The National Cyber League (NCL) unveils the Fall 2025 Cyber Power Rankings, recognizing top-performing schools like United States Coast Guard Academy, SANS Technology Institute and Mountain View High School.
CHEVY CHASE, Md., Nov. 24, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The National Cyber League concluded the Fall 2025 NCL Competition with participation from 9,271 students and 788 high schools, colleges, and universities all over the United States, representing all 50 states.
The NCL Competition, powered by Cyber Skyline, is a biannual event that enables students to prepare and test themselves against practical cybersecurity challenges that they will likely face in the workforce, such as identifying hackers from forensic data, pentesting and auditing vulnerable websites, recovering from ransomware attacks, and additional cyber skill sets.
The Cyber Power Rankings is a published list of the top 100 schools within the NCL, representing the hard work and skills of collegiate and high school students. These rankings measure students' abilities to work individually and as a team in performing a wide range of cybersecurity tasks.
Highlights from the Cyber Power Rankings include:
- Top five schools from the Standard Bracket, from first to fifth place, are United States Coast Guard Academy, Monmouth University, Cedarville University, San Diego State University, and Anderson University (SC).
- Top five schools from the Experienced Bracket, from first to fifth place, are the SANS Technology Institute, Tennessee Technological University, University of Southern California, University of North Georgia, and University of Hawaii – West Oahu.
- Top five high schools, from first to fifth place, are Mountain View High School, Lakota West High School, Alliance Academy for Innovation, Great Oak High School, and Central Campus – Des Moines Public Schools.
View the entire Cyber Power Rankings list here: cyberskyline.com/data/power-ranking/fall-2025-national
Students that participate in the NCL receive valuable performance data through individualized Scouting Reports, which aligns their experience to industry certifications and government standards. With these reports, they are able to showcase tangible evidence of their technical skills to employers.
"The NCL games have proven to be a transformative learning experience for our Computer Information Systems (CIS) program at Colorado State University Pueblo," said Dr. Roberto Mejias, CSU Pueblo professor and NCL coach of the 1st place team in the Team Game (Standard Bracket). In addition, CSU Pueblo placed 11th in the Power Rankings.
Mejias also shared, "NCL has motivated our CIS students, from all skill levels, to boldly venture into the fascinating STEM-related fields of IT, CIS and Cyber Security that will inspire students to consider Cyber Security as an exciting program of study and future career."
NCL Commissioner Dr. David Zeichick is an NCL coach and professor at the 7th place school in the Standard Bracket, California State University – Chico.
"We continue to see incredible engagement from students across the country — from lively Discord discussions to record participation — and the feedback shows that NCL challenges are not only fun, but truly helping players build confidence and prepare for cybersecurity careers," said Zeichick.
NCL and Cyber Skyline strive to create and nurture meaningful partnerships with fellow cybersecurity organizations. Our partner, BlackGirlsHack, is dedicated to providing education and resources to underserved communities and increasing diversity in cyber.
"Our partnership with the National Cyber League continues to be a great resource for our members in gaining access to hands-on cybersecurity experience. NCL's challenges empower the squad to build confidence, sharpen technical skills, and see themselves thriving in cyber careers," said Rebekah Skeete, Executive Director, BlackGirlsHack. "They have been a proactive partner for BGH, both actively supporting and amplifying the mission. Together, we're clearing pathways for the next generation and shaping a stronger, more inclusive cybersecurity workforce."
Registration for the Spring 2026 NCL Competition is open Jan. 26 - March 27. The cost to participate is $45, with late registration from March 28 - 31 and a cost increase to $55.
About the National Cyber League
Established in 2011 by an alliance of public agencies dedicated to developing the next generation of cybersecurity professionals, the National Cyber League is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization aiming to help students develop, practice and validate their cybersecurity knowledge and skills. To learn more, visit nationalcyberleague.org.
About Cyber Skyline
Founded in 2014, Cyber Skyline is a leading cloud-based cybersecurity skills evaluation platform helping students and professionals track their skills growth and helping businesses find, identify and cultivate talent. Cyber Skyline operates the NCL Competition with the support of the National Cyber League. To learn more, visit cyberskyline.com.
Media Contact
Emily Kalandranis, National Cyber League, 1 2407207870, [email protected], nationalcyberleague.org
SOURCE National Cyber League
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