Best Cybersecurity Degree Programs in Lincoln, Nebraska — 2026 Rankings

Lincoln is home to a growing cybersecurity education ecosystem with 5 accredited programs across 1 associate's, 3 bachelor's, 3 master's, 1 doctoral degree levels within 50 miles. 2 of these institutions are physically located in Lincoln, with the remaining schools accessible via short commutes from surrounding communities in the Lincoln.

2 schools near Lincoln hold NSA Center of Academic Excellence (CAE) designation: University of Nebraska at Omaha, Bellevue University. 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 Lincoln cybersecurity job market is substantial, with an estimated 110 open positions and a median salary of $98,000 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 Lincoln, this translates to strong local hiring prospects upon graduation.

Among the top-ranked programs, University of Nebraska at Omaha (96.6% graduation rate) leads the bachelor's rankings. See our complete rankings below for detailed program comparisons across all degree levels.

Cybersecurity professionals in the Lincoln earn a median salary of $98,000, which is 22% below the national median of $124,910 (BLS OEWS May 2024, SOC 15-1212: Information Security Analysts). This positions Lincoln as a market where cybersecurity salaries are offset by Lincoln's generally lower cost of living compared to coastal tech hubs.

Entry-level security analysts in Lincoln can expect starting salaries around $86,240, 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 $93,100. Senior technical roles like security engineers command $105,840, while security architects who design enterprise defense systems earn up to $119,560.

At the management level, cybersecurity managers and CISOs in the Lincoln can earn $142,100 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 Lincoln. 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 Lincoln cybersecurity job market spans 4 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

Nebraska Medicine — Major healthcare system operating electronic health records and medical imaging systems with comprehensive IT security.

Transportation

Union Pacific Railroad — Major transportation corporation with critical infrastructure SCADA systems and operational technology security needs.

Finance

Berkshire Hathaway (National Indemnity) — Insurance and financial services operations managing sensitive customer and financial data with corporate security infrastructure.

Government

University of Nebraska-Lincoln — Major research university with cybersecurity degree programs and campus IT security operations.

State of Nebraska Government — State IT operations securing government services and citizen data across multiple agencies.

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

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

Nebraska Medicine (2023) — ransomware. Patient care systems disrupted requiring diversion of emergency services and significant operational impact.

University of Nebraska System (2020) — data breach. Student and employee records compromised affecting thousands of individuals in the university system.

These incidents represent just a fraction of the cyber threats facing Lincoln-area organizations. According to CyberSeek data, the Lincoln metro area has an estimated 110 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 Lincoln directly translate to preventing and responding to threats that affect their own community.

The cybersecurity job market in the Lincoln reflects a broader national talent crisis. Nebraska has approximately 3,200 open cybersecurity positions (CyberSeek, January 2026), with an estimated 110 concentrated in the Lincoln 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 Lincoln 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 Nebraska, the combination of growing digital transformation across industries is driving sustained demand for cybersecurity talent.

Most in-demand certifications that complement a cybersecurity degree from Lincoln 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 Lincoln 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 Nebraska Cybersecurity Rankings.

Cybersecurity degree programs near Lincoln range from $2,912/year at Southeast Community College Area to $45,000/year at Creighton University. Public institutions average $5,819/year (in-state), while private schools average $26,568/year.

Return on investment is compelling: with a median cybersecurity salary of $98,000 in the Lincoln area versus a high school diploma median of $42,000 (BLS 2024), a four-year bachelor's degree at a typical tuition rate (approximately $81,528 total) can be recouped in roughly 1.5 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 $5,824 provides foundational credentials for entry-level SOC analyst or IT security roles paying $73,500+.

Ways to reduce costs: Federal financial aid (FAFSA), Nebraska 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 Lincoln 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.