Best Cybersecurity Degree Programs in Chicago, Illinois — 2026 Rankings

Chicago is home to a growing cybersecurity education ecosystem with 9 accredited programs across 5 associate's, 3 bachelor's, 4 master's, 4 doctoral degree levels within 50 miles. 4 of these institutions are physically located in Chicago, with the remaining schools accessible via short commutes from surrounding communities in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin.

2 schools near Chicago hold NSA Center of Academic Excellence (CAE) designation: Moraine Valley Community College, Illinois Institute of Technology. The CAE program, jointly sponsored by the NSA and DHS, certifies schools whose cybersecurity curricula meet rigorous federal standards aligned with the NICE Cybersecurity Workforce Framework. Students at CAE-designated schools may qualify for the CyberCorps: Scholarship for Service program, which covers full tuition plus a $25,000-$34,000 annual stipend in exchange for government service after graduation.

The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin cybersecurity job market is substantial, with an estimated 1,850 open positions and a median salary of $125,000 for information security analysts (BLS OEWS May 2024). The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects +33% job growth for cybersecurity roles through 2033, making it one of the fastest-growing occupations in the U.S. economy. For students in Chicago, this translates to strong local hiring prospects upon graduation.

Among the top-ranked programs, Northwestern University (90.1% graduation rate) leads the bachelor's rankings. See our complete rankings below for detailed program comparisons across all degree levels.

Cybersecurity professionals in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin earn a median salary of $125,000, which is 0% above the national median of $124,910 (BLS OEWS May 2024, SOC 15-1212: Information Security Analysts). This positions Chicago as a competitive market for cybersecurity professionals.

Entry-level security analysts in Chicago can expect starting salaries around $110,000, making cybersecurity one of the highest-paying entry points in the tech sector. With 2-5 years of experience, penetration testers — who simulate cyberattacks to identify vulnerabilities — earn approximately $118,750. Senior technical roles like security engineers command $135,000, while security architects who design enterprise defense systems earn up to $152,500.

At the management level, cybersecurity managers and CISOs in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin can earn $181,250 or more — a 65% premium over entry-level positions. This career trajectory from analyst to manager typically spans 8-12 years, with certifications like CISSP (82,494 openings nationally), CompTIA Security+ (70,019 openings), and CISA (52,337 openings) significantly accelerating advancement and salary growth.

Security clearances provide an additional salary boost of approximately $25,000 per year. Professionals with Top Secret/SCI clearances can earn between $104,000 and $185,000 nationally, making this a particularly lucrative path for graduates near Chicago. For a deeper dive into cybersecurity compensation trends, see our Cybersecurity Analyst Salary Guide. You can also explore related fields like Information Security and Network Administration for adjacent career paths.

The Chicago cybersecurity job market spans 3 major sectors, with employers actively recruiting for roles ranging from entry-level SOC analysts to senior security architects. Here are the key employers driving cybersecurity hiring locally:

Healthcare

Northwestern Medicine — Major healthcare system with extensive cybersecurity operations protecting patient data across multiple hospitals and clinics.

Technology

Amazon — Major technology company with significant Chicago operations and cloud security infrastructure.

United Airlines — Major airline headquartered in Chicago with extensive flight operations security and passenger systems protection.

Walgreens — Retail pharmacy company with headquarters in Chicago and e-commerce security operations.

Abbott Laboratories — Pharmaceutical and medical device company with research security and supply chain cybersecurity operations.

Finance

JPMorgan Chase — Major financial institution with significant cybersecurity presence and risk management operations.

These employers represent a cross-section of the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin area's cybersecurity hiring market. Many maintain partnerships with local universities for internships, co-ops, and direct hiring pipelines — making a degree from a Chicago-area school particularly valuable for breaking into the field.

Cyber threats are not abstract risks for Chicago — they have directly impacted local organizations, underscoring the urgent need for trained cybersecurity professionals in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin:

United Airlines (2024) — DDoS. Flight booking systems disrupted affecting thousands of passengers across multiple days.

Abbott Laboratories (2021) — ransomware. Manufacturing systems compromised affecting production of critical medical devices and diagnostic equipment.

Northwestern Medicine (2023) — data breach. Patient records and healthcare information exposed affecting tens of thousands of individuals.

These incidents represent just a fraction of the cyber threats facing Chicago-area organizations. According to CyberSeek data, the Chicago metro area has an estimated 1,850 open cybersecurity positions, and the nationwide supply-to-demand ratio stands at just 74% — meaning roughly one in four cybersecurity roles goes unfilled. For students considering a cybersecurity degree, these real-world incidents demonstrate that the skills learned in programs near Chicago directly translate to preventing and responding to threats that affect their own community.

The cybersecurity job market in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin reflects a broader national talent crisis. Illinois has approximately 19,419 open cybersecurity positions (CyberSeek, January 2026), with an estimated 1,850 concentrated in the Chicago metro area. Nationally, there are 514,359 unfilled cybersecurity roles across the United States, and the workforce gap continues to widen — the global shortfall reached 4.8 million positions in 2024, a 41% increase since 2022.

The supply-to-demand ratio for cybersecurity talent nationally is approximately 74% — meaning for every 100 cybersecurity jobs posted, only about 74 qualified candidates are available. This ratio has been declining steadily (from 116% in 2020 to 74% in 2025), which means cybersecurity graduates face increasingly favorable job prospects. For Chicago students specifically, this translates to strong local hiring demand and competitive starting salaries.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects +33% growth in information security analyst employment through 2033, compared to just 4% for all occupations. This makes cybersecurity the 6th fastest-growing occupation in the United States. Within Illinois, the combination of a large technology sector, defense contracting, and growing digital transformation across industries is driving sustained demand for cybersecurity talent.

Most in-demand certifications that complement a cybersecurity degree from Chicago schools include CISSP (82,494 job postings nationally), CompTIA Security+ (70,019 postings), and CISA (52,337 postings). Many of the top-ranked programs near Chicago integrate certification preparation into their curricula, giving graduates a competitive edge in this seller's market. For statewide job market trends and additional programs, see our Illinois Cybersecurity Rankings.

Cybersecurity degree programs near Chicago range from $7,968/year at Moraine Valley Community College to $64,887/year at Northwestern University. Public institutions average $10,538/year (in-state), while private schools average $59,432/year.

Return on investment is compelling: with a median cybersecurity salary of $125,000 in the Chicago area versus a high school diploma median of $42,000 (BLS 2024), a four-year bachelor's degree at a typical tuition rate (approximately $116,776 total) can be recouped in roughly 1.4 years of the annual salary premium. Community college cybersecurity programs offer an even faster path — a two-year associate's degree for as little as $15,936 provides foundational credentials for entry-level SOC analyst or IT security roles paying $93,750+.

Ways to reduce costs: Federal financial aid (FAFSA), Illinois state grants, institutional scholarships, and cybersecurity-specific funding like the CyberCorps: Scholarship for Service program (full tuition + $25,000-$34,000 annual stipend). Many employers in the Chicago area also offer tuition reimbursement for employees pursuing cybersecurity degrees — check with local employers listed in our employer section above.

Last Updated: February 18, 2026. Rankings based on IPEDS 2023 institutional data. Salary data from BLS OEWS May 2024 release. Job market data from CyberSeek (January 2026). NSA CAE designations verified as of February 2026.