Compare certifications · Updated 16 September 2026
CompTIA Security+ vs CISSP: cost, hours, pass rates and which to take
CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701) against Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), from the issuing bodies' own fee schedules.
The CompTIA Security+ costs $439 to $1,500 all-in and takes 80 to 150 study hours; the CISSP costs $900 to $5,500 and takes 150 to 300 hours. CompTIA Security+ is worth it if you are targeting US federal or defence-contractor work, where it is an approved DoD 8140 IAT Level II baseline and you are not eligible for a large class of roles without it, or if you are breaking into security from helpdesk, systems administration or outside IT; it is worth nothing if you already have real incident or security engineering experience. The CISSP is worth it if you have the five years of experience and want to move from doing security to owning it - security manager, governance and risk lead, security architect or a step toward CISO - where it clears HR screens and federal contracting requirements; it is not worth it early in a career, because passing without the experience leaves you an Associate of ISC2 and the material is management vocabulary rather than technique.
| CompTIA Security+ | CISSP | |
|---|---|---|
| Issuing body | CompTIA | ISC2 |
| Exam fee | USD 439 voucher direct from CompTIA (raised from USD 425 on 1 June 2026); authorised training partners typically resell vouchers for USD 373-395 | USD 749 (same price across the Americas, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East and Africa) |
| All-in cost | $439–$1,500 | $900–$5,500 |
| Study hours | 80–150 | 150–300 |
| Calendar months | 2–4 | 3–9 |
| Levels / exams | 1 | 2 |
| Pass rate | CompTIA does not publish pass rates; the passing score is 750 on a scale of 100 to 900, and the performance-based questions appear first and carry more weight | ISC2 does not publish an official pass rate; the passing standard is 700 out of 1,000 points and the adaptive exam can end at 100 questions on either a pass or a fail |
| Format | a maximum of 90 questions in 90 minutes, mixing multiple choice with performance-based simulations, at a Pearson VUE test centre or online proctored | computerised adaptive testing, 100 to 150 questions in 3 hours, passing grade 700 out of 1,000, at Pearson VUE test centres, with CAT now used in all five exam languages |
| Prerequisites | None formally. CompTIA recommends Network+ and about two years of IT administration experience with a security focus, but many candidates pass without either. | Five years of paid work experience in two or more of the eight domains, reducible to four years with a degree or approved credential. |
| Renewal | Valid three years; renew with 50 continuing education units and the CE fee, a CertMaster CE course, or a higher CompTIA exam. | 120 CPE credits over three years, at least 40 a year, plus a USD 135 Annual Maintenance Fee. |
| Pay impact | Security+ does not appear in Skillsoft's top-paying IT certification list, which is dominated by senior cloud and security credentials averaging USD 155,000-204,000. Its documented value is access rather than premium: it is an approved DoD 8140 baseline certification for IAT Level II, which gates a large share of US federal and defence-contractor security roles, and Skillsoft's survey finds certified technology professionals report higher pay than their uncertified peers overall. source | Skillsoft's IT Skills and Salary Report ranks CISSP sixth among the highest-paying IT certifications worldwide, with an average US salary of about USD 168,060. Security and cloud certifications fill almost the entire top 20 of that list. source |
| Careers that use it | Cybersecurity Analyst, Cloud or DevOps Engineer, Software Engineer | Cybersecurity Analyst, Cloud or DevOps Engineer, Software Engineer |
| Fees checked | September 2026 | September 2026 |
Is the CompTIA Security+ worth it?
Security+ is worth it in two specific situations. The first is US federal or defence work: it is an approved DoD 8140 IAT Level II baseline, so without it (or an equivalent) you are simply not eligible for a large class of cleared and contractor roles, and employers there will usually reimburse it. The second is breaking into security from helpdesk, sysadmin or a non-IT background, where it gives recruiters a concrete reason to move your CV forward and gives you a coherent syllabus to learn the vocabulary. Done cheaply - Professor Messer's free videos, a USD 20 Jason Dion practice exam set and a USD 439 voucher - it is good value. It is not worth it if you already work in security with real incident or engineering experience, where it adds nothing; if you want offensive security, where hands-on certifications and a portfolio matter far more; or if you expect it alone to produce job offers, which it will not - the market is saturated with Security+ holders who have never touched a SIEM. Build something alongside it: a home lab, a detection project, or a Google Cybersecurity Certificate portfolio. Also note the renewal treadmill: 50 CEUs and a fee every three years, unless you pass a higher CompTIA exam that renews it automatically.
Is the CISSP worth it?
The CISSP is worth it if you have the five years and want to move from doing security to owning it - security manager, GRC lead, security architect, or a step toward CISO. It is the credential most reliably listed in those postings, it clears HR screens and federal contracting requirements, and at an average reported US salary around USD 168,000 in Skillsoft's survey it sits near the top of the certification market. It is also an efficient way to fill the gaps a specialist accumulates: a network engineer will learn real things about legal, risk and software security domains. It is not worth it early in a career. Passing the exam without five years leaves you as an Associate of ISC2, which carries far less weight, and the material is management vocabulary rather than technique - it will not help you pass a hands-on interview, detect an intrusion, or write a detection rule. If you are aiming at offensive security or detection engineering, OSCP, GIAC or a cloud security certification will do more. Also budget for the tail: USD 135 a year plus 120 CPEs every three years is a permanent obligation, and lapsing means re-sitting a USD 749 exam.
CompTIA Security+ vs CISSP FAQ
Which costs more, the CompTIA Security+ or the CISSP?
All in, the CompTIA Security+ runs $439 to $1,500 and the CISSP runs $900 to $5,500, including membership, required education, study materials and one exam sitting. Exam fees alone: USD 439 voucher direct from CompTIA (raised from USD 425 on 1 June 2026) for the CompTIA Security+ and USD 749 (same price across the Americas, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East and Africa) for the CISSP, checked September 2026 and September 2026 against the issuing bodies.
Which takes longer to study for, the CompTIA Security+ or the CISSP?
Candidates report 80 to 150 study hours over 2 to 4 months for the CompTIA Security+, against 150 to 300 hours over 3 to 9 months for the CISSP. CompTIA does not publish pass rates; the passing score is 750 on a scale of 100 to 900, and the performance-based questions appear first and carry more weight. ISC2 does not publish an official pass rate; the passing standard is 700 out of 1,000 points and the adaptive exam can end at 100 questions on either a pass or a fail.
Should I take the CompTIA Security+ or the CISSP first in 2026?
CompTIA Security+ is worth it if you are targeting US federal or defence-contractor work, where it is an approved DoD 8140 IAT Level II baseline and you are not eligible for a large class of roles without it, or if you are breaking into security from helpdesk, systems administration or outside IT; it is worth nothing if you already have real incident or security engineering experience. The CISSP is worth it if you have the five years of experience and want to move from doing security to owning it - security manager, governance and risk lead, security architect or a step toward CISO - where it clears HR screens and federal contracting requirements; it is not worth it early in a career, because passing without the experience leaves you an Associate of ISC2 and the material is management vocabulary rather than technique. Prerequisites differ: None formally. CompTIA recommends Network+ and about two years of IT administration experience with a security focus, but many candidates pass without either. For the CISSP: Five years of paid work experience in two or more of the eight domains, reducible to four years with a degree or approved credential.
Who asks for the CompTIA Security+ versus the CISSP by name?
United States federal agencies and defence contractors ask for CompTIA Security+ by name because it is an approved DoD 8140 baseline for IAT Level II and IAM Level I, which gates cleared and contractor roles. Outside that context it is the credential most commonly named in security operations centre analyst and junior security postings at managed security providers, banks and healthcare systems. US federal agencies and their contractors, banks, insurers, healthcare systems and any organisation with a formal security governance function ask for the CISSP by name in security manager, security architect, governance-risk-and-compliance and CISO-track postings. It is also the credential most often written into cyber insurance and vendor security questionnaires as evidence of qualified staff.