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Pick up to 3 certifications and compare them side-by-side on cost, exam format, recertification, salary signal, quality, and domain coverage.

Security Blue Team · professional
BTL1
Security Blue Team Level 1

The BTL1 is one of the most practical entry-level certifications in the defensive area of cybersecurity. The exam is a complete 24-hour incident response scenario in a real lab environment – not a multiple-choice test. For career changers and entry-level professionals, it is a credible proof of competency that offers employers more meaningful value than many purely knowledge-based certificates. The course covers phishing analysis, SIEM, digital forensics, threat intelligence, and incident response. The certificate never expires, making it attractive long-term.

Official page

Cost

Exam fee
BTL1$530
Annual maintenance fee
BTL1
3-year cost of ownership
BTL1$530

Exam mechanics

Pass mark
BTL1
Retake policy
BTL1
Study time
BTL180–160 hrs
Validity
BTL1
CPE / yr
BTL1
Delivery
BTL1

Salary signal (US base)

Range
BTL1
Median
BTL1
Premium %
BTL1
Role context
BTL1

Quality (4-axis rubric · 0–10)

Schema quality
BTL17.5
Practice evidence
BTL18.5
Maintenance
BTL17.5
Market recognition
BTL16.0
Average
BTL17.4

Recognition & lifecycle

Recognition
BTL1Global
ISO 17024 accredited
BTL1
DoD 8140 baseline
BTL1
Holders worldwide
BTL1
Current version
BTL1

Domain coverage

A10Security Operations
BTL1● core
A11Detection Engineering & Threat Hunting
BTL1● core
A7Incident Response & Forensics
BTL1● core

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