Take Security+ first if you have less than about two years in IT or security, because it has no experience requirement and tests foundational skills. Take CISSP first only if you already have five years of cumulative full-time experience in two or more of its eight domains, or you are prepared to pass the exam as an Associate of ISC2 and earn the experience later. The two certifications are not competitors: Security+ is a hands-on baseline, and CISSP is a broad, management-oriented credential that follows it.
Who this is for and what you will have at the end
This guide is for IT staff, help desk and systems administrators, career changers and students who are asking which security certification to put on the roadmap first. By the end you will know how the two exams differ in format, what experience each one expects, how the CISSP "Associate" route works, how renewal differs and which one fits your current stage. All figures below come from the vendors' own pages, checked on 2026-10-30.
Prices are deliberately not quoted here. Neither CompTIA's Security+ pages nor ISC2's CISSP pages that were reviewed for this guide state an exam price in text, and fees vary by region and change. Check the vendor's store or registration page for the current figure, and add training, practice exams and any retake to your budget.
The short comparison
| Item | CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701) | ISC2 CISSP |
|---|---|---|
| Level | Entry to intermediate | Experienced practitioner and manager |
| Required experience | None; CompTIA recommends Network+ and about two years as a security or systems administrator | 5 years cumulative full-time in two or more of 8 domains (waivers available) |
| Questions | Up to 90, multiple-choice and performance-based | 100 to 150 items, computerized adaptive testing |
| Duration | 90 minutes | 3 hours |
| Passing score | 750 on a 100-900 scale | 700 out of 1,000 points |
| Structure | 5 domains | 8 domains |
| Current outline status | SY0-701 retires June 11, 2027 (English); V8 expected around November 17, 2026 | Current outline effective April 15, 2024; new outline takes effect April 15, 2027 |
The sources are CompTIA's Security+ SY0-701 page and ISC2's CISSP exam outline page. The exam outline for CISSP lists the exam as computerized adaptive testing with multiple choice and advanced item types, delivered through ISC2 authorized Pearson testing centers.
What each exam is actually testing
Security+: foundations and hands-on operations
Security+ is a vendor-neutral baseline. The SY0-701 objectives have five domains: general security concepts, threats, vulnerabilities and mitigations, security architecture, security operations, and security program management and oversight. Security operations is the largest at 28 percent. The exam mixes multiple-choice questions with performance-based items, which put you in a simulated task such as interpreting evidence or choosing a control. For a full breakdown of the objectives and a study plan, see CompTIA Security+ SY0-701 study guide.
CompTIA describes the roles it targets as security analyst, security engineer and systems administrator style work. In practice that means the exam rewards knowing what a control does and where it sits in a network or an identity system.
CISSP: breadth across eight domains
The CISSP outline spreads weight across eight domains, with security and risk management the largest at 16 percent.
| CISSP domain | Average weight |
|---|---|
| Security and Risk Management | 16% |
| Asset Security | 10% |
| Security Architecture and Engineering | 13% |
| Communication and Network Security | 13% |
| Identity and Access Management (IAM) | 13% |
| Security Assessment and Testing | 12% |
| Security Operations | 13% |
| Software Development Security | 10% |
No single domain dominates, so you cannot pass by being strong in one area. The exam is adaptive: it uses between 100 and 150 items, and the amount you see depends on how you perform. Because the content spans governance, architecture, testing and software development, the questions lean toward choosing an appropriate management or design decision rather than typing a configuration.
Experience requirements: the deciding factor
The CISSP requirement is the reason the order matters. ISC2 requires at least five years of cumulative, full-time work experience in two or more of the eight domains. The rules on the experience page include:
- Full-time experience accrues monthly. A month counts after four weeks of at least 35 hours per week.
- Part-time work of 20 to 34 hours per week counts. 1,040 part-time hours equal six months of full-time experience, and 2,080 hours equal twelve months.
- Paid or unpaid internships qualify, with documentation on letterhead confirming the internship.
- A bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, information technology or a related field can satisfy up to one year of the requirement.
- An approved credential from ISC2's list can also satisfy up to one year. The list includes Security+, CCNA, CISM and CCSP, among others.
ISC2 states that the degree and the credential waivers each cover up to one year. The page reviewed here does not state whether both can be combined, so confirm that with ISC2 if your plan depends on it.
The Associate of ISC2 route
If you do not yet have the experience, you can still take the exam. Pass it, and you become an Associate of ISC2 with six years to earn the five years of experience. This is a legitimate path for people who want to prove knowledge early, but it does not remove the experience requirement for full certification. Treat it as a way to bank the exam result, not as a shortcut.
Which one first: a decision guide
Match your situation to the row that fits best.
| Your situation | Suggested first step | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Student, help desk or under two years in IT | Security+ | No experience requirement and it builds the vocabulary CISSP assumes |
| Systems or network admin with security duties, about two to four years | Security+, then plan for CISSP | Security+ validates the baseline and can count for one year of CISSP experience |
| Five or more years in two or more CISSP domains | CISSP | You meet the requirement, and Security+ would be a step down in scope |
| Moving into security management or architecture | CISSP, after confirming experience | The domains match governance, risk and design work |
| Need a credential for a specific job posting | Read the posting | Employers often name one certification, so follow what they ask for |
When Security+ first is the better choice
Security+ is the stronger first step when you lack experience, when you want a quicker win and when you need practical, operations-level content. Because it carries one year of credit toward CISSP experience, the time is not wasted if you later pursue CISSP.
When going straight to CISSP makes sense
Go straight to CISSP when you already meet the five-year requirement and your job involves policy, risk, architecture or oversight. Skipping Security+ in that case saves study time you would spend on content you already work with daily.
A note on job requirements
ISC2 states that the CISSP is approved by the U.S. Department of Defense under DoDM 8140.03. If you are targeting U.S. government or contractor work, check the position's required baseline certification against the current DoD approved list rather than assuming either exam satisfies it.
Version timing: do not buy the wrong materials
Both certifications are in transition, which matters if you are about to start studying.
- Security+: CompTIA says V8 is expected around November 17, 2026. SY0-701 retires on June 11, 2027 for English exams and on August 13, 2027 for Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish and Thai. A book or course written for the 2023 objectives will not cover V8 changes.
- CISSP: The current exam outline took effect April 15, 2024, and a new outline takes effect April 15, 2027. If you plan to test after that date, study against the new outline.
Download the exam objectives or outline for the version you will sit, and compare it with your study material before you pay for anything.
Renewal and maintenance
Security+ is valid for three years and can be renewed through CompTIA's continuing education program. CompTIA's published renewal options include earning continuing education units, completing the CertMaster CE course, or passing the latest exam or a higher-level certification. The details are covered in the Security+ study guide.
CISSP holders must maintain the credential through ISC2's continuing professional education program and pay an annual maintenance fee. The CPE total and fee amounts are on ISC2's maintenance pages and are not reproduced here because they were not confirmed from an ISC2 page for this guide. Read them before you commit, because maintenance is an ongoing cost that continues for as long as you hold the credential.
Troubleshooting: common decision problems
You do not know whether your experience counts. Check the work against the eight domain names on ISC2's CISSP page. Experience must be in two or more domains, and a job in one narrow area can fall short even at five years. ISC2's experience requirements page explains how to document it.
You are afraid you will not have the experience in time. The Associate path gives you six years, so you can pass the exam now and finish the experience while you work. The risk is only that the exam result is not a full certification until you finish.
You already hold a broader certification. The approved credential list is on ISC2's experience requirements page. Security+, CCNA, CISM and CCSP are among the listed credentials, each worth up to one year.
Your employer asks for "Security+ or CISSP". Either may meet the requirement. Choose the one that matches your experience: Security+ if you are early in your career, CISSP if you are not.
Checklist before you book
- Count your cumulative full-time months in security-related work and map them to the eight CISSP domains.
- Decide whether you are early-career (Security+) or experienced (CISSP).
- Download the current exam objectives or outline and confirm the version you will sit.
- Check the vendor's own store for the current exam price and any retake policy.
- Read the renewal rules for the certification you choose and budget for them.
- If you take Security+ first, keep records of your work experience so a later CISSP application is easier to document.
References
- CompTIA Security+ certification page: https://www.comptia.org/en-us/certifications/security/
- CompTIA Security+ SY0-701 (V7) page: https://www.comptia.org/en-us/certifications/security/v7/
- ISC2 CISSP certification page: https://www.isc2.org/certifications/cissp
- ISC2 CISSP experience requirements: https://www.isc2.org/certifications/cissp/cissp-experience-requirements
- ISC2 CISSP exam outline: https://www.isc2.org/certifications/cissp/cissp-certification-exam-outline
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