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CompTIA Security+ Certification: Exam, Cost and Jobs
CompTIA Security+ is the usual first security credential after networking basics. It is one exam of up to 90 questions in 90 minutes, priced at $439 at CompTIA's US store. A new version, SY0-801, launches on November 17, 2026.
What the CompTIA Security+ Certification Covers
The CompTIA Security+ certification tests the core work of a security role: spotting threats, securing systems and identities, responding to incidents, and understanding the risk and compliance rules around that work. It is vendor-neutral, so the questions are about how security works and not about one company’s products.
Security+ sits after networking on the usual ladder. A+ teaches you how a computer works, and CompTIA Network+ teaches you how traffic moves. Security+ then asks how those systems get attacked and what you do about it. The official summary lives on CompTIA’s Security+ page.
Security+ Exam Facts
Two versions of Security+ overlap for several months. V7 stays on sale until mid-2027, and V8 launches on November 17, 2026. CompTIA keeps the question limit, the time and the passing score the same.
| Fact | V7 (now) | V8 (from November 17, 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Exam code | SY0-701 | SY0-801 |
| Version | V7 | V8 |
| Launch date | November 7, 2023 | November 17, 2026 |
| Number of questions | Up to 90 | Up to 90 |
| Question types | Multiple choice and performance-based | Multiple choice and performance-based |
| Time limit | 90 minutes | 90 minutes |
| Passing score | 750 on a scale of 100 to 900 | 750 on a scale of 100 to 900 |
| Exam price (USD) | $439 | |
| Recommended experience | CompTIA Network+ and two years of experience working in a security/ systems administrator job role | CompTIA Network+ and two years of experience working in a security/ systems administrator job role |
| Prerequisite | None required | None required |
| Stays valid for | Three years | Three years |
| Renewal | 50 CEUs and a $150 CE fee, or a CertMaster CE course, the newest exam version, or a higher CompTIA certification | 50 CEUs and a $150 CE fee, or a CertMaster CE course, the newest exam version, or a higher CompTIA certification |
| Retires | June 11, 2027 in English; August 13, 2027 in Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish and Thai | Estimated three years after launch |
Security+ V7 or V8: Which Exam to Take
This is the question to settle before you buy anything. SY0-701 is the version on sale today. It launched on November 7, 2023 and retires on June 11, 2027 in English; August 13, 2027 in Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish and Thai. SY0-801 launches on November 17, 2026, so for several months you can choose.
The practical rule is to match the exam to your study material. Courses and practice tests built for SY0-701 are widely available now, and new material for SY0-801 will take time to appear. If you can sit the exam within a few months, the current version is the simpler choice. If you are starting from scratch and your exam is well into next year, plan on the new one, because the old version may retire before you are ready.
Both versions earn you the same CompTIA Security+ certification, and the three-year clock starts when you pass.
Security+ Exam Domains
The five domain names barely change between versions, but the weights do. V8 moves weight away from program management and toward concepts and threats, and it adds an objective on the security risks of artificial intelligence.
Show as a table
| Domain | Weight |
|---|---|
| General security concepts | 12% |
| Threats, vulnerabilities, and mitigations | 22% |
| Security architecture | 18% |
| Security operations | 28% |
| Security program management and oversight | 20% |
Show as a table
| Domain | Weight |
|---|---|
| General Security Concepts | 16% |
| Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Attacks | 24% |
| Security Architecture | 19% |
| Security Operations | 27% |
| Security Program Management and Oversight | 14% |
General security concepts (12%). The ideas everything else builds on: types of security controls, confidentiality, integrity and availability, authentication and authorization, zero trust, change management and cryptography, including certificates and hashing.
Threats, vulnerabilities, and mitigations (22%). Who attacks and why, how attacks arrive through email, voice calls, software and suppliers, and how to read the signs of malware or password attacks. You also need the fixes: segmentation, hardening, patching and isolation.
Security architecture (18%). How the design of a system changes its risk, across on-premises, cloud, IoT and industrial setups. It covers securing infrastructure, classifying and protecting data, and planning for backups and continuity.
Security operations (28%). The largest domain and the closest to daily work. It covers hardening systems, managing assets and vulnerabilities, monitoring and alerts, firewalls and endpoint tools, identity and access management, incident response and working from logs.
Security program management and oversight (20%). The management side of security: policies and standards, risk assessment, vendor risk, compliance and privacy, audits and penetration tests, and teaching staff to spot phishing.
Is the CompTIA Security+ Exam Hard?
It is harder than A+ for most people, and the reason is the assumed background. Security questions take networking and operating systems for granted. If you cannot picture what a firewall rule or a subnet does, a question about segmenting a network becomes two problems at once.
The performance-based questions are the other hurdle. They ask you to work through a task, such as reading logs or matching controls to a scenario, so memorized definitions only go so far. Build some hands-on time into your preparation with a home lab or a set of guided exercises. Work through the official objectives line by line, mark what you cannot explain out loud, and spend your time there.
Where Security+ Fits
CompTIA recommends Network+ before Security+, so this is the third step on the security path, with CySA+ as the analyst credential beyond it.
CompTIA Security+ Renewal and Continuing Education
Security+ lasts three years, and you have several ways to keep it. You can earn 50 continuing education units and pay the $150 CE fee, which suits people already working in the field because training and work activities can count. You can also complete a CertMaster CE course, pass the newest version of the exam, or earn a higher-level CompTIA certification.
That last route has a useful side effect. CompTIA says a higher-level certification renews the lower ones below it, so holding Security+ can renew your Network+ and A+ when you renew through it. People planning to stack all three usually work out the order before paying separate fees. CompTIA’s continuing education FAQ lists the rules.
Jobs That Use Security+
Information security analyst is the direct match. Administrators often add Security+ to take on security duties, and IT managers who oversee security are the longer-range step.
| Job | BLS median pay | Projected change, 2025-35 | Guides |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analyst | $129,180 | +21% | Career · Salary |
| Network and Computer Systems Administrator | $99,130 | -4.1% | Career · Salary |
| IT Manager | $175,140 | +15.8% | Career · Salary |
Pay: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Outlook: BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35. Job titles are matched to the closest BLS occupation.
Security Jobs Often Ask for More Than Security+
Read the first row of that table with care. The BLS projects information security analysts to change by 21% over 2025 to 2035, the strongest outlook of any job on this site, and it lists bachelor's degree as typical entry education. The information security analyst career page and the information security analyst salary page cover the work and pay in more detail.
Security+ alone rarely carries a career changer straight into that role. The more common route runs through help desk or administration first, with Security+ marking your move toward security duties. If you are planning a degree as well, our ranking of online cybersecurity degrees compares programs built for this path.
Degrees That Build Security+ In
Security+ is one of the certifications our ranked programs name most often. The cards below show what each program's page says about it. 20 programs in our online IT degrees with certifications ranking name Security+, and the top 8 are shown here.
- MerrimackMaster of Science in Information TechnologyCoursework lines up with the exam
- Western MichiganBachelor of Science in CybersecurityCoursework lines up with the exam
- MyComputerCareerIT Network Administration and Security, AASCoursework lines up with the exam
- WUSTBachelor of Science in Information TechnologyCoursework lines up with the exam
- Ivy TechCloud Technologies, AASCoursework lines up with the exam
- Bismarck StateCybersecurity and Computer Networks, AASCoursework lines up with the exam
- SMUMNInformation Technology, BSCoursework lines up with the exam
- North GreenvilleBachelor's in CybersecurityCoursework lines up with the exam
Those programs also appear on these rankings: Best Online IT Degrees with Built-In Certifications (20), Best Online IT Bachelor's Degrees (9), Best Online IT Degrees at NSA-Designated Schools (8), Cheapest Online IT Degrees (6), Best Online IT Associate Degrees (5), Best Online Cybersecurity Degrees (5), Best Online Networking and Network Administration Degrees (4), Best Online Master's in Information Technology (1), Most Affordable Online Master's in IT (1), Best ABET-Accredited Online IT Degrees (1).
Security+ Cost vs a College Course
Security+ has the highest price for a single exam among the certifications we cover, and it asks for the most continuing education units of the three CompTIA exams here.
| Item | Cost (USD) |
|---|---|
| Exam | $439 |
| Renewal, every three years | $150 CE fee |
| One credit, median undergraduate rate | $410 |
| One 3-credit course at that rate | $1,230 |
CompTIA Security+ costs $439 in exam fees, which is 36% of one 3-credit course at the median undergraduate rate in our programs. The $150 continuing education fee covers each three-year cycle. We leave study materials out of this comparison because their cost depends on what you buy.
The median covers 83 associate and bachelor's programs in our rankings with a published per-credit rate, using the out-of-state rate where a school charges two. Quarter-credit programs are excluded.
Is the CompTIA Security+ Certification Worth It?
For someone with networking basics who wants security work, yes. It is the credential that shows up earliest on that path, and it costs less than one college course. It is less useful as a first certification for a true beginner, who would get more from CompTIA A+ and a support job. Our IT certifications guide compares the options by goal.
CompTIA Security+ FAQ
How much does the CompTIA Security+ exam cost?
CompTIA's US store listed the SY0-701 voucher at $439 when we checked. Check the store for SY0-801 pricing once it launches on November 17, 2026. Retake bundles and training cost more, and prices change, so confirm the figure in the store before you budget.
What is the passing score for Security+?
You need 750 on a scale of 100 to 900. That applies to both SY0-701 and SY0-801. It is a scaled score, so it does not convert to a simple percentage of correct answers, and CompTIA reports it after the exam.
Should I take Security+ V7 or wait for V8?
Either version earns the same certification. SY0-701 has more study material on the market today and stays available until June 11, 2027 in English; August 13, 2027 in Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish and Thai. SY0-801 launches on November 17, 2026 and adds artificial intelligence risks. Pick the version your study material covers, and book it before that version retires.
Do I need Network+ before Security+?
No. CompTIA recommends it but does not require it. Its recommended background is CompTIA Network+ and two years of experience in a security or systems administrator role. Without that background you can still sit the exam, but expect to spend extra study time on ports, protocols and how traffic moves, since the security questions assume you know them.
How long does it take to prepare for CompTIA Security+?
It depends on how much networking and systems work you have done. CompTIA does not set a study period. If you already work in IT, the exam objectives may hold few surprises. If you are new, start with networking and allow more time. Use practice exams to decide when you are ready.
How long does Security+ last and how do you renew it?
Security+ lasts three years. You can renew by earning 50 continuing education units and paying the $150 CE fee, completing a CertMaster CE course, passing the newest exam version, or earning a higher-level CompTIA certification. Letting it lapse means taking the exam again.
What can you do with a Security+ certification?
CompTIA names security analyst, security engineer and systems administrator among the roles it supports. The closest BLS occupation, information security analysts, has a median of $129,180, but BLS lists bachelor's degree as the typical entry education. Many people reach it from a support or administrator job.
Is CompTIA Security+ worth it?
It is worth it if you are moving toward security work or your employer or job postings ask for it. It is worth less if you have no networking background and no plan to get one, because the certification alone rarely opens a security job. Check postings in your area before paying.
Do online IT degrees include Security+?
Some do. 20 programs in our certifications ranking name Security+ on their own pages. Most of those say the coursework lines up with the exam, and fewer pay for a voucher, so read the program page to see which promise you are getting.
Keep researching
Related Rankings and Guides
Sources
- CompTIA Security+ V7 exam page Checked November 2, 2026.
- CompTIA Security+ V8 exam page Checked November 2, 2026.
- CompTIA Continuing Education Program FAQ Checked November 2, 2026.
- CompTIA, Earn Continuing Education Units Checked November 2, 2026.
- CompTIA, Continuing Education Renewal Fees Checked November 2, 2026.
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics Median pay for each IT occupation.
- BLS Employment Projections Projected change for each occupation, 2025-35.
- CompTIA’s Security+ page