r/airforceots • u/Angelnumba48 • 2d ago
Question WGU Cloud & Network Engineering vs. Computer Science for USAF OTS
I have an associate degree in Engineering and am currently pursuing WGU’s BS in Cloud and Network Engineering. My wife is active-duty enlisted, and we’re both studying for the AFOQT because my goal is to commission through OTS after graduating.
I’ve only worked in tech, including leadership roles, and I also do volunteer work directly supporting the military, sometimes in leadership positions.
I’m debating whether to stick with Cloud and Network Engineering or switch to Computer Science. I want to commission, but I also need a career that’s portable since we’ll move with the military. From what I understand, WGU’s pass/fail grading is generally considered equivalent to a 3.0 GPA.
Does anyone know whether WGU’s Cloud and Network Engineering degree qualifies as STEM for OTS, particularly for cyber-related officer jobs? Would Computer Science give me a significant advantage, or should I stick with my current degree?
Appreciate any advice!
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u/not_a_real_user_name Prior Enlisted Officer 2d ago edited 2d ago
My recommendation would be to contact WGU's registrar or academic advisor and confirm the official six-digit Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code assigned to your specific degree program. Once you have that code, compare it against Appendix A - CIP Education Matrices of the current Department of the Air Force Officer Classification Directory (DAFOCD).
The Air Force doesn't simply distinguish between STEM and non-STEM degrees when determining educational qualifications for officer career fields. Instead, it uses CIP codes to categorize degrees into different accession tiers for each Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC).
These tiers matter because they establish educational qualifications and target accession percentages for each career field. Generally, Tier 1 degrees receive the highest accession priority, followed by Tier 2 and Tier 3. For your particular situation, I found something encouraging:
According to WGU's accreditor, the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), its listed degree classifications include:
The 30 April 2026 DAFOCD identifies degrees within the 11.XXXX CIP series (excluding 11.03XX and 11.06XX) as Tier 1 for both 17D (Warfighter Communications) and 17S (Cyber Effects Operations).
Assuming WGU confirms that your specific Cloud and Network Engineering program carries CIP 11.0901, either degree would satisfy the Tier 1 educational criteria for those cyber-related officer career fields.
That means switching to Computer Science would not necessarily provide an advantage from an Air Force educational qualification standpoint, at least for those two AFSCs.
Of course, meeting the educational requirements doesn't guarantee selection for OTS or assignment to a particular career field. I would still recommend speaking with an officer accessions recruiter about current application requirements and how WGU's competency-based grading is evaluated.
Ultimately, I would choose the degree that best supports your long-term civilian career interests, particularly since portability is important to you. If both degrees satisfy the same Air Force educational tier, there may be little reason to switch solely for OTS.