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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
GCIPGIAC Critical Infrastructure Protection
GIAC Critical Infrastructure Protection
Official pageGIAC / SANS · professional
GICSPGlobal Industrial Cyber Security Professional
IT + engineering overlap for industrial control systems.
Official pageComparing
GIACGCIP
GIAC / SANSGICSP
› Cost
Exam fee
GCIP$979
GICSP$979
Exam fee
$979
$979
Annual maintenance fee
GCIP—
GICSP—
Annual maintenance fee
—
—
3-year cost of ownership
GCIP$979
GICSP$979
3-year cost of ownership
$979
$979
› Exam mechanics
Pass mark
GCIP70% (scaled per attempt)
GICSP69% (scaled per attempt)
Pass mark
70% (scaled per attempt)
69% (scaled per attempt)
Retake policy
GCIP$999 fee · 30d wait
GICSP$999 fee · 30d wait
Retake policy
$999 fee · 30d wait
$999 fee · 30d wait
Study time
GCIP80–160 hrs
GICSP100–200 hrs
Study time
80–160 hrs
100–200 hrs
Validity
GCIP4 yrs
GICSP4 yrs
Validity
4 yrs
4 yrs
CPE / yr
GCIP9 CPEs
GICSP9 CPEs
CPE / yr
9 CPEs
9 CPEs
Delivery
GCIPmixed
GICSPonline proctored
Delivery
mixed
online proctored
› Salary signal (US base)
Range
GCIP$115K – $175K
GICSP$110K – $170K
Range
$115K – $175K
$110K – $170K
Median
GCIP$140,000
GICSP$140,000
Median
$140,000
$140,000
Premium %
GCIP—
GICSP—
Premium %
—
—
Role context
GCIPCritical infrastructure / OT security analyst, US, 3-5 years.
GICSPICS/SCADA practitioner / OT security engineer, US, 3-5 years.
Role context
Critical infrastructure / OT security analyst, US, 3-5 years.
ICS/SCADA practitioner / OT security engineer, US, 3-5 years.
› Quality (4-axis rubric · 0–10)
Schema quality
GCIP7.0
GICSP8.5
Schema quality
7.0
8.5
Practice evidence
GCIP1.5
GICSP5.0
Practice evidence
1.5
5.0
Maintenance
GCIP7.5
GICSP7.0
Maintenance
7.5
7.0
Market recognition
GCIP4.0
GICSP8.5
Market recognition
4.0
8.5
Average
GCIP5.0
GICSP7.3
Average
5.0
7.3
› Recognition & lifecycle
Recognition
GCIPGlobal
GICSPGlobal · US · EU · UK
Recognition
Global
Global · US · EU · UK
ISO 17024 accredited
GCIP—
GICSP✓
ISO 17024 accredited
—
✓
DoD 8140 baseline
GCIP—
GICSP✓
DoD 8140 baseline
—
✓
Holders worldwide
GCIP—
GICSP5,000
Holders worldwide
—
5,000
Current version
GCIP2024 ICS410 refresh (2024-04)
GICSP2024 ICS410 refresh (2024-04)
Current version
2024 ICS410 refresh (2024-04)
2024 ICS410 refresh (2024-04)
› Domain coverage
A1Governance, Risk & Compliance
GCIP● core
GICSP·
A1Governance, Risk & Compliance
● core
·
A12Data Security, Privacy & Protection
GCIP● core
GICSP·
A12Data Security, Privacy & Protection
● core
·
A14OT/ICS Security
GCIP·
GICSP● core
A14OT/ICS Security
·
● core
A2Network Security
GCIP·
GICSP● core
A2Network Security
·
● core
A7Incident Response & Forensics
GCIP·
GICSP○ touched
A7Incident Response & Forensics
·
○ touched
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