Online Undergraduate Cybersecurity Certificates: Which Cost More Per Credit in 2026?

Which online undergraduate cybersecurity certificates publish a per-credit rate, and which charge more?

Oregon State Ecampus, Grand Canyon University (GCU), the University of Virginia and UMGC all publish a per-credit rate for an online undergraduate cybersecurity certificate. Two of them charge more than their own standard undergraduate rate: Oregon State ($480 per credit, against $409 for undergraduate programs without a differential) and GCU ($500, against $490 for its other online programs), while UVA and UMGC bill the certificate at their regular undergraduate rates.

The comparison is built from the universities' own tuition and program pages for the 2026-27 academic year, rather than first-hand use.

Per-credit prices are only fully comparable inside one school. Oregon State bills by the quarter credit, which it converts to a smaller number of semester credits, and each school counts fees differently, so the table below sets each certificate against its own university's rate first.

Per-credit rates side by side (checked October 2026)

Each row uses the university's 2026-27 published tuition; fees are covered in the school sections below.

Oregon State Ecampus: priced on the engineering tier

Oregon State's 2026-27 rates page sets "All undergraduate programs (unless listed below): $409/credit," then lists programs with differential tuition, which students pay "in addition to regular base tuition." The cybersecurity undergraduate certificate sits in the engineering group at $480 per credit, the same rate as declared engineering majors and "Computer Science (B.S.)," and below "Computer Science – Applied (B.S.)" at $609. Business programs, including two undergraduate certificates, are listed at $438.

So the certificate's $480 is higher than both the $409 general undergraduate rate and the $438 business rate at the same university.

Three details change what that rate means in practice:

• Quarter credits: "Oregon State University is on a quarter-term system," and the certificate's "28 quarter credits are equal to 18.67 semester credits," so each quarter credit is a smaller unit than a semester credit.
• Fees already inside the rate: "All per-credit costs below include a $15 per credit distance education fee," while new students pay a one-time "undergraduate student matriculation fee: $450."
• Prerequisites: students need "Grades of C or higher" in four computer science courses, including "CS 261 – Data Structures" and "CS 372 – Introduction to Computer Networks," before enrolling. Out-of-state students pay the same: "No additional charge for nonresident students."

Grand Canyon University: certificates priced above degrees

GCU's 2026-27 undergraduate tuition table lists "All Other Undergraduate Certificates" at $500 per credit and "Online and Professional Studies (All other programs not included above)" at $490. The Undergraduate Certificate in Cybersecurity Foundations, offered by GCU's College of Engineering and Technology, shows an online tuition rate of $500 per credit on its own page.

That makes the certificate's $500 higher than the $490 GCU lists for its other online programs. It is also not billed at the $295 rate GCU lists for "IT Certificates with Embedded Industry Certification Test-Prep Courses," even though GCU says this certificate "is designed to align with a key industry IT certification" and names CompTIA Security+.

The certificate runs 24 credits, and GCU "will accept up to ½ (half) of the total program requirements in transfer." GCU's tuition page adds that eligible active-duty, Reserve, Guard and military-spouse students who sign a memorandum of understanding receive a scholarship that brings undergraduate tuition to $250 per credit; the page sets that figure by degree level rather than by program.

University of Virginia: one undergraduate rate

UVA's School of Continuing and Professional Studies prices its Cybersecurity Analysis Certificate at "$499 per credit hour or $9,198 for the entire program," for "18 undergraduate credits / 6 courses." The school's 2026-2027 table lists the same $499 per credit hour for undergraduate credit, in-state and out-of-state alike, for Fall 2026 through Summer 2027. The certificate therefore costs the same per credit as UVA's other undergraduate study.

The same table shows two neighbouring tiers: "Post Bac Professional Certificates" at $524, a separate post-baccalaureate category, and an active-duty military online undergraduate rate of $250, which the certificate page says this program is eligible for. UVA also charges a mandatory off-Grounds fee for online courses, "Credit Courses - $12 per credit hour," and notes that rates "are subject to change per Board of Visitors' action."

UMGC: three rates, all standard

UMGC's Cyber Threat Hunting certificate page lists "$337 per credit (in-state) $499 per credit (out-of-state) $250 per credit (military)" and adds "Other fees may apply." Those are the same three figures UMGC's tuition page gives for standard undergraduate programs in Fall 2026, so the certificate carries no cybersecurity premium. The in-state rate is listed at $343 for Summer 2027.

UMGC does charge more for cybersecurity, but only at the graduate level: its specialty tier, $694 per credit, covers graduate programs including "cybersecurity management and policy" and "cybersecurity technology." The undergraduate certificate requires 18 credits and accepts up to 9 in transfer, and UMGC adds a $15 per-credit technology fee unless you belong to an exempt group such as undergraduate military students.

What each certificate asks of you

The per-credit rate is only half the price; the other half is how many credits each program needs and how much prior work it will count.

• Oregon State: 28 quarter credits, with the four computer science prerequisites listed above, so it suits students who already have that coursework.
• GCU: 24 credits, with up to half of the program accepted in transfer.
• UVA: "18 undergraduate credits / 6 courses," which UVA says "can be completed within two to three semesters, or you can take up to three years to complete."
• UMGC: 18 credits with up to 9 accepted in transfer; UMGC describes the certificate as one "you can complete quickly."

Program length multiplies the rate, so a lower per-credit price on a longer program can still produce the larger bill.

How to run the two-figure test on any school

1. Find the certificate's own rate on its program page and note the academic year it covers.
2. Find the university's standard undergraduate rate on its tuition page, and look for differential or specialty tiers by college or program.
3. Check the credit unit, since a quarter credit is not a semester credit.
4. Add per-credit and one-time fees before comparing program totals.
5. Check discounts you qualify for. A flat military rate, like GCU's scholarship rate, can make the program differential irrelevant for eligible students.

Southern New Hampshire University is not covered here because its tuition pages could not be checked when this comparison was compiled. To run the two-figure test on it yourself, compare the rate on its associate-level pages (Check current tuition at SNHU) with the rate on its bachelor's pages (check SNHU's bachelor's tuition).

For how a certificate compares with an associate degree as a career-switch credential, see our online associate vs certificate comparison; for full-degree pricing, our breakdown of what an online bachelor's degree costs in 2026 covers the bigger bill. UMGC's transfer rules for IT degrees are in our SNHU vs UMGC comparison, or you can see our full shortlist.

Tuition figures change every academic year; this page reports published rates and is not personal financial or education advice.

FAQ

Are online cybersecurity certificates cheaper per credit than bachelor's programs at the same school?

Not at the schools checked. Oregon State bills its certificate at the same $480 as its Computer Science (B.S.) major, and GCU's certificate rate of $500 is above the $490 it lists for its other online programs. At UVA and UMGC, the certificate and the standard undergraduate rate match.

Why does Oregon State charge more for its cybersecurity certificate?

The certificate sits on the engineering differential tier. Oregon State charges listed programs a differential rate on top of base tuition, and the cybersecurity certificate is listed alongside its engineering majors.

Do military tuition rates apply to undergraduate cybersecurity certificates?

UVA says the certificate is eligible for its $250 active-duty rate, and UMGC prints a $250 military rate on the certificate page. GCU's tuition page says its military scholarship brings eligible online students' undergraduate tuition to $250 per credit, though it does not name individual certificates. The Oregon State rates page used here does not list a military rate.

Does the per-credit rate include fees?

It depends on the school. Oregon State's figures already include its $15 per-credit distance education fee, UVA lists a separate $12 per credit hour off-Grounds fee for online credit courses, and UMGC's $15 technology fee is charged on top unless you are in an exempt group.

Is a quarter credit the same as a semester credit?

No. Oregon State, which runs on quarters, says the certificate's 28 quarter credits equal 18.67 semester credits, so compare the whole program's cost as well as the per-credit price.

Sources

1. Tuition Rates For Ecampus students — Oregon State University Ecampus (checked October 2026)
2. Cybersecurity – Online Undergraduate Certificate — Oregon State University Ecampus (checked October 2026)
3. Online and Evening Tuition Rates — Grand Canyon University (checked October 2026)
4. Online Cybersecurity Certificate Program — Grand Canyon University (checked October 2026)
5. Cybersecurity Analysis Certificate — University of Virginia School of Continuing and Professional Studies (checked October 2026)
6. Tuition & Financial Aid — University of Virginia School of Continuing and Professional Studies (checked October 2026)
7. Online Undergraduate Certificate in Cyber Threat Hunting — University of Maryland Global Campus (checked October 2026)
8. Tuition & Fees — University of Maryland Global Campus (checked October 2026)