Is the CISSP Certification Worth It? Requirements, Exam Costs, and Salary
BestColleges.com is committed to delivering content that is objective and actionable. To that end, we have built a network of industry professionals across higher education to review our content and ensure we are providing the most helpful information to our readers.
Drawing on their firsthand industry expertise, our Integrity Network members serve as an additional step in our editing process, helping us confirm our content is accurate and up to date. These contributors:
- Suggest changes to inaccurate or misleading information.
- Provide specific, corrective feedback.
- Identify critical information that writers may have missed.
Integrity Network members typically work full time in their industry profession and review content for BestColleges.com as a side project. All Integrity Network members are paid members of the Red Ventures Education Integrity Network.
Data Summary
To get the CISSP certification, candidates must have at least five years of work experience prior to taking the exam.[1]- The CISSP certification exam costs $749, and certified individuals must pay a $125 annual fee.[2]
- The average base salary for someone with a CISSP certificate is $127,000 — about $50 an hour.[3]
- Jobs in information security are projected to grow 32% from 2022 to 2023 — much faster than all other occupations (3%).[4]
The Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification proves you can design, implement, and manage large-scale cybersecurity systems. The CISSP certification is often considered the industry’s gold standard — trusted and recognized worldwide by many government sectors and companies.[5]
If you’re interested in furthering your career in cybersecurity, you may want to consider whether an advanced degree — such as a master’s in information systems security — or a certification may be the most valuable.
This report covers an overview of the CISSP certification, including certification costs and requirements, projected salary, and the pros and cons of taking the exam.
CISSP Salary and Cost: What You Get for What You Pay
CISSP Costs
Preparing for the Exam: Roughly $1,000
Prospective test-takers should budget for exam prep costs, ranging anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. Whether you decide to take a course or purchase self-study materials, make sure that you use the most up-to-date materials.
The nonprofit International Information System Security Certification Consortium (ISC2) runs the CISSP exam. ISC2 offers an online, instructor-led, self-paced training program that costs around $1,000.[6] ISC2 also offers an in-person, classroom-based course, taught by an authorized instructor.
However, ISC2 is not the only option. Many organizations have their own prep courses. ISC2 is also one of the most globally recognized accreditation companies, endorsed by industry, academic, and government authorities, including the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD).Note Reference [5]
How much time you will need to prepare for the exam will depend on several factors, but 90-180 days may be a comfortable timeline for preparation.
Inside Scoop
Need-to-Knows Before Starting Your CISSP Journey
The CISSP certification is not for those just breaking into the computer and information security sector.
- Candidates must have five or more years of overall work experience before taking the CISSP exam.
- Candidates must also have relevant work experience in at least two of the eight domains covered on the exam.
CISSP Exam Cost: $750
The CISSP certification exam costs $749. It costs another $50 to reschedule and $100 to cancel.Note Reference [2]
CISSP Renewal Requirements: $125 Plus Continuing Education Costs
Certified individuals must pay an annual $125 to ISC2.[7] They must also take 120 continuing professional education (CPE) credits every three years to meet the recertification requirements and maintain their credentials.
What should I expect in the CISSP exam?
The ISC2’s CISSP exam is:
- Four hours long
- 125-175 questions
- Only offered at designated test sites
Test takers must also score 70% or higher on the final assessment to pass.[8]
The exam covers eight domains:[9]
| Domain | Average Weight |
|---|---|
| Security and Risk Management | 15% |
| 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 | 11% |
CISSP Salaries
According to Payscale, the average base salary for someone with a CISSP certification was $127,000 as of February 2024.Note Reference [3]
Some of the jobs that showed the greatest percent increase in salary with the CISSP certification included security consultants (+26%), cyber security analysts (+24%), and information security analysts (+24%).
| Job Title | Average Salary | Average Salary With CISSP | Bump Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cyber Security Analyst | $80,970 | $100,180 | +25% |
| Information Security Officer | $100,070 | $118,390 | +18% |
| Security Engineer | $100,290 | $114,030 | +14% |
| Information Security Manager | $125,250 | $130,040 | +4% |
| Information Technology (IT) Director | $125,490 | $136,530 | +9% |
| Solutions Architect | $126,540 | $148,210 | +17% |
| Security Architect (IT) | $137,960 | $148,180 | +7% |
Did You Know…
Every military service member with privileged access
to a Department of Defense system — regardless of specialty — must get a commercial certification credential accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).[11]
All of the ISC2 certifications meet the ANSI accreditation requirements.Note Reference [11]
Projected Job Growth for Professionals with a CISSP
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects jobs in information security will grow 32% from 2022-2023 — much faster than other computer occupations (14%) and all other occupations overall (3%).Note Reference [4]
This 32% bump translates to approximately 16,800 openings for information security analysts per year over the next decade.
Online Certificate Programs You May Be Interested In
Pros and Cons of Getting the CISSP Certification
Is the CISSP certification right for you? Preparing for and taking the CISSP exam is a hefty investment — in cost and time. Consider the following pros and cons.
Pros
The certification can help with marketability when looking for a new job, especially when the job market is tightening.- You can leverage the certification to increase your salary by referencing the market rate for folks with the certification or making the case that it meets a specific demand in your industry.
- Personal growth — having a certification doesn’t guarantee you a raise or a job, but, at the least, you can learn relevant skills to your role. It may even spark interest in alternative career paths.
Cons
Certifications are expensive. There are exam fees and annual membership fees. You typically want to have your company subsidize your education/certification.- Exams are tough and require hours of studying.
- Certifications become outdated. After a few years you will need to take more exams or updated exams.
Will the CISSP Certification Help You Get Hired?
In the words of Casey Marks, ISC2’s Chief Qualifications Officer, it can only help.
Why? Because the CISSP certification offers quantifiable credibility, setting a job candidate apart from the pack by signaling to prospective employees that they have the technical skills, experience, and ability to lead an organization’s security program,
Marks said.
She added that in contrast to another degree, the CISSP certification is the only credential that demonstrates to employers and the public that a cybersecurity practitioner is assessed against the highest professional standards and ongoing maintenance requirements in the industry.
Plus, since the certification is targeted toward those with at least five years of relevant work experience, Marks argued it can be a deciding factor for someone looking for a mid- to senior-level role.
We also spoke with individuals with the certification to see what they had to say about the value of their credential.
Fred Kim, a senior security program manager and recent hire, told BestColleges that their CISSP certification came up during the job interview process, but it wasn’t necessarily the reason they were hired.
I have definitely been asked about my certificates [in] my interviews,
Kim said. However, I don’t believe I was selected based on my certificates. It was mainly about specific experiences and if I took the time to learn material that can be applied.
It helped for sure, but it’s only one out of many factors that get people hired,
he added. I also heard that some recruiters search for certificates in LinkedIn to weed out individuals for roles.
Ibrar Bashir, an IT cybersecurity specialist for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security disagreed, saying that the CISSP certification did not help him get hired.
[The CISSP certification] was not a factor in my current role nor my previous role,
he said. I don’t see it helping me in future roles either.
While the certification did not land him his job, Bashir added that it was still a good way to challenge myself and just get another industry standard under my belt.
Other Certifications in Cybersecurity
The CISSP is not the only cybersecurity certification. Depending on your experience and intended career path, it may make more sense for you to pursue another certification.
For example, the Certified in Cybersecurity (CC) certification is intended for entry- and junior-level positions. In contrast to the CISSP exam, the CC exam is two hours long and primarily graded on security principles (e.g., confidentiality, integrity, availability).[12]
| Certification | Required Work Experience |
|---|---|
| CC (Certified in Cybersecurity) | None |
| CCSP (Certified Cloud Security Professional) | 5+ Years |
| CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) | 5+ Years |
| CGRC (Governance, Risk, and Compliance) | 2 Years |
| ISSAP (Information Systems Security Architecture Professional) | CISSP + 2 Years, or 7 Years Cumulative |
| ISSEP (Information Systems Security Engineer Professional) | CISSP + 2 Years, or 7 Years Cumulative |
References
- ISC2 Cybersecurity Certifications. ISC2. Accessed February 2024. (back to footnote 1 in content ⤶)
- ISC2 Exam Pricing. ISC2. Accessed February 2024. (back to footnote 2 in content ⤶)
- Salary for Certification: Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP). Payscale. February 2024. (back to footnote 3 in content ⤶)
- Information Security Analysts Job Outlook. Occupational Outlook Handbook. BLS. September 2023. (back to footnote 4 in content ⤶)
- Accreditations, Recognitions, Endorsements, and Awards. ISC2. Accessed February 2024. (back to footnote 5 in content ⤶)
- Online Training. ISC2. Accessed February 2024. (back to footnote 6 in content ⤶)
- Annual Maintenance Fees. ISC2. Accessed February 2024. (back to footnote 7 in content ⤶)
- FAQs. Security Administration and Operations Certificates. ISC2. Accessed February 2024. (back to footnote 8 in content ⤶)
- CISSP Quick Glance. ISC2. October 2023. (back to footnote 9 in content ⤶)
- CISSP Certification Exam Outline Summary. ISC2. Accessed February 2024. (back to footnote 10 in content ⤶)
- DoD Directive 8570.1. ISC2. Accessed February 2024. (back to footnote 11 in content ⤶)
- Certified in Cybersecurity Certification Exam Outline. ISC2. Accessed February 2024. (back to footnote 12 in content ⤶)
Explore More College Resources
Cybersecurity: Exploring the Importance and Career Opportunities in 2024
Cybersecurity remains a fast-growing field in 2024 thanks to technology advancements and geo-political conflict. Find out more about top careers.
by Holland Webb
Updated September 3, 2024
Coding Bootcamp vs. Computer Science Degree
Are you comparing a coding bootcamp vs. a computer science degree? Find the pros and cons of each to decide your best next step.
by Alison Plaut
Updated April 21, 2023
Best Online Master’s in Computer Science for Non-CS Majors 2024
Looking for a career in computer science but don’t have a CS degree? Consider getting a master’s. Learn about master’s in computer science for non-CS majors.
Updated October 8, 2024