Best Cybersecurity Degree Programs in Charleston, South Carolina — 2026 Rankings

Charleston is home to a growing cybersecurity education ecosystem with 4 accredited programs across 1 associate's, 1 bachelor's, 3 master's degree levels within 50 miles. 4 of these institutions are physically located in Charleston, with the remaining schools accessible via short commutes from surrounding communities in the Charleston-North Charleston.

1 school near Charleston holds NSA Center of Academic Excellence (CAE) designation: Citadel Military College of South Carolina. 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 Charleston-North Charleston cybersecurity job market is substantial, with an estimated 510 open positions and a median salary of $105,000 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 Charleston, this translates to strong local hiring prospects upon graduation.

Among the top-ranked programs, College of Charleston (70% graduation rate) leads the bachelor's rankings, while Charleston Southern University tops the master's programs. See our complete rankings below for detailed program comparisons across all degree levels.

Cybersecurity professionals in the Charleston-North Charleston earn a median salary of $105,000, which is 16% below the national median of $124,910 (BLS OEWS May 2024, SOC 15-1212: Information Security Analysts). This positions Charleston as a market where cybersecurity salaries are offset by Charleston's generally lower cost of living compared to coastal tech hubs.

Entry-level security analysts in Charleston can expect starting salaries around $92,400, 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 $99,750. Senior technical roles like security engineers command $113,400, while security architects who design enterprise defense systems earn up to $128,100.

At the management level, cybersecurity managers and CISOs in the Charleston-North Charleston can earn $152,250 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 Charleston. 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 Charleston 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:

Defense

Boeing — Defense contractor with significant cybersecurity operations protecting aerospace and defense systems.

Huntington Ingalls Industries — Defense contractor with classified information systems security and compliance operations.

Technology

BMW Manufacturing — Manufacturing facility with industrial control system security and OT network operations.

Healthcare

Prisma Health — Regional healthcare system with enterprise security and patient data protection infrastructure.

MUSC — Academic medical center with research system security and clinical infrastructure protection.

Greenville Health System — Healthcare network operating integrated EHR systems with patient data security operations.

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

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

MUSC (2022) — ransomware. Ransomware attack disrupted hospital systems forcing manual operations and causing patient care delays.

South Carolina Healthcare Providers (2023) — data breach. Healthcare data breach affecting multiple providers across the state exposed patient information.

These incidents represent just a fraction of the cyber threats facing Charleston-area organizations. According to CyberSeek data, the Charleston metro area has an estimated 510 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 Charleston directly translate to preventing and responding to threats that affect their own community.

If you live in a community near Charleston, you can access the same cybersecurity programs without relocating. The greater Charleston area is well-connected, and many students commute from surrounding cities to attend programs locally. Here is how Charleston's cybersecurity schools are accessible from nearby areas:

- North Charleston → Trident Technical College (3 mi), College of Charleston (9 mi), Charleston Southern University (7 mi), Citadel Military College of South Carolina (7 mi)

All of these schools are within commuting distance, and many offer evening, weekend, or hybrid class schedules designed for students who travel from outside Charleston. Several programs also offer fully online options — see our rankings with online filter above.

The cybersecurity job market in the Charleston-North Charleston reflects a broader national talent crisis. South Carolina has approximately 6,200 open cybersecurity positions (CyberSeek, January 2026), with an estimated 510 concentrated in the Charleston 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 Charleston 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 South Carolina, 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 Charleston 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 Charleston 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 South Carolina Cybersecurity Rankings.

Cybersecurity degree programs near Charleston range from $5,024/year at Trident Technical College to $30,380/year at Charleston Southern University. Public institutions average $8,633/year (in-state), while private schools average $30,380/year.

Return on investment is compelling: with a median cybersecurity salary of $105,000 in the Charleston area versus a high school diploma median of $42,000 (BLS 2024), a four-year bachelor's degree at a typical tuition rate (approximately $68,340 total) can be recouped in roughly 1.1 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 $10,048 provides foundational credentials for entry-level SOC analyst or IT security roles paying $78,750+.

Ways to reduce costs: Federal financial aid (FAFSA), South Carolina 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 Charleston 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.