Best Online Cybersecurity Programs in Columbia, MO (2026)

Columbia, Missouri has 5 accredited schools offering cybersecurity programs, with tuition ranging from $28,860 to $44,907 per year for indexed programs. Columbia has a population of about 127,200. Median household income is $64,488 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 56.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Columbia, MO metro area, the top-earning cybersecurity-related role is Computer and Information Systems Manager at a median $129,700 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Cybersecurity Schools to Columbia

The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer cybersecurity programs near Columbia. Distances are calculated from Columbia city center.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Columbia. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Columbia College

Columbia, MO 0.7 miles from Columbia BOC Score32.5
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#2

University of Missouri-Columbia

Columbia, MO 0.8 miles from Columbia BOC Score75.7
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#3

William Woods University

Fulton, MO 21.1 miles from Columbia BOC Score33.1
Published tuition$28,860 - $44,907
Online programsYes

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#4

Missouri University of Science and Technology

Rolla, MO 74.9 miles from Columbia BOC Score79.2
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#5

University of Central Missouri

Warrensburg, MO 77.2 miles from Columbia BOC Score54.7
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Missouri schools on the Missouri cybersecurity page.


Cybersecurity Wages Near Columbia

Columbia is part of the Columbia, MO metro area (BLS area code 17860). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Missouri statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Information Security Analyst$97,600Columbia, MO$109,172
Network and Computer Systems Administrator$78,610Columbia, MO$87,931
Computer Network Architect$111,310Columbia, MO$124,508
Computer Systems Analyst$77,760Columbia, MO$86,980
Computer and Information Systems Manager$129,700Columbia, MO$145,078
Computer Network Support Specialist$66,380Columbia, MO$74,251
Computer User Support Specialist$56,670Columbia, MO$63,389

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.


Columbia at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population127,200Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$64,488Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+56.5%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)89.4 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Cybersecurity-related employment in Boone County652 workers, 78 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Columbia-Area Cities With Cybersecurity Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited cybersecurity schools are near Columbia, MO?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering cybersecurity programs near Columbia. The closest is Columbia College in Columbia, MO (0.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Central Missouri (77.2 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying cybersecurity roles near Columbia?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying cybersecurity-related roles near Columbia are: Computer and Information Systems Manager ($129,700), Computer Network Architect ($111,310), Information Security Analyst ($97,600). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Missouri statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Jefferson City instead of Columbia?

Jefferson City, MO is 27.5 miles from Columbia and has its own set of local cybersecurity programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Columbia an affordable place to study cybersecurity?

Columbia’s median household income of $64,488 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Columbia while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Missouri public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.


Learn More About Cybersecurity Programs

Other Programs Available in Columbia

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Columbia:

Data verified: June 11, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.