Security+ vs CISSP (2026): Differences & Which First

CompTIA Security+ and the CISSP sit at opposite ends of the same career ladder. Security+ is a broad, vendor-neutral exam aimed at people establishing themselves in security work — CompTIA recommends a minimum of 2 years of IT administration experience with a security focus before attempting it. The CISSP, by contrast, is built for people who already manage security: it requires a minimum of 5 years of cumulative, full-time work experience. That gap in expected experience is the single most important difference between the two, and it should drive your decision more than any format detail.

What each exam is for

The SY0-701 version of Security+ launched in November 2023, and CompTIA exams are usually retired three years after launch — so SY0-701 is the current, active version of the credential. It measures five content domains, with Security Operations carrying the most weight at 28% of the exam, followed by Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations at 22%, Security Program Management and Oversight at 20%, Security Architecture at 18%, and General Security Concepts at 12%. Notice the shape of that blueprint: the two hands-on domains — operations plus threats and mitigations — together make up half the exam. Security+ is testing whether you can do day-to-day security work.

The CISSP is oriented toward professionals who design and run security programs rather than execute individual tasks, which is why its experience bar is set at 5 years of cumulative full-time work. If Security+ asks "can you operate securely," the CISSP asks "can you be trusted to own security for an organization."

The concrete differences, side by side

Question count and format

Security+ contains a maximum of 90 questions, mixing multiple-choice and performance-based question types — the performance-based items drop you into simulated scenarios rather than simple recall. The CISSP exam contains 100 to 150 questions, so the number of items you face can vary from candidate to candidate.

Time limit

Security+ gives you 90 minutes. With up to 90 questions in that window, you have on average about a minute per question if you draw the maximum-length form — and performance-based questions typically eat more than their share, so pacing practice matters. (No grounded timing figure for the CISSP is available here, so plan to check the current ISC2 exam outline for its time limit before you schedule.)

Passing scores

Security+ requires a 750 on a scale of 100 to 900. The CISSP's passing score is 700 out of 1000 points. Both are scaled scores, which means neither number translates into a fixed count of questions you can miss — resist the urge to do that math. It's also worth knowing that CompTIA does not publish exam pass rates, stating that exam questions and passing rates are subject to change without notice, so treat any "Security+ pass rate" you see online as unofficial.

Cost

The standard CISSP examination registration fee is $749. Security+ is generally the less expensive of the two exams, consistent with its position as an earlier-career credential — check CompTIA's current pricing for your region before budgeting.

Prerequisites and experience

Neither number here is a hard eligibility wall for Security+ — CompTIA's guidance is a recommendation: CompTIA Network+ plus two years of experience working in a security or systems administrator job role. The CISSP's 5-year cumulative full-time experience requirement is the defining constraint on that side. If you have under five years in the field, the sequencing question largely answers itself.

Logistics and renewal

CompTIA certification exams are delivered through Pearson VUE, and you can test either in person at a Pearson VUE test center or online through the OnVUE remote proctoring platform — online testing can be conducted 24/7, which helps if you're studying around a full-time job. The exam is offered in English, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, and Thai. After you pass, renewing Security+ requires earning 50 Continuing Education Units (CEUs), which you can accumulate through training, higher education, industry activities, and additional certifications — meaning you can keep the credential current without ever retaking the exam.

Which should you take first — or do you need both?

For most people the sequence is Security+ first, CISSP later, simply because the experience expectations are staged: 2 recommended years for Security+ versus 5 required years for the CISSP. Security+ validates you early, and the years you spend working afterward are exactly the experience the CISSP demands. The two certifications aren't redundant — they certify different altitudes of the same profession — so "both, in order" is a coherent long-term plan rather than double-spending.

The financial stakes of getting this progression right are real. Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data for information security analysts shows an annual median wage of $129,180 and an annual mean of $132,510, across 190,650 jobs nationally. The spread is wide: the 10th percentile earns $75,090 a year while the 90th percentile reaches $199,850. Certifications alone don't move you across that range, but the early-credential-then-senior-credential path mirrors how careers actually climb it.

Verdict by situation

• You're breaking into security or have 1–3 years of IT experience: take Security+. You're squarely in the audience CompTIA describes — around 2 years of security-focused IT administration — and the CISSP's 5-year requirement isn't met yet anyway.
• You have 5+ years of full-time security work and lead projects or teams: go straight to the CISSP. You clear its experience bar, and a broad early-career exam adds less at this stage.
• You're mid-career and eventually want both: sit Security+ now, keep it current through the 50-CEU renewal path (additional certifications count toward CEUs), and schedule the CISSP once you cross the five-year mark.
• You're budget-constrained: the CISSP's $749 standard registration fee is the larger single outlay, and its variable 100-to-150-question format rewards deeper preparation — don't book it until your experience and study time genuinely support it.

Whichever path fits, calibrate before you spend money on a test appointment. Our free Security+ practice exam mirrors the SY0-701 domain weighting, so you can find out in one sitting whether the 90-question, 90-minute format is already within reach or whether you need more time in the heavily weighted Security Operations material first.