs in Illinois
Program Landscape
Illinois offers 24 accredited associate's degree programs in cybersecurity, providing an affordable entry point into the technology field. The top-ranked programs include Moraine Valley Community ..., College of DuPage, Joliet Junior College, which combine rigorous technical curriculum with practical skills training.
Costs & Value
Community colleges in Illinois offer these two-year programs at an average cost of $9,784/yr, significantly less than four-year university tuition. Students completing associate's degrees can pursue entry-level technical positions and transfer opportunities, with entry-level salaries averaging $62,260 in Illinois.
Career Pathways
Many programs feature guaranteed transfer agreements with Illinois's public universities, allowing students to complete their first two years at reduced cost before transferring to complete a bachelor's degree. The Chicago, Naperville, Champaign areas offer particularly strong job markets for associate's degree holders, with employers like Salesforce, Google, Groupon hiring for technical support, junior development, and IT specialist positions.
Curriculum & Specializations
Programs typically include coursework in programming fundamentals, database management, networking basics, and software development. Among cybersecurity schools in Illinois, these associate's programs offer the best value for students beginning their cybersecurity degrees in Illinois.
Show all 15 ranked programs
| Rank | School | Location | Type | Tuition | Grad Rate | Hakia Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #6 | Waubonsee Community College | Sugar Grove, IL | Public | $9,192 | 39% | 76.2 |
| #7 | Illinois Valley Community College | Oglesby, IL | Public | $14,897 | 42% | 73.9 |
| #8 | Rock Valley College | Rockford, IL | Public | $6,795 | 37% | 72.4 |
| #9 | Black Hawk College | Moline, IL | Public | $7,950 | 40% | 71.6 |
| #10 | City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright College | Chicago, IL | Public | $12,090 | 31% | 68.4 |
| #11 | Joliet Junior College | Joliet, IL | Public | $11,700 | 21% | 67.0 |
| #12 | Morton College | Cicero, IL | Public | $8,256 | 31% | 64.8 |
| #13 | Triton College | River Grove, IL | Public | $11,610 | 29% | 64.8 |
| #14 | City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College | Chicago, IL | Public | $12,090 | 27% | 62.9 |
| #15 | City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey College | Chicago, IL | Public | $12,090 | 21% | 56.9 |
Best Bachelor's Cybersecurity Programs in Illinois
Program Landscape
Illinois ranks among the nation's top destinations for cybersecurity education, with 15 accredited bachelor's degree programs across 3 public and 12 private institutions. The highest-ranked programs are DePaul, Illinois State, Lewis, recognized for academic excellence, research opportunities, and strong industry connections.
Career Outcomes
Graduates from Illinois cybersecurity programs earn a median salary of $96,220, 2% below the national average. The state's robust technology sector, anchored by the Chicago, Naperville, Champaign metropolitan areas, provides abundant internship and employment opportunities with companies including Salesforce, Google, Groupon.
Costs & Value
Tuition ranges from $9,359 to $50,270 annually, with an average of $31,915/yr. Top programs maintain graduation rates above 89%, with the highest reaching 99%. Many programs hold ABET accreditation, the gold standard for computing education, ensuring curriculum meets rigorous industry standards.
Curriculum & Specializations
Students can choose from specializations including software engineering, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, data science, and systems architecture. Strong industry partnerships provide access to co-op programs, capstone projects with real companies, and direct recruiting pipelines to Illinois's leading technology employers. For students seeking cybersecurity degrees in Illinois, these top-ranked cybersecurity schools offer the strongest combination of academic rigor and career preparation.
Illinois Institute of Technology
Show all 16 ranked programs
| Rank | School | Location | Type | Tuition | Grad Rate | Hakia Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #6 | Olivet Nazarene University | Bourbonnais, IL | Private nonprofit | $37,910 | 61% | 78.1 |
| #7 | Elmhurst University | Elmhurst, IL | Private nonprofit | $42,495 | 70% | 77.6 |
| #8 | Illinois State University | Normal, IL | Public | $11,215 | 65% | 77.4 |
| #9 | Western Illinois University | Macomb, IL | Public | $9,662 | 45% | 73.5 |
| #10 | McKendree University | Lebanon, IL | Private nonprofit | $33,310 | 53% | 71.7 |
| #11 | Aurora University | Aurora, IL | Private nonprofit | $28,800 | 60% | 71.4 |
| #12 | University of Illinois Springfield | Springfield, IL | Public | $9,950 | 53% | 70.9 |
| #13 | Millikin University | Decatur, IL | Private nonprofit | $26,000 | 55% | 70.6 |
| #14 | Quincy University | Quincy, IL | Private nonprofit | $37,140 | 45% | 69.7 |
| #15 | Northeastern Illinois University | Chicago, IL | Public | $10,343 | 22% | 67.1 |
| #16 | Roosevelt University | Chicago, IL | Private nonprofit | $21,000 | 35% | 58.3 |
Best Master's Cybersecurity Programs in Illinois
Program Landscape
Illinois offers 6 master's degree programs in cybersecurity, designed for professionals seeking to advance into senior engineering, technical leadership, and specialized roles. The top programs, DePaul, Illinois Institute of Tec..., Lewis, combine advanced technical training with research opportunities and leadership development.
Career Outcomes
Master's graduates in Illinois earn a median salary of $113,200, approximately 20-30% higher than bachelor's degree holders. The concentration of technology companies in Chicago, Naperville, Champaign creates strong demand for graduate-level talent, with Salesforce, Google, Groupon actively recruiting from these programs.
Costs & Value
Program formats include traditional full-time study (typically 2 years), part-time options for working professionals (2-3 years), and accelerated tracks. Tuition averages $32,355/yr, with many employers offering tuition reimbursement for graduate education. Some programs offer thesis and non-thesis tracks, allowing students to focus on research or professional development based on their career goals.
Curriculum & Specializations
Curriculum covers advanced topics including machine learning, distributed systems, software architecture, and technical management. Many programs include practicum experiences, industry capstone projects, or consulting engagements that provide real-world application of advanced concepts. Among Illinois's cybersecurity schools at the graduate level, these programs stand out for both academic quality and career outcomes.
Illinois Institute of Technology
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Show all 8 ranked programs
| Rank | School | Location | Type | Tuition | Grad Rate | Hakia Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #6 | University of Illinois Springfield | Springfield, IL | Public | $9,950 | 53% | 67.4 |
| #7 | Saint Xavier University | Chicago, IL | Private nonprofit | $37,755 | 57% | 66.9 |
| #8 | Roosevelt University | Chicago, IL | Private nonprofit | $21,000 | 35% | 55.7 |
Cybersecurity Degree Costs & Tuition in Illinois
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Average in-state tuition | $18,466/year |
| Average out-of-state tuition | $46,165/year |
| Community college tuition | $4,617/year |
| 4-year savings for residents | $110,796 |
| 2+2 transfer pathway savings | $27,698 |
Source: IPEDS 2024
Financial Aid for Illinois Cybersecurity Students
Verdict: Illinois cybersecurity students benefit from the strong MAP Grant need-based program (up to ~$8,400/year), UIUC's Illinois Commitment (free tuition for in-state families under $75,000 income), and CyberCorps Scholarship for Service funding at multiple Illinois CAE-CD-designated institutions. UIUC's Information Trust Institute (ITI) and Illinois Cybersecurity Scholars Program (ICSSP) are among the strongest US undergraduate cyber-funding combinations.
Monetary Award Program (MAP) Grant is Illinois's signature need-based program, up to ~$8,400/year for Illinois residents with demonstrated financial need at Illinois public, private nonprofit, and approved 2-year institutions. AIM HIGH adds merit-need hybrid funding at Illinois public 4-year universities.
CyberCorps Scholarship for Service (SFS) is funded at multiple Illinois CAE-CD designated institutions: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC, through ITI and the Illinois Cybersecurity Scholars Program), Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), DePaul University, Northern Illinois University (NIU), and others. UIUC's ICSSP is one of the most established US CyberCorps programs with substantial annual cohorts.
Illinois Commitment is UIUC-specific but worth specifically noting for cybersecurity-track students, Illinois residents with family income up to $75,000 receive free tuition and fees at UIUC. Combined with Pell, MAP Grant, and CyberCorps SFS, qualified Illinois low-to-middle-income cyber-track students can attend UIUC's top-tier CS program with zero loans. IIT's Pritzker School of Computer Science has substantial institutional aid and a strong CyberCorps cohort, making it a competitive private alternative. Federal Pell stacks on top. Cyber-employer scholarships from Illinois-based employers (Allstate cyber, State Farm cyber, Discover Financial cyber, McDonald's IT cyber) provide additional industry-track funding most students don't pursue.
Cybersecurity Degree ROI Calculator, Illinois
Use our interactive ROI calculator to estimate your return on investment for a cybersecurity degree in Illinois. Enter your expected tuition costs, financial aid, and career goals to see projected payback periods and lifetime earnings. The calculator uses current salary data from BLS and tuition data from IPEDS to provide accurate estimates.
Cybersecurity Degree ROI Calculator
Estimate your return on investment for a cybersecurity degree
Leave blank to use average cost for selected program type
+749%
Net gain divided by total investment. ROI above 200% is considered excellent for education investments.
$1,385,336
Your additional lifetime earnings with this degree vs. working without one, minus the total investment.
6 years
Years until your cumulative earnings exceed total investment. Shorter programs often break even faster due to lower opportunity cost.
$119,048
Your starting salary adjusted for local cost of living. This shows real purchasing power compared to a $100K national baseline.
Why does break-even change with program type? Your "total investment" includes both tuition AND opportunity cost (foregone earnings while in school). A 4-year full-time public university (in-state) means 4 years of not earning a salary ($140,000 in opportunity cost). Shorter full-time programs may have higher tuition but lower total investment because you return to the workforce sooner.
Detailed Breakdown
How we calculate your degree ROI using real salary data
Tuition plus opportunity cost (earnings you miss while in school)
Direct cost of the degree program
4 years × $35K/year foregone salary while studying full-time
Projected career earnings starting after graduation, with salary growth
What you'd earn working at $35K/year with 2% annual growth
Median salary for this role in your selected location (BLS 2024)
Your investment's compound annual growth rate (similar to stock market returns)
Data sources: BLS OEWS May 2024, IPEDS 2024. Calculations use median salaries, 3% discount rate, and assume salary growth declines from 6% to 2% over career. Individual results will vary. | Powered by Hakia.com
Cybersecurity Salaries by Metro Area
Median annual salary in Illinois metro areas
View data table
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Chicago | $125K |
| Naperville | $119K |
| Champaign | $113K |
Source: BLS OEWS May 2024
Hakia.com
Top Employers Hiring Cybersecurity Graduates in Illinois
Find cybersecurity jobs in Illinois. These major employers across Illinois metro areas are actively hiring cybersecurity degree holders. Click employer names to view current job openings.
Cybersecurity Jobs in Chicago
ILChicago is a fintech and trading technology hub. CME Group and numerous trading firms drive demand for tech talent.
Nearby cities: Evanston, Oak Brook, Schaumburg, Naperville, Aurora, Downers Grove, Skokie
Illinois Tech Industry & Infrastructure
Illinois — and specifically the Chicago metro — is the largest US Midwest tech hub and uniquely combines financial-services tech (CBOE, CME Group, Citadel before its move, Morningstar) with a deep enterprise/IT employer base (Caterpillar, Boeing, Walgreens, McDonald's IT). The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign CS program is one of the largest CS-graduate producers in the country.
Chicago
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin
Trading and financial-services tech hub (CBOE, CME Group, Citadel Securities, Jump Trading), plus major Chicago offices for Google, Meta, Salesforce. Northwestern, UChicago, and UIUC alumni concentrate here.
Urbana-Champaign
Champaign metro
UIUC research and startup spinout hub. UIUC's CS program produces one of the largest US bachelor's CS graduate cohorts; Research Park hosts engineering offices for John Deere, Yahoo, ADM, and others.
Illinois has a flat-rate state income tax. The state offers EDGE tax credits for qualifying tech-employer investments.
Illinois Regulation Affecting Cybersecurity Graduates
Illinois has the most stringent biometric-privacy law in the United States. For ML, AI, and identity-verification engineers, Illinois BIPA is a foundational compliance constraint that has reshaped product design at major US tech employers.
Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA)
Strictest US biometric privacy law. Requires written consent before collecting, storing, or using biometric identifiers (fingerprints, facial geometry, voiceprints). Provides a private right of action — including statutory damages of $1,000-$5,000 per violation.
Critical for any engineer building face-recognition, fingerprint, voice-print, or similar biometric features. BIPA litigation has produced settlements in the hundreds of millions (Facebook: $650M, TikTok: $92M). Most major US tech companies have modified product behavior specifically to avoid BIPA exposure.
Read moreIllinois Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA)
Requires reasonable security measures for personal information and sets data-breach notification requirements.
Standard data-protection compliance for any IL-resident-serving business.
Read moreIllinois Artificial Intelligence Video Interview Act
Employers using AI to analyze video interviews must notify candidates, obtain consent, explain how the AI works, and limit data sharing.
AI/ML engineers building hiring-tech serving Illinois employers must implement consent flows and AI-explanation interfaces.
Read moreProfessional Engineer Licensure in Illinois
Illinois does not currently administer a separate Software Engineering PE license. Standard engineering PE disciplines (mechanical, electrical) require ABET-EAC accreditation; software engineering specifically is not a Illinois-recognized PE discipline.
Illinois licensing boardIllinois Financial Aid Programs
Monetary Award Program (MAP) Grant
State grantUp to ~$8,400/yr
Illinois residents with financial need at IL institutions
AIM HIGH Grant Pilot Program
Merit-need hybridUp to in-state tuition coverage
Illinois residents with academic merit and financial need at IL public universities
Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship
State scholarshipUp to $7,500/yr
Minority IL residents pursuing teaching credentials; CS/tech education tracks eligible
Transfer Pathways for Illinois Cybersecurity Students
Verdict: Illinois's Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI) supports cybersecurity transfer pathways well, particularly for in-state residents. The cybersecurity-specific consideration is that UIUC's cybersecurity track runs through the CS program (no standalone undergraduate cybersecurity degree), making UIUC cyber transfer require the same competitive CS transfer admission process. Alternative CAE-CD destinations (NIU, IIT, DePaul) have more accessible transfer admission and produce well-employed cyber graduates.
Best Illinois community college cybersecurity feeder schools: Harper College (Palatine, strong UIUC and NIU transfer record), Oakton Community College (Skokie/Des Plaines), College of DuPage (Glen Ellyn, substantial CS/cyber enrollment), City Colleges of Chicago (specifically Wilbur Wright College's cybersecurity AAS), Triton College (River Grove), Moraine Valley Community College (Palos Hills), and Parkland College (Champaign, geographically adjacent to UIUC). Several hold CAE-2Y designation specifically for cybersecurity programs.
The UIUC cybersecurity-track transfer path requires admission to UIUC's competitive CS program, under 20% transfer admit rate. Students typically complete the IAI Engineering Pathway at a strong Illinois community college with 3.8+ GPA plus strong CS coursework. Realistic pathway: most cyber-track Illinois transfer students should plan for NIU, IIT, DePaul, or UIC (University of Illinois Chicago) as primary targets, with UIUC as a reach option.
Beyond UIUC: Northern Illinois University (NIU) has CAE-CD designation, established CyberCorps SFS funding, and substantially more open transfer admission than UIUC, a particularly strong choice for Illinois cyber-track students. DePaul University has CAE-CD designation and substantial Chicago-area industry partnerships, particularly with financial-services cyber employers. Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) is the private CAE-CD option with strong Chicago tech employer placement. For Illinois cyber-track students, the NIU pathway is the federal-cyber career optimization; DePaul is the Chicago industry-cyber optimization; UIUC is the research-track or top-employer-pipeline optimization for the most competitive applicants.
Source: BLS OEWS May 2024, CompTIA State of Tech Workforce 2025, Glassdoor
Illinois Cybersecurity Job Market & Salary
Verdict: Illinois cybersecurity employment is concentrated in Chicago's substantial financial-services, insurance, and enterprise-IT sectors rather than federal cyber. Chicago's combined banking cyber (BMO, Discover Financial, Northern Trust, JPMorgan Chicago operations), insurance cyber (Allstate, State Farm, Zurich North America), and trading cyber (CME Group, CBOE Global Markets, Citadel Chicago operations, Jump Trading) creates one of the largest US private-sector cyber labor markets outside the coastal centers. Plus a distinctive layer: Illinois's Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) creates ongoing biometric-privacy engineering work unmatched by any other US state.
By metro: Chicago averages ~$125,000-$160,000 for security engineer roles per Levels.fyi and industry compensation surveys, with substantial premiums for senior cyber roles at trading firms ($200,000-$350,000+ total comp at Citadel Securities, Jump Trading, and similar). Major Chicago cyber employers: CME Group cybersecurity, CBOE Global Markets cyber, Citadel Securities, Jump Trading, BMO Financial Group cyber, Northern Trust cyber, Discover Financial cyber, Allstate Insurance cyber (one of the largest US insurance cyber operations), State Farm cyber, Boeing's Chicago HQ cyber, Walgreens cyber, McDonald's IT cyber, United Airlines IT cyber.
Argonne National Laboratory (DOE national lab in Lemont) employs cybersecurity researchers across critical-infrastructure cyber, scientific-computing cyber, and DOE-related federal cyber research. The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus has additional cybersecurity research employment through the Information Trust Institute, a smaller market than Chicago but well-paying for research-track cyber roles.
Illinois's Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) is the distinctive Illinois cyber-employment driver, BIPA litigation against major consumer-tech companies has produced settlements in the hundreds of millions (Facebook: $650M, TikTok: $92M). Most major US tech companies have modified product behavior specifically to avoid BIPA exposure. This creates ongoing demand for biometric-privacy engineering, AI-systems compliance engineering, and the AI Video Interview Act compliance at Chicago-headquartered HR-tech firms and any consumer business serving Illinois residents at scale. Combined with Chicago's mature financial-services cyber and BIPA-driven privacy work, Illinois offers cyber-track graduates strong employment with distinctive subspecialty depth. See Cybersecurity Career Guide and Cybersecurity Certifications Guide.
Entry-Level (0-2 yrs)
New graduates and career changers
Senior (8+ yrs)
Technical leads and architects
Online vs On-Campus Cybersecurity Programs in Illinois
Online Programs
14 available in Illinois
On-Campus Programs
Traditional classroom experience
Compare Cybersecurity Programs in Other States
- Total Programs
- 25
- Median Tuition
- $4,500
- Total Programs
- 17
- Median Tuition
- $9,700
- Total Programs
- 9
- Median Tuition
- $10,500
- Total Programs
- 17
- Median Tuition
- $12,300
- Total Programs
- 10
- Median Tuition
- $5,900
- Total Programs
- 27
- Median Tuition
- $5,700
- Total Programs
- 32
- Median Tuition
- $4,300
- Total Programs
- 50
- Median Tuition
- $6,200
Cybersecurity Degree Programs in Illinois: FAQ
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Data Sources
Institutional characteristics, completions, graduation rates
Illinois salary and employment data
Program details and admissions information
Last Updated: June 26, 2026. Rankings based on IPEDS 2024 data. Salary data from BLS OEWS May 2024.
Taylor Rupe
Co-founder & Editor (B.S. Computer Science, Oregon State • B.A. Psychology, University of Washington)
Taylor combines technical expertise in computer science with a deep understanding of human behavior and learning. His dual background drives Hakia's mission: leveraging technology to build authoritative educational resources that help people make better decisions about their academic and career paths.