CertPath Score
9.2
/10
About this certification
CompTIA Security+ is the most widely held baseline security certification, validating core cybersecurity skills including threats, vulnerabilities, cryptography, identity management, and security operations. It's a DoD 8570-approved credential and required by many government and defense contractors.
What you'll validate
- ✓Threats, attacks, and vulnerabilities
- ✓Identity and access management
- ✓PKI and cryptography
- ✓Security architecture
- ✓Incident response
- ✓Risk management
Pros & Cons
Advantages
- +DoD 8570 approved — opens government/military roles
- +Vendor-neutral baseline security credential
- +Most recognized entry-level security cert
- +Strong foundation for CISSP or CEH
Disadvantages
- −Entry-level — not sufficient alone for senior roles
- −Renewal every 3 years
- −Higher cost than CompTIA A+/Network+
Who it's for
Best for
- →IT professionals pivoting to security
- →Anyone targeting government/DoD security roles
- →Network admins adding security credentials
Not ideal for
- ×Pure penetration testers (use CEH or OSCP)
- ×Senior security managers (use CISSP or CISM)
Career paths this unlocks
Study Guide
How to Pass CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701) on Your First Try
Security+ is the most widely-held baseline security cert in the world. Here's how to study efficiently, what actually appears on the exam, and how to avoid the traps that fail candidates.
11 min read
Study Resources
Affiliate links — we may earn a commissionTop picks for Security+
CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701) Complete Course
by Jason Dion
Security+ SY0-701 Practice Tests
by Jason Dion
CompTIA Security+ Study Guide (SY0-701)
by Mike Chapple & David Seidl
Register for the exam
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Jobs for Security+ holders
Security+ holders report $10k–$30k+ salary uplift on average.
LinkedIn Jobs
Updated daily
Indeed
Dice (tech roles)
Tech-focused job board
CyberSeek (cyber only)
NIST-backed supply/demand tool
Job links open external sites. Search results are live and not curated by CertPath.
Quick Facts
- Exam Cost
- $392
- Exam Duration
- 90 minutes
- Questions
- ~90
- Passing Score
- 750/900
- Exam Format
- Multiple Choice + Performance
- Study Time
- ~100 hours
- Validity
- 3 years
- Salary Impact
- Strong ($10k–$30k+ uplift reported)
- Certified Globally
- 700k+
Prerequisites
- !Network+ recommended; 2 years of IT experience with security focus
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