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Compare certifications
Pick up to 3 certifications and compare them side-by-side on cost, exam format, recertification, salary signal, quality, and domain coverage.
GIAC · professional
GCEDGIAC Certified Enterprise Defender
GIAC Certified Enterprise Defender
Official pageGIAC / SANS · associate
GSECGIAC Security Essentials
Broad defender fundamentals. Often paired with SANS SEC401.
Official pageComparing
GIACGCED
GIAC / SANSGSEC
› Cost
Exam fee
GCED$979
GSEC$979
Exam fee
$979
$979
Annual maintenance fee
GCED—
GSEC—
Annual maintenance fee
—
—
3-year cost of ownership
GCED$979
GSEC$979
3-year cost of ownership
$979
$979
› Exam mechanics
Pass mark
GCED67% (scaled per attempt)
GSEC73% (scaled per attempt)
Pass mark
67% (scaled per attempt)
73% (scaled per attempt)
Retake policy
GCED$999 fee · 30d wait
GSEC$999 fee · 30d wait
Retake policy
$999 fee · 30d wait
$999 fee · 30d wait
Study time
GCED100–200 hrs
GSEC100–200 hrs
Study time
100–200 hrs
100–200 hrs
Validity
GCED4 yrs
GSEC4 yrs
Validity
4 yrs
4 yrs
CPE / yr
GCED9 CPEs
GSEC9 CPEs
CPE / yr
9 CPEs
9 CPEs
Delivery
GCEDmixed
GSEConline proctored
Delivery
mixed
online proctored
› Salary signal (US base)
Range
GCED$95K – $145K
GSEC$85K – $125K
Range
$95K – $145K
$85K – $125K
Median
GCED$115,000
GSEC$102,000
Median
$115,000
$102,000
Premium %
GCED—
GSEC—
Premium %
—
—
Role context
GCEDEnterprise defender / blue team analyst, US, 3-5 years.
GSECSecurity generalist / SOC analyst, US, 2–4 years.
Role context
Enterprise defender / blue team analyst, US, 3-5 years.
Security generalist / SOC analyst, US, 2–4 years.
› Quality (4-axis rubric · 0–10)
Schema quality
GCED7.5
GSEC8.5
Schema quality
7.5
8.5
Practice evidence
GCED5.0
GSEC4.0
Practice evidence
5.0
4.0
Maintenance
GCED6.5
GSEC8.5
Maintenance
6.5
8.5
Market recognition
GCED5.0
GSEC6.5
Market recognition
5.0
6.5
Average
GCED6.0
GSEC6.9
Average
6.0
6.9
› Recognition & lifecycle
Recognition
GCEDGlobal
GSECGlobal · US · EU · UK
Recognition
Global
Global · US · EU · UK
ISO 17024 accredited
GCED—
GSEC✓
ISO 17024 accredited
—
✓
DoD 8140 baseline
GCED—
GSEC✓
DoD 8140 baseline
—
✓
Holders worldwide
GCED—
GSEC30,000
Holders worldwide
—
30,000
Current version
GCED2024 SEC501 refresh (2024-04)
GSEC2024 SEC401 refresh (2024-02)
Current version
2024 SEC501 refresh (2024-04)
2024 SEC401 refresh (2024-02)
› Domain coverage
A10Security Operations
GCED● core
GSEC● core
A10Security Operations
● core
● core
A11Detection Engineering & Threat Hunting
GCED● core
GSEC·
A11Detection Engineering & Threat Hunting
● core
·
A12Data Security, Privacy & Protection
GCED·
GSEC○ touched
A12Data Security, Privacy & Protection
·
○ touched
A15Cryptography
GCED·
GSEC● core
A15Cryptography
·
● core
A2Network Security
GCED·
GSEC● core
A2Network Security
·
● core
A3Zero Trust Architecture
GCED·
GSEC○ touched
A3Zero Trust Architecture
·
○ touched
A4Application Security
GCED·
GSEC○ touched
A4Application Security
·
○ touched
A6Identity & Access Management
GCED·
GSEC● core
A6Identity & Access Management
·
● core
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