Online IT Programs in Michigan (2027)

Key Points

Western Michigan University's Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity ranks first in Michigan and places #8 of 26 in our national cybersecurity ranking.
Help desk technicians stand out most in Michigan: 22,090 jobs, 1.09 times the national share.
Michigan pays web developers best against U.S. medians and information security analysts worst.

Ordered by each program’s place in its national ranking. How we rank.

The Three Best Online IT Programs in Michigan for 2027

No.1 #8of 26 in cybersecurity
Western Michigan University

Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity
- Kalamazoo, MI
- Public
- Fully online
- Cybersecurity bachelor’s
Western Michigan University, based in Kalamazoo, delivers this 122-credit-hour cybersecurity bachelor's in two formats: every course runs online and in person, and you choose. The ABET-accredited degree starts from programming and ethics, then moves into cryptology concepts and techniques, Windows System Administration and secure web applications and technologies.
Teamwork runs through the projects, and every student agrees to the White Hat Code of Conduct. The last stretch is a Senior Engineering Design project, where your team completes a project for industry. The College of Engineering and Applied Sciences teams with the Haworth business college behind the degree, and the coursework is built around readiness for two CompTIA exams, Network+ and Security+.

Credits

122

Graduation rate

58%school-wide

Graduates in this field

52023-24, all formats

Accreditation

HLC, ABETHigher Learning Commission

Prepares for

CompTIA Network+ and Security+

Visit Western Michigan’s BS in Cybersecurity Compare
No.2 #10of 26 in cybersecurity
Northwood University

Bachelor of Applied Science in Cybersecurity
- Midland, MI
- Private nonprofit
- Fully online
- Cybersecurity bachelor’s
From its home in Midland, Michigan, Northwood University gives this applied cybersecurity bachelor's an online route as well as an on-campus one. CYB 2100 Cybersecurity Principles opens the sequence, and the courses that follow include CYB 3000 Cryptography and Current Trends, then CYB 2300 Advanced Networking Systems.
Later work takes in Network Security (Red Team/Blue Team) and Physical and Operational Security. Michigan students finish with the Technology Capstone Project, and an internship, MIS 3990, carries credit. A Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity of 120 credits sits beside this degree as the other option.

Credits

90

Graduation rate

63%school-wide

Graduates in this field

122023-24, all formats

Accreditation

HLC, CAE-CD schoolHigher Learning Commission

Format

Courses from 8 weeks

Visit Northwood’s BAS in Cybersecurity Compare
No.3 #26of 37 in IT master’s
University of Michigan-Dearborn

Information Systems and Technology, MS
- Dearborn, MI
- Public
- Fully online
- Master’s
Michigan residents can complete the University of Michigan-Dearborn's MS in Information Systems and Technology on the Dearborn campus, online, or by combining the two. Part-time working students are the ones the late afternoon and evening schedule is built around.
Required study is limited to nine credit hours of database, enterprise information systems and object oriented design, with the remaining 21 credit hours split between a concentration and electives. Concentration areas are Information Management Applications, Supply Chain and Information Systems Design, Information Security, Web Information Management, Information Systems Engineering, Data Analytics and Science, and an individual concentration. Graduate transfer is capped at six credit hours at B or better. A thesis can replace six hours of electives, since no capstone is required, and the program operates on rolling admission.

Credits

30

Graduation rate

58%school-wide

Graduates in this field

412023-24, all formats

Accreditation

HLCHigher Learning Commission

Visit UM-Dearborn’s MS in Info Systems and Technology Compare

Tuition Discounts for Michigan Residents

State Aid for Michigan Residents

The Michigan Achievement Scholarship from the state of Michigan is one of several state scholarships and grants. Ask the agency whether your online program qualifies before you count on it.

Online IT Programs Near Michigan

Indiana has 11 programs, Ohio has six programs and Wisconsin has one program.

Michigan Programs in Our National Rankings

Program	National ranking	Place
Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity, Western Michigan University	ABET-Accredited	5th of 12
Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity, Western Michigan University	With Certifications	6th of 43
Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity, Western Michigan University	Cybersecurity	8th of 26
Bachelor of Applied Science in Cybersecurity, Northwood University	Cybersecurity	10th of 26
Information Systems and Technology, MS, University of Michigan-Dearborn	Master's in IT	26th of 37
Bachelor of Applied Science in Cybersecurity, Northwood University	CAE-CD Schools	29th of 66

IT Jobs and Salaries in Michigan

Michigan’s best-paid IT role: IT managers, at $163,760; Michigan’s lowest is $56,240, for help desk technicians. Michigan’s largest IT group: 22,090 help desk technicians.

Role	Median pay	vs U.S.	Typical range	Jobs	Entry education	Salary guide
IT Manager	$163,760	−6%	$99,270 to $232,870	16,010	Bachelor's degree	Salary guide
Network Engineer	$112,040	−16%	$71,400 to $167,960	3,210	Bachelor's degree	Salary guide
Information Security Analyst	$106,230	−18%	$64,150 to $165,730	3,280	Bachelor's degree	Salary guide
Computer Systems Analyst	$103,410	−2%	$66,360 to $155,670	14,070	Bachelor's degree	Salary guide
Database Administrator	$99,830	−5%	$58,540 to $150,140	1,150	Bachelor's degree	Salary guide
Web Developer	$98,470	+6%	$49,930 to $149,660	1,580	Bachelor's degree	Salary guide
Network and Computer Systems Administrator	$92,750	−6%	$63,100 to $133,900	6,900	Bachelor's degree	Salary guide
Network Support Specialist	$65,900	−14%	$40,250 to $108,250	2,470	Associate's degree	Salary guide
Help Desk Technician	$56,240	−9%	$38,150 to $84,940	22,090	Some college, no degree	Salary guide

Median and percentile pay and local employment: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Michigan statewide (Sources; BLS OEWS). Typical entry education: BLS Employment Projections. The range runs from the 10th to the 90th percentile.

Against U.S. medians, the biggest Michigan premium: web developers at $98,470 (+6%). Weakest in Michigan: information security analysts, at $106,230 (−18%). 1 of 9 Michigan roles out-earn the U.S. median.

Next in Michigan: IT managers (16,010 jobs, $163,760) and computer systems analysts (14,070 jobs, $103,410). In Michigan, bachelor’s-level roles are 65% of IT jobs; Michigan students can compare online IT bachelor’s degrees. Below a bachelor’s in Michigan: help desk technicians (22,090 jobs, $56,240) and network support specialists (2,470 jobs, $65,900). For those Michigan roles, see online IT associate degrees.

Help desk work, the usual way in, has a $56,240 median in Michigan.

IT Pay by Metro Area in Michigan

Lansing-East Lansing, MI pays network and systems administrators the most, at $97,810.

Metro area	Computer jobs	Network and computer systems administrator median	Security analyst median	Help desk median
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI	63,520	$96,400	$108,990	$59,040
Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI	12,630	$93,440	$95,660	$57,980
Lansing-East Lansing, MI	8,990	$97,810	$97,540	$50,840
Ann Arbor, MI	8,410	$96,580	$105,010	$55,010
South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI	2,300	$82,890	$85,070	$54,490
Kalamazoo-Portage, MI	1,830	$81,650	$103,000	$57,920
Flint, MI	1,600	$91,430	$77,590	$51,300
Jackson, MI	1,290	$94,210	$130,010	$50,800

Michigan IT Pay vs. Neighboring States

Ohio pays network and computer systems administrators more than Michigan; Indiana and Wisconsin pay less.

State	Network and computer systems administrator median	All computer jobs median	Computer jobs
Michigan	$92,750	$99,280	126,780
Ohio	$97,570	$100,200	151,340
Indiana	$84,550	$84,010	67,640
Wisconsin	$83,650	$96,100	81,570

IT Job Concentration in Michigan

Michigan has 126,780 people working in computer occupations, at a $99,280 median.

IT job	Per thousand jobs	Vs. national share
Help Desk Technician	5.02	1.09×
IT Manager	3.63	0.84×
Computer Systems Analyst	3.19	0.96×
Network and Computer Systems Administrator	1.57	0.78×
Information Security Analyst	0.74	0.61×
Network Engineer	0.73	0.63×
Network Support Specialist	0.56	0.60×
Web Developer	0.36	0.79×
Database Administrator	0.26	0.58×

Employment and location quotients: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

Cybersecurity Jobs in Michigan

Michigan’s labor market office projects the job to grow 22% from 2024 to 2034, with about 260 openings a year.

Compare online cybersecurity degrees or read the security analyst salary guide.

Tech Jobs in Michigan: The Industries Behind Them

Industry employment, establishments and payroll: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023. Average pay is annual payroll divided by employment.

IT Job Growth in Michigan Through 2034

Michigan’s labor market office projects information security analysts to grow fastest, by 22% from 2024 to 2034, and computer user support specialists to grow slowest, at -6.8%. Across the nine IT jobs below, it expects about 4,490 openings a year, from growth and from workers who retire or change fields. Nationally, the same job is projected to grow 28.5%.

IT job	2024	2034	Growth	Openings a year	U.S. growth
Information Security Analyst	3,260	3,970	+22%	260	+28.5%
IT Manager	16,260	17,870	+9.9%	1,240	+15.2%
Network Engineer	3,110	3,280	+5.7%	170	+11.9%
Web Developer	2,260	2,370	+5.1%	140	+7.6%
Computer Systems Analyst	15,790	16,440	+4.1%	940	+8.7%
Network Support Specialist	2,440	2,430	-0.5%	150	+1.8%
Database Administrator	1,310	1,260	-3.9%	60	-0.6%
Network Administrator and Systems Administrator	7,820	7,320	-6.4%	320	-4.2%
Help Desk	23,240	21,650	-6.8%	1,210	-3.7%

State projections, 2024 to 2034: Projections Central, from Michigan’s labor market information office. U.S. growth is the national projection on the same basis.

How to Choose an Online IT Program in Michigan

Largest IT occupation: 22,090 computer user support specialists.

Our guide to choosing by state covers cost, residency, authorization and accreditation.

Online IT Programs in Other States

Online IT Programs in Michigan FAQ

How many online IT programs are based in Michigan?

Three fully online IT programs, at three schools: two bachelor's degrees and one master's degree. Two of them are at public schools.

Which IT jobs are scarce in Michigan?

Michigan is lightest on database administrators (0.58x) and network support specialists (0.60x the U.S. share).

Are there cybersecurity jobs in Michigan?

Security analyst jobs are thinner on the ground in Michigan, at 0.61 times the national share, and pay $106,230.

Which IT job is growing fastest in Michigan?

The state projects information security analysts to grow fastest, by 22% from 2024 to 2034 (28.5% nationally), adding up to 260 openings a year.

Keep researching

Best Online IT Programs in Michigan (2027)