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If you’re weighing cybersecurity programs in Pennsylvania, you’ve probably noticed a pattern. Most of them ask for the same things before you even apply. A certain GPA. Prior computer science classes. Lackawanna College takes a different approach. Its Associate Degree in Cybersecurity has no prerequisites. It runs primarily online. And it has placed 100% of its graduates in jobs in both the 2023-24 and 2024-25 academic years. Lackawanna College is a private, nonprofit college founded in 1894. It is based in Scranton, Pennsylvania. It is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. The college has served the people of Northeastern Pennsylvania for more than 130 years.

A cybersecurity associate degree is a two-year college degree. It trains students to protect computer networks, systems, and data from unauthorized access and attack. Coursework covers computer security fundamentals like networking, operating systems, and cryptography. Hands-on lab work is built in. The degree is built to lead straight into entry-level cybersecurity jobs. It’s not a four-year commitment.

What You’ll Study in the Cybersecurity Associate Degree

The program blends core computer science classes with security-focused training. It’s taught primarily online. So students can work through the material on a schedule that fits around a job or family. The classes build in sequence. It starts with the basics. Then it moves into the skills employers screen for in entry-level hires.

Courses in the program include:

• Introduction to Cybersecurity
• Operating System Fundamentals and Administration
• Networking Fundamentals, Network Design, and Network Security
• Scripting and Programming Essentials
• Introduction to Cryptography
• Virtualization and Cloud Computing
• A required Cybersecurity Internship

That internship matters. Students leave with hands-on lab experience, not just lecture notes. They get it before they ever interview for a job. Want more in-person contact? Students can still use campus resources at the Scranton main campus. The online learning option is built for a primarily remote course format.

Key Takeaway: The degree isn’t a survey course in computer basics. It’s built around networking, cryptography, and cloud security classes. Those skills map straight to what entry-level cybersecurity employers want. A required internship caps it off.

No Prerequisites, Real Access

Many cybersecurity programs require math or programming courses before a student can even declare the major. Lackawanna College’s Cybersecurity associate degree doesn’t. Enrollment requires a high school diploma or GED. No prior tech experience is required. There are no program-specific prerequisites to get started.

That matters for two groups searching for how to get into cybersecurity in Pennsylvania. The first is recent high school grads who haven’t taken a computer science class yet. The second is career-changers who want a technical field. They don’t want to sit through a semester of prerequisite math first.

Key Takeaway: No prerequisites means the entry point is a high school diploma or GED, not a prior computer science background. That’s why it draws both recent grads and career-changers.

A Two-Year Track Record: 100% Job Placement

Course descriptions and catalog copy only tell part of the story. What matters more is what happens after graduation. The Cybersecurity program has a clean, verified two-year record. Graduates saw 100% job placement in both the 2023-24 and 2024-25 academic years. That figure comes from Lackawanna College’s Office of the Registrar.

Graduates have gone on to work in network administration and domain system administration. Others work in security operations, cryptography, and risk management and compliance. Entry-level jobs filled by program grads include cybersecurity analyst and SOC analyst. Others include help desk engineer, systems engineer, and network engineer. These jobs don’t require a four-year degree to get a foot in the door.

Key Takeaway: 100% job placement in both 2023-24 and 2024-25 isn’t a projection or a marketing figure. It’s two straight years of verified registrar data for this program.

What Cybersecurity Professionals Earn in Pennsylvania

Pay is one of the biggest factors students weigh before they commit to a two-year cybersecurity degree. It’s worth pulling current numbers instead of leaning on old averages. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics runs the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. Its May 2025 data covers information security analysts (SOC code 15-1212) in Pennsylvania. The annual median wage was $117,770. That is a statewide figure covering all experience levels in the occupation.

Those numbers cover every information security analyst in Pennsylvania, from entry level to senior. They’re not a guarantee for any individual graduate. Entry-level roles like SOC analyst or help desk engineer usually pay toward the low end of that range. Pay builds from there with experience and more certifications.

Key Takeaway: Pennsylvania’s information security analysts had a $117,770 annual median wage in the May 2025 BLS OEWS data. That’s a statewide number, not a per-graduate promise. But it’s a useful benchmark for where the field’s pay scales.

CCNA and Security+: What’s Covered, and What You Still Have to Earn

The program builds in exam prep for two well-known industry certifications. They are the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) and CompTIA Security+. It’s worth being precise about what that means. Coursework preps students for these exams. It does not hand you the certifications themselves. Students still have to sit for and pass the CCNA exam through Cisco and the Security+ exam through CompTIA. Those two groups own and run the certifications, separate from the college.

A lot of cybersecurity certifications vs. degree comparisons blur that line. A degree teaches the material. A certification confirms it through a separate, third-party exam. CISA’s Cybersecurity Education & Career Development page shows how both credentials and real experience help you get hired. Degree coursework and industry certifications work together. But they are not the same thing.

Key Takeaway: CCNA and Security+ are covered as exam prep, not earned automatically. Students still sit for and pass those exams on their own through Cisco and CompTIA.

Is This Program Right for You?

If you’re comparing cybersecurity programs in Pennsylvania on cost, format, and outcomes, the questions worth asking are simple. Does the program require prerequisites you don’t have yet? Is it structured for how you need to learn — online, in person, or some mix? And does the school have real outcomes data, not just a projected growth chart?

Lackawanna College’s Cybersecurity associate degree answers those directly. No prerequisites. A primarily online format. Two straight years of 100% job placement. Financial aid is also part of the picture. Across Lackawanna College, 95% of students receive some form of financial aid. The college’s financial aid office can walk any admitted student through what that could look like for them.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Lackawanna College’s Cybersecurity associate degree?

It’s a two-year associate degree. Students study networking, operating systems, cryptography, and cloud security. A required internship is built into the curriculum. The program is primarily online. It requires no prerequisites. It has placed 100% of graduates in jobs in both the 2023-24 and 2024-25 academic years.

Is the cybersecurity program online or in person?

The program is primarily online. Most coursework can be completed remotely on a flexible schedule. Students who want in-person resources can also use the Scranton main campus. The program’s online learning structure is built for students who study mostly off-campus.

Do I need prior tech experience or prerequisite courses to enroll?

No. You need a high school diploma or GED to enroll. The degree has no program-specific prerequisites. You don’t need prior tech or computer science classes to start.

Will I earn the CCNA or Security+ certification through this program?

No. Coursework prepares you for the CCNA and Security+ certification exams. You earn those certifications by sitting for and passing the exams on your own through Cisco and CompTIA. The degree and the certifications are two separate things. The program is upfront about which one it provides.

What is the job placement rate for cybersecurity graduates?

100%, in both the 2023-24 and 2024-25 academic years. That’s based on data from the college’s Office of the Registrar. Graduates have landed jobs as cybersecurity analysts and SOC analysts. Others work as help desk engineers, systems engineers, and network engineers.

How much do cybersecurity professionals earn in Pennsylvania?

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ OEWS survey has May 2025 data for Pennsylvania. It covers information security analysts (SOC code 15-1212). The annual median wage was $117,770. That is a statewide figure across all experience levels, not a per-graduate guarantee.

What jobs can I get with a two-year cybersecurity degree?

Graduates of this program have landed jobs as cybersecurity analysts and SOC analysts. Others work as help desk engineers, systems engineers, and network engineers. Some work in network administration or security operations. Others work in cryptography, or in risk management and compliance.

Disclaimer

Job placement figures (100% in 2023-24 and 2024-25) come from Lackawanna College’s Office of the Registrar. They cover completed academic years for the Cybersecurity associate degree program. They are past results. They are not a guarantee of future results for any one student. Wage data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The source is the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 data. It covers the information security analysts occupation (SOC 15-1212) statewide in Pennsylvania. It covers every experience level in that occupation, not entry-level pay alone.

Taking the Next Step

A cybersecurity associate degree only pays off if the program is honest about what it delivers. That means real coursework and real outcomes. It also means a clear line between what’s taught and what must be earned through an outside exam. Lackawanna College’s Cybersecurity program is built around that kind of clarity. It has no prerequisites. It runs primarily online. And graduates have seen 100% job placement two years running.Ready to see whether it fits your goals? Request information about the Cybersecurity program or schedule a visit to talk with an enrollment counselor. You can also browse more program updates and student outcomes on Lackawanna College’s News & Media page.