Online Cybersecurity Courses With Certificates 2025

Cybersecurity is an in-demand field, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Most cybersecurity professionals have bachelor's degrees, but many roles are available to those with certifications. Certificates can also help you improve your knowledge in a specific area of cybersecurity.

While we've previously discussed free online cybersecurity certificates, many of these aren't career and professional certifications. Below, we've highlighted some of the best online certificates for those who excel in cybersecurity.

Top Online Courses for Cybersecurity Certification

There are many certifications you can get online for cybersecurity, and often these credentials can help you further your career. We've highlighted the top options below.

1. CompTIA Security+

The CompTIA Security+ certification is one of the most well-known cybersecurity certifications in the industry. To earn this certification, you need to pass the CompTIA Security+ exam.

CompTIA offers an interactive, self-paced e-learning course that trains students on cyber threats, vulnerabilities, incident response, and security architecture and operations. This program also prepares students to ace the Security+ exam and earn credentials.

While students have the option of just taking the course itself, this does not lead to certification. However, CompTIA offers a bundle option that includes both the course and the certification exam.

2. Computer Science for Cybersecurity

Computer Science for Cybersecurity is a course offered by Harvard through edX, an online learning platform. It includes two courses: Introduction to Computer Science and Introduction to Cybersecurity.

The latter helps students develop their cybersecurity skills by covering subjects like ethical hacking, computer systems security, and security operations. Finishing this course leads to a certificate of completion, but you'll need to take both courses to receive the professional certificate.

3. Google Cybersecurity Professional Certificate

Through the online learning platform Coursera, students can complete the Google Cybersecurity Professional Certificate. This program contains eight courses, including:

• Foundations of Cybersecurity
• Connect and Protect: Networks and Network Security
• Tools of the Trade: Linux and SQL
• Automate Cybersecurity Tasks with Python

When you finish each course, you'll receive a certificate of completion. However, to receive the career certificate from Google, you'll need to successfully complete all eight courses.

4. IBM Cybersecurity Analyst

IBM also offers a cybersecurity certificate through Coursera. This program prepares students for entry-level roles as cybersecurity analysts with courses on cybersecurity fundamentals and how to manage database vulnerabilities in operating systems administration and security.

The 14 courses in this series cover a range of topics in the field of cybersecurity, including cyberattacks, digital forensics, penetration testing, compliance frameworks, and more. The series also helps prepare students for the CompTIA Security+ exam and their cybersecurity job search.

Like the Google certificate, each course leads to a certificate of completion, but to earn the professional certificate, you'll need to finish the whole series. Additionally, students may be able to earn college credit from this program that they can transfer into a bachelor's degree program.

5. Information & Computer Security Training

Study.com offers the self-paced Information & Computer Security Training course for those who want to broaden their knowledge of information and computer security. It includes ten chapters that tackle topics like information security, network security, cryptography, and malware protection.

Upon completion, students receive a certificate. This cybersecurity training also prepares students to advance in their current role or find a new job in the cybersecurity field.

6. Microsoft Cybersecurity Analyst

Another cybersecurity analyst certificate offered through Coursera comes from Microsoft. This hands-on program includes nine courses, such as:

• Introduction to Networking and Cloud Computing
• Cybersecurity Threat Vectors and Mitigation
• Cybersecurity Identity and Access Solutions using Azure AD
• Cybersecurity Solutions and Microsoft Defender

As with the other programs, you'll get a certificate of completion for individual courses. Finishing all nine courses earns you a professional certificate and you may be able to earn college credit as well.

7. Rutgers Cybersecurity Bootcamp

For those who want an intensive cybersecurity program with hands-on experience, Rutgers offers a cybersecurity bootcamp through edX. This 24-week program provides an overview of cybersecurity fundamentals as well as lessons on cryptography, cloud security, risk management, cyber defense, and more.

Unlike the other programs on this list, you won't go through this bootcamp at your own pace. While the program is flexible, you will need to log in a few hours each week for live, online learning that includes real-world projects. Upon completion, you'll receive a university-backed credential and be prepared for the CompTIA Security+ certification.

Our Selection Criteria

As we mentioned above, there are a lot of online cybersecurity certificate programs available. To choose the options for this list, we focused on:

• Provider: All courses above are offered by verified companies or institutions.
• Platform: Each program is offered through a well-known learning platform.
• Training: We focused specifically on beginner-level courses that prepare students for cybersecurity careers.
• Certification Options: All programs lead to some type of certification, many of which are career and professional certificates.

Career Paths for Cybersecurity Professionals With Certifications

There are several career paths available for those who earn a cybersecurity certification. These include:

• computer network administrator
• cybercrime analyst
• cybersecurity project manager
• cybersecurity specialist
• ethical hacker
• incident responder
• information security analyst
• penetration tester
• security engineer
• software developer

Note that some cybersecurity expert roles may require a college degree, most commonly a bachelor's degree.

How To Choose the Best Cybersecurity Certification

The best cybersecurity certification for one person may not be the best for another. When trying to choose which online cybersecurity courses to take, consider the following:

• Your Level of Experience: Many courses are made for beginners, but some are more advanced.
• Your Goals: Are you looking to start learning about cybersecurity or hone your skills in a specific subject?
• The Outcome: All the programs above offer certificates for students who complete the coursework, although some require passing a test. Some also offer college credit for their courses.
• Price: As we mentioned above, there are many free online cybersecurity courses, but often, those don't lead to a certificate or credential. While certificate programs are often more expensive, many platforms offer financial aid opportunities.

What Are the Prerequisites for Taking Online Cybersecurity Certifications?

Often, there aren't any prerequisites to take an online cybersecurity certification program. Many courses are designed to be entry-level, meaning they're made for those without any prior learning or experience in the field.

However, some courses do expect you to have prior work experience or education in cybersecurity. Typically, these are intermediate or advanced courses, and they will often state the recommended prerequisites on the program page.

Explore Online Certificate Courses Today

Launch your career as a cybersecurity professional by exploring the certificate programs featured on Learn.org. Check out the programs listed above to find the right match today.