Announcements from quantum computing companies continue to shorten the time before we reach Q-day. That’s the day when quantum computers get powerful enough to use for general business applications—or to break existing encryption standards. According to the latest Forrester projection, that is likely to happen by 2030.

“The quantum computing industry crossed an inflection point in 2025,” Forrester analyst Brian Hopkins said in his report. “Vendors moved beyond theoretical fault‑tolerant architectures into early engineering reality.” IBM, for example, has a roadmap to achieve fault-tolerant quantum computing by 2029. That “would have been dismissed as unrealistic only a few years ago,” Hopkins says.

“It’s a clear and present danger to typical encryption methods,” says Jon France, CISO at ISC2.

There are two main ways that companies can prepare for quantum computing. The first, and most immediate, concern is that of protecting their most important secrets. Nation-states and other threat actors are, in all likelihood, already collecting encrypted information in hopes of later using quantum computers to read it. To protect it, companies need to use a combination of symmetric encryption—which is harder to break than the asymmetric encryption used for online communications—and quantum-safe asymmetric encryption algorithms. “Ideally, you should be using a quantum resilient algorithm now,” says France. “And many organizations are.”

Second, companies that could potentially benefit from quantum computing once it arrives, such as companies dealing  with complex financial, logistical, or scientific challenges, should start developing expertise in the subject. (Read more: Fixing encryption isn’t enough. Quantum developments put focus on authentication)

Fortunately, you don’t have to have multiple PhDs in quantum physics in order to use the technology, as vendors are racing to make it more accessible for the average end user. But a little bit of knowledge isn’t going to hurt.

To help people learn about the looming quantum security threat, ISC2 recently launched an express course in quantum computing, focusing on the cybersecurity implications. The 30-minute online program costs just $23 ($19 for ISC2 members) and has no prerequisites.

The new course is designed to offer a quick foundation to the topic, says Jon Duggan, ISC2’s associate director of learning experience. “You’re not necessarily going to take the course and learn how to build a quantum computer. They’re intended to help you stay current while earning continuing professional education credits.”

ISC2 plans to develop more quantum-related courses, France says. “It’s one of those topics that is very fast-changing, so it will be on the express learning side of things.”

While the encryption challenge is the most pressing concern for the largest number of companies, some enterprises are also starting to hire on the quantum computing side, says Jason Crane, founder and executive recruiter at CNA Search. Those include defense contractors, national labs and financial services. “JPMorgan, Goldman, and several hedge funds have active quantum research teams,” he says. “Not mass hiring yet but the roles that exist pay exceptionally well.”

And there’s already a hiring bottleneck for quantum talent, Crane adds, as companies struggle to find and vet the people they need. Most employers look at academic backgrounds, he adds, seeking people who are expert in physics, math, cryptography, or software engineering. “After that, they want to see that someone has actually spent time in the tools and frameworks,” he adds.

There are also firms who are willing to take a chance on someone with potential and train up. “Right now, there is no clean certification path for quantum the way there is for cloud or cybersecurity,” he says. People who are looking to transition into quantum are piecing it together with vendor training, online courses, and experimenting in cloud environments that the big players have released. “And honestly, a fair amount of just learning by doing,” Crane says.

Quantum skills are a bit of a long game right now for job hunters, Crane admits. But there’s a window to get ahead of the curve. “Think of it like learning AWS in 2010,” he says. “Nobody needed it yet. Everyone needs it now. The people who got in early did not regret it.”

Read on for the top online training programs for quantum computing and cybersecurity, at all price points, experience levels, and time commitments.

Online classes and certificate programs

ISC2 express course

• Introduction to Quantum Computing Express Course
• Price: $23 for non-members, $19 for ISC2 members
• Length and delivery: 30 minutes, on-demand, self-paced, audio and text-based content with check-your-understanding questions
• Prerequisites: None
• Credential: Digital Validation of Completion, 0.5 Group A CPE credits auto-reported to ISC2 credentials
• Target audience: Cybersecurity professionals interested in expanding their knowledge of emerging technologies and strategic security considerations
• What you’ll learn: A practical overview of how quantum computing works, where the technology is headed, and what steps organizations should take to prepare for quantum-era threats

SISA certification

• Certified Quantum Security Professional (CQSP) 
• Price: $299 for certification alone, $700 for certification, training, and one test retake
• Length and delivery: 16 hours, onsite or offsite workshops with documentation kits, team training, and an executive presentation
• Prerequisites: Must have attended the 16-hour CQSP workshop, or equivalent formal training of minimum 16 hours covering the exam blueprint topics, recommended for cybersecurity professionals
• Credential: CQSP certification
• Target audience: Security leaders, architects, and compliance professionals preparing for the quantum computing era
• What you’ll learn: Practical training on quantum-safe cryptography, risk assessment, and alignment with NIST, ISO, and ETSI standards, enabling participants to lead their organization’s quantum readiness

Tonex certification

• Certified Quantum Cybersecurity Analyst (CQCA)
• Price: $2,199
• Length and delivery: Two days, with a combination of lectures, hands-on exercises, and real-world case studies
• Prerequisites: Basic understanding of cybersecurity concepts and cryptographic techniques
• Credential: CQCA certification from Tonex, requires a score of at least 70% overall on the exam, with minimum passing scores in each domain
• Target audience: Cybersecurity professionals, IT managers, system architects, and anyone involved in designing, implementing, or managing cybersecurity solutions
• What you’ll learn: Fundamentals of quantum computing and its implications for cybersecurity, advanced cryptographic techniques, quantum-resistant algorithms, and quantum key distribution (QKD) protocols

Tonex also offers the Certified Quantum & Post-Quantum Cryptography Professional (QPQCP) certification program

IBM quantum learning

• Practical Introduction to Quantum-Safe Cryptography
• Price: Free
• Length and delivery: Self-paced, online, multimodal lessons and interactive live code examples
• Prerequisites: None stated, designed for developers
• Credential: IBM digital badge via Credly after passing a short online exam
• Target audience: Developers interested in modernizing their application security for the post-quantum era
• What you’ll learn: Cryptographic hash functions, symmetric and asymmetric key cryptography, and quantum-safe cryptography, including how the cybersecurity risk landscape is evolving and contemporary approaches for the quantum era

IBM also offers an IBM Certified Quantum Computation using Qiskit v2.X Developer – Associate certificate for $200, and it has five free courses to help learners prepare for the exam, Understanding Quantum Information and Computation series

Microsoft learning path for Azure Quantum

• Azure Quantum Learning Path
• Price: Free
• Length and delivery: Six self-paced, online, interactive modules totalling about three hours, via Microsoft Learn, plus Quantum Katas self-paced Q# programming tutorials
• Prerequisites: Basic knowledge of the Azure ecosystem and linear algebra, familiarity with Visual Studio Code
• Credential: Completion badges via Microsoft Learn
• Target audience: Developers and technical professionals who want hands-on quantum programming experience using Microsoft tools
• What you’ll learn: Quantum computing fundamentals, how to build programs using the Quantum Development Kit and Q#, and estimating physical resource requirements using the Azure Quantum resource estimator

AWS learning path for quantum app development

• Skill Builder: Amazon Braket Learning Plan
• Price: Free
• Length and delivery: Two self-paced online courses: a 60-minute getting-started course and a 90-minute course on quantum application development, hosted on AWS Skill Builder
• Prerequisites: None stated, some familiarity with AWS services helpful
• Credential: Amazon Braket digital badge, awarded after scoring at least 80% on a 50-question online assessment
• Target audience: Quantum computing developers, educators, and enthusiasts, also suitable for instructors using Braket in classroom settings
• What you’ll learn: Foundational knowledge of Amazon Braket, how to program quantum computers and explore potential applications, and how to run hybrid quantum-classical algorithms using AWS tools

MIT xPRO program

• Quantum Computing Fundamentals
• Price: $2,500 for the two-course program
• Length and delivery: Two courses, each four weeks long at four to six hours per week, fully online with video, simulations, case studies, and a live webinar
• Prerequisites: Basic knowledge of linear algebra
• Credential: MIT Professional Certificate and 4.0 Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
• Target audience: Professionals and leaders in business, government, and technology who need to understand the business and technical implications of quantum computing
• What you’ll learn: How quantum algorithms can outperform classical ones for cybersecurity, chemistry, and optimization, engineering requirements for quantum systems, and practical business applications, with hands-on use of the IBM Q experience

University of Chicago certificate

• Quantum Computing for Everyone via edX
• Price: Audit for free, verified professional certificate is $398 (currently on sale for $358)
• Length and delivery: Self-paced, approximately three months, three to five hours per week, fully online
• Prerequisites: Experience in programming and basic algebra, no physics background required
• Credential: edX Professional Certificate from the University of Chicago
• Target audience: Anyone wanting to understand how quantum computing will affect businesses, governments, and society, without heavy math prerequisites
• What you’ll learn: The basic physics behind quantum computing, how quantum will affect business and society, how to identify specific use cases, and how to implement basic quantum software using one- and two-qubit operations

TU Delft certificate via edX

• Quantum 101: Quantum Computing & Quantum Internet
• Price: Audit for free, verified professional certificate is $370 (on sale now for $333)
• Length and delivery: Two-course program, three months, at six to eight hours per week, self-paced, fully online
• Prerequisites: Basic physics and math background helpful, no advanced degree required
• Credential: edX Professional Certificate from Delft University of Technology
• Target audience: Students and professionals preparing for further specialized study or career growth in quantum technology, spanning engineering, chemistry, computer science, and physics
• What you’ll learn: How quantum computers and the quantum internet are physically built and controlled, quantum algorithms, error correction, compilers, and programming languages, and the principles behind quantum networking and secure quantum communication

UMBC certificate via edX

• Introduction to Post-Quantum Cryptography
• Price: Audit for free, verified certificate is $249 (now on sale for $212)
• Length and delivery: Six weeks, online, blends lectures and hands-on labs
• Prerequisites: Designed for beginning STEM learners, no advanced background required
• Credential: edX verified certificate from University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC)
• Target audience: Cybersecurity students and professionals preparing to engage with quantum computing threats
• What you’ll learn: An active, immersive introduction to quantum-safe encryption, including foundational theory and real-world problem-solving, preparing students to engage with cybersecurity challenges in the quantum computing era, including hands-on work with NIST PQC standards such as Kyber and Dilithium

Dakota State University graduate certificate

• Quantum Computing for Cybersecurity Graduate Certificate
• Price: $7,197
• Length and delivery: 12 graduate credits, available online
• Prerequisites: STEM professional or recent graduate, graduate-level admission requirements apply
• Credential: Graduate certificate from Dakota State University
• Target audience: STEM professionals looking to deepen their knowledge of quantum computing’s impact on cybersecurity, including post-quantum encryption and quantum cryptography
• What you’ll learn: Quantum computing’s cybersecurity implications, including how to analyze and create cryptographic solutions resilient against quantum attacks, covers both offensive and defensive strategies

University of Rhode Island graduate certificate

• Quantum Computing Graduate Certificate
• Price: Approximately $11,000
• Length and delivery: Four courses, 12 credits, asynchronous and fully online, designed to be completed in just over two semesters
• Prerequisites: STEM professional or recent graduate, graduate-level admission requirements apply
• Credential: Graduate certificate from the University of Rhode Island
• Target audience: STEM professionals or recent graduates looking to enter the quantum industry workforce
• What you’ll learn: Foundational knowledge of quantum computing, practical ability to apply and design quantum algorithms using IBM’s Qiskit SDK, and an understanding of quantum sensing, teleportation, cryptography, circuitry, and communications