Cybersecurity Degree in Frederick, MD — Salary & ROI 2026
Cybersecurity degree analysis for Frederick, MD. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$90K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$129K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
2.1 yrs
in Frederick
Cost of Living
112.5
index (100 = avg)
Cybersecurity in Frederick, MD Overview
While Frederick has a smaller college scene with 4 institutions, Cybersecurity students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $15,475/year, and the car-friendly layout shapes the student experience. Cybersecurity has seen growing enrollment nationally, reflecting rising employer demand for Network Security and Ethical Hacking skills. The adjusted starting salary in Frederick is approximately $90,000.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
4
Public Tuition
$10,800/yr
Private Tuition
$42,000/yr
Room & Board
$15,475/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$13,491/yr
Unemployment
4.2%
Graduation Rate
66%
Cybersecurity Salary in Frederick (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Frederick's cost of living index of 112.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Cybersecurity salary: $80,000 starting, $115,000 mid-career, $145,000 senior level.Frederick adjustment factor: 1.13x based on the local cost of living index.
Cybersecurity ROI Calculator for Frederick
Estimate your return on investment for a Cybersecurity degree using local Frederick tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,800 | Private avg: $42,000
Frederick avg aid: $13,491/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$105,100
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$50,625
vs HS diploma in Frederick
ROI Payback Period
2.1 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Frederick
$1,076,150
Lifetime earnings premium ($1,181,250) minus total education cost ($105,100)
Student Loan Payoff for Cybersecurity in Frederick
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Frederick for Cybersecurity
Frederick State University
public
$11,147/yr
$44,588 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Frederick Community College
$6,149/yr
Top Employers for Cybersecurity in Frederick
Frederick offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Cybersecurity graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Frederick Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Cybersecurity Job Titles
Cybersecurity in Nearby Maryland Cities
Baltimore, MD
$104K starting · COL 130
22 colleges
Columbia, MD
$102K starting · COL 127.2
4 colleges
Silver Spring, MD
$98K starting · COL 122.5
4 colleges
Waldorf, MD
$97K starting · COL 120.7
4 colleges
Ellicott City, MD
$91K starting · COL 114.2
3 colleges
Glen Burnie, MD
$87K starting · COL 108.8
3 colleges
Rockville, MD
$103K starting · COL 128.5
3 colleges
Bethesda, MD
$93K starting · COL 116.7
3 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Frederick
Prompt Engineering
$56K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$107K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$96K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$99K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$92K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$56K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$56K starting · 3 yr ROI
Applied Mathematics
$56K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Cybersecurity Degree in Frederick — FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Cost of living from BLS Regional Data. College data from NCES/IPEDS. Updated March 2026.
Explore More
Compare Cybersecurity ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in Frederick.