The National Cyber League (NCL) unveils the Spring 2026 Cyber Power Rankings, recognizing top-performing schools like Colorado State University - Pueblo, SANS Technology Institute and Central Campus - Des Moines Public Schools.
CHEVY CHASE, Md., May 13, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The National Cyber League concluded the Spring 2026 NCL Competition with participation from 7,522 students and 670 high schools, colleges, and universities, representing 49 states in the U.S.
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:
- The top five schools from the Standard Bracket, from first to fifth place, are Colorado State University - Pueblo, Cedarville University, University of Hawaii - West Oahu, Anderson University (SC), and the United States Military Academy.
- The top five schools from the Experienced Bracket, from first to fifth place, are the The SANS Technology Institute, University of North Georgia, College of William and Mary, Western Governors University, and Florida Institute of Technology
- The top five high schools, from first to fifth place, are Central Campus - Des Moines Public Schools, Lakota West High School, Mountain View High, Eldorado High School, and Alliance Academy for Innovation.
View the entire Cyber Power Rankings list here:
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 always proven to be a valuable experiential learning experience for our Computer Information Systems (CIS) program at CSU Pueblo," said Dr. Roberto Mejias, CSU Pueblo professor and NCL coach. "NCL has motivated our CIS students, from all skill levels and disciplines, to venture into the fascinating STEM-related fields of IT, CIS, and cybersecurity that will inspire our students to consider cybersecurity as an exciting program of study and future potential career."
"I'm especially excited to see such strong high school participation, and even more excited to see high school players earning top spots on the season leaderboards. Their success speaks to the talent, dedication, and future of the cybersecurity field." said NCL Commissioner, Dr. David Zeichick
NCL and Cyber Skyline strive to create and nurture meaningful partnerships with fellow cybersecurity organizations. Our partner, The Diana Initiative, is committed to creating a more inclusive information security industry.
"Through its support of organizations like The Diana Initiative, NCL's Capture the Flag competitions empower diverse individuals to build skills, confidence, and experience they can leverage when entering the field of cybersecurity," said Nicole Schwartz, Chair of the Board, The Diana Initiative. Its commitment to accessible, practical education continues to foster a more diverse and capable cyber workforce."
Registration for the Fall 2026 NCL Competition is open Aug. 17 - Oct. 10 and costs $45 to participate. Late registration is Oct. 11 - 13 with 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 .
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 .
Media Contact
Emily Kalandranis, Cyber Skyline, 1 240-720-7870, [email protected], Ìý
SOURCE Cyber Skyline
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