› Certifications · compare
Compare certifications Pick up to 3 certifications and compare them side-by-side on cost, exam format, recertification, salary signal, quality, and domain coverage.
ISC2 · expert
CISSP-ISSAP CISSP Information Systems Security Architecture Professional
Architecture concentration on top of CISSP — trust boundaries, identity / crypto / network composition, defense-in-depth design.
Official page Microsoft · professional
SC-100 Microsoft Cybersecurity Architect
The Microsoft Certified: Cybersecurity Architect Expert (SC-100) is Microsoft's highest security certification and targets experienced professionals who design security architectures for hybrid and cloud-native environments based on the Microsoft platform. It requires at least one associate-level security certification (e.g., AZ-500, SC-200, or SC-300) and builds on that knowledge. The certification addresses zero-trust architectures, compliance requirements, identity governance, and infrastructure protection from a strategic perspective. For organizations heavily invested in Microsoft 365 and Azure, SC-100 is valuable proof of expertise; outside the Microsoft ecosystem, its relevance is more limited. The exam will be updated in April 2026.
Official page Comparing
ISC2 CISSP-ISSAP
Microsoft SC-100
› Cost Exam fee
CISSP-ISSAP $599
SC-100 $165
3-year cost of ownership
CISSP-ISSAP $599
SC-100 $165
3-year cost of ownership
$599
$165
› Exam mechanics Pass mark
CISSP-ISSAP 700/1000 (scaled)
SC-100 700/1000 (scaled)
Pass mark
700/1000 (scaled)
700/1000 (scaled)
Retake policy
CISSP-ISSAP $599 fee · 30d wait · 4/yr cap
SC-100 $165 fee · 1d wait
Retake policy
$599 fee · 30d wait · 4/yr cap
$165 fee · 1d wait
Study time
CISSP-ISSAP 150–300 hrs
SC-100 100–200 hrs
Study time
150–300 hrs
100–200 hrs
Validity
CISSP-ISSAP 3 yrs
SC-100 1 yr
CPE / yr
CISSP-ISSAP 30 CPEs
SC-100 —
Delivery
CISSP-ISSAP test center
SC-100 mixed
› Salary signal (US base) Range
CISSP-ISSAP $145K – $210K
SC-100 $145K – $210K
Range
$145K – $210K
$145K – $210K
Median
CISSP-ISSAP $170,000
SC-100 $170,000
Role context
CISSP-ISSAP Security architect, US, 7+ years. Requires active CISSP.
SC-100 Cybersecurity architect (Microsoft-stack focus), US, 7+ years.
Role context
Security architect, US, 7+ years. Requires active CISSP.
Cybersecurity architect (Microsoft-stack focus), US, 7+ years.
› Quality (4-axis rubric · 0–10) › Recognition & lifecycle Recognition
CISSP-ISSAP Global · US · EU · UK
SC-100 Global
Recognition
Global · US · EU · UK
Global
Current version
CISSP-ISSAP 2017 CBK (2017-04)
SC-100 SC-100 (current) (2024-09)
Current version
2017 CBK (2017-04)
SC-100 (current) (2024-09)
› Domain coverage A1 Governance, Risk & Compliance
A1 Governance, Risk & Compliance
● core
·
A12 Data Security, Privacy & Protection
CISSP-ISSAP ○ touched
SC-100 ·
A12 Data Security, Privacy & Protection
○ touched
·
A13 Supply Chain Security
CISSP-ISSAP ○ touched
SC-100 ·
A13 Supply Chain Security
○ touched
·
A2 Network Security
● core
·
A25 Security Architecture & Engineering
CISSP-ISSAP ● core
SC-100 ● core
A25 Security Architecture & Engineering
● core
● core
A3 Zero Trust Architecture
CISSP-ISSAP ● core
SC-100 ● core
A3 Zero Trust Architecture
● core
● core
A4 Application Security
CISSP-ISSAP ○ touched
SC-100 ·
A4 Application Security
○ touched
·
A5 Cloud Security
CISSP-ISSAP ● core
SC-100 ● core
A5 Cloud Security
● core
● core
A6 Identity & Access Management
A6 Identity & Access Management
● core
·
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