Cybersecurity · California

Cybersecurity colleges in California

CampusPin lists 154 U.S. colleges in California that offer Cybersecurity programs. Compare tuition, acceptance rate, and enrollment in the table below, every figure links back to the institution's official IPEDS data.

Cybersecurity prepares graduates to defend networks, systems, and data, combining computing fundamentals with offensive and defensive security techniques and the policy frameworks that govern them.

Schools in California that offer Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity programs in California: by the numbers

A quick comparison of the 50 schools (of 154 total) listed above, drawn from each institution's published IPEDS data.

Schools listed

154

Public / private

35 / 15

Universities / 2-year

25 / 25

Cities represented

40

In-state tuition range

$1,104–$46,704

Median in-state tuition

$7,069

Lowest published in-state tuition

Barstow Community College

$1,104

Most selective

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

30% acceptance

Largest by enrollment

California State University-Fullerton

41,793 students

Figures reflect the schools currently listed and each institution's most recent reported data. Verify current tuition and admissions details with the school before applying.

What you'll study in a Cybersecurity program

  • Network and protocol security (TCP/IP, TLS, DNS security, firewalls, IDS/IPS)
  • Cryptography fundamentals and applied use
  • Penetration testing, ethical hacking, and red-team techniques
  • Secure software development practices and code review
  • Digital forensics and incident response
  • Risk management frameworks (NIST CSF, ISO 27001) and governance
  • Security operations center (SOC) workflows
  • Cloud security (AWS, Azure, GCP)

Where a Cybersecurity degree can lead

  • Cybersecurity Analyst
  • Penetration Tester
  • Security Engineer
  • Incident Response Analyst
  • Security Consultant
  • CISO (career path)

Typical pay: $72,000–$120,000 early-career (BLS, 2024 information security analysts median $124,910)

A Cybersecurity major covers network security, cryptography, secure software engineering, digital forensics, incident response, risk management, and the legal and regulatory frameworks (NIST, GDPR, HIPAA, PCI-DSS) governing information security. Most programs share a foundational year with Computer Science before diverging into security-specific upper-division coursework.

Demand has outpaced supply for years, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 33 % growth in information security analyst roles between 2023 and 2033, far above the 4 % average across all occupations. Cybersecurity graduates work in industry, financial services, healthcare, defense, and government.

Cybersecurity in other states

Other majors in California

Find more Cybersecurity schools

Use CampusPin's filter-first search to narrow 154+ Cybersecurity programs in California by tuition, school size, acceptance rate, and campus setting.

Search Cybersecurity schools in CaliforniaAbout the Cybersecurity majorAll colleges in California

Related majors in California