Best Cybersecurity Degree Programs in Madison, Wisconsin — 2026 Rankings

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

The Madison cybersecurity job market is substantial, with an estimated 620 open positions and a median salary of $112,000 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 Madison, this translates to strong local hiring prospects upon graduation.

Among the top-ranked programs, University of Wisconsin-Madison (83.1% graduation rate) leads the bachelor's rankings. See our complete rankings below for detailed program comparisons across all degree levels.

Cybersecurity professionals in the Madison earn a median salary of $112,000, which is 10% below the national median of $124,910 (BLS OEWS May 2024, SOC 15-1212: Information Security Analysts). This positions Madison as a market where cybersecurity salaries are offset by Madison's generally lower cost of living compared to coastal tech hubs.

Entry-level security analysts in Madison can expect starting salaries around $98,560, 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 $106,400. Senior technical roles like security engineers command $120,960, while security architects who design enterprise defense systems earn up to $136,640.

At the management level, cybersecurity managers and CISOs in the Madison can earn $162,400 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 Madison. 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 Madison 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:

Technology

Epic Systems — Major healthcare software company with extensive cybersecurity and cloud security operations.

Healthcare

UW Health — Large health system with comprehensive IT security and medical device cybersecurity programs.

Advocate Aurora Health — Regional healthcare network with significant cybersecurity infrastructure protection.

Government

University of Wisconsin-Madison — Major research institution with campus security, research computing security, and threat intelligence.

Finance

Northwestern Mutual — Financial services company with major cybersecurity and information security operations.

Kohl's — Retail headquarters with payment systems security and enterprise cybersecurity teams.

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

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

UW Health (2024) — ransomware. Healthcare systems disrupted affecting patient care operations across multiple facilities for extended period.

Epic Systems (2023) — data breach. Healthcare customer data exposed through third-party vendor vulnerability affecting multiple health systems.

University of Wisconsin System (2022) — phishing. Credential harvesting campaign targeting faculty and staff across UW campuses statewide.

These incidents represent just a fraction of the cyber threats facing Madison-area organizations. According to CyberSeek data, the Madison metro area has an estimated 620 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 Madison directly translate to preventing and responding to threats that affect their own community.

The cybersecurity job market in the Madison reflects a broader national talent crisis. Wisconsin has approximately 5,000 open cybersecurity positions (CyberSeek, January 2026), with an estimated 620 concentrated in the Madison 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 Madison 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 Wisconsin, 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 Madison 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 Madison 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 Wisconsin Cybersecurity Rankings.

Cybersecurity degree programs near Madison range from $4,386/year at Madison Area Technical College to $9,644/year at University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Return on investment is compelling: with a median cybersecurity salary of $112,000 in the Madison area versus a high school diploma median of $42,000 (BLS 2024), a four-year bachelor's degree at a typical tuition rate (approximately $38,576 total) can be recouped in roughly 0.6 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 $8,772 provides foundational credentials for entry-level SOC analyst or IT security roles paying $84,000+.

Ways to reduce costs: Federal financial aid (FAFSA), Wisconsin 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 Madison 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).