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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 / SANS · associate
GSECGIAC Security Essentials
Broad defender fundamentals. Often paired with SANS SEC401.
Official pageCompTIA · entry
Security+CompTIA Security+
Broad entry-level knowledge across threats, ops, IAM, network, and crypto basics.
Official pageComparing
GIAC / SANSGSEC
CompTIASecurity+
› Cost
Exam fee
GSEC$979
Security+$392
Exam fee
$979
$392
Annual maintenance fee
GSEC—
Security+$50/yr
Annual maintenance fee
—
$50/yr
3-year cost of ownership
GSEC$979
Security+$542
3-year cost of ownership
$979
$542
› Exam mechanics
Pass mark
GSEC73% (scaled per attempt)
Security+750/900 (~83%)
Pass mark
73% (scaled per attempt)
750/900 (~83%)
Retake policy
GSEC$999 fee · 30d wait
Security+$404 fee · 0d wait
Retake policy
$999 fee · 30d wait
$404 fee · 0d wait
Study time
GSEC100–200 hrs
Security+40–100 hrs
Study time
100–200 hrs
40–100 hrs
Validity
GSEC4 yrs
Security+3 yrs
Validity
4 yrs
3 yrs
CPE / yr
GSEC9 CPEs
Security+17 CPEs
CPE / yr
9 CPEs
17 CPEs
Delivery
GSEConline proctored
Security+test center
Delivery
online proctored
test center
› Salary signal (US base)
Range
GSEC$85K – $125K
Security+$65K – $95K
Range
$85K – $125K
$65K – $95K
Median
GSEC$102,000
Security+$78,000
Median
$102,000
$78,000
Premium %
GSEC—
Security+—
Premium %
—
—
Role context
GSECSecurity generalist / SOC analyst, US, 2–4 years.
Security+Entry security analyst / junior IT generalist, US, 0–3 years.
Role context
Security generalist / SOC analyst, US, 2–4 years.
Entry security analyst / junior IT generalist, US, 0–3 years.
› Quality (4-axis rubric · 0–10)
Schema quality
GSEC8.5
Security+7.5
Schema quality
8.5
7.5
Practice evidence
GSEC4.0
Security+4.0
Practice evidence
4.0
4.0
Maintenance
GSEC8.5
Security+7.5
Maintenance
8.5
7.5
Market recognition
GSEC6.5
Security+9.5
Market recognition
6.5
9.5
Average
GSEC6.9
Security+7.1
Average
6.9
7.1
› Recognition & lifecycle
Recognition
GSECGlobal · US · EU · UK
Security+Global · US · EU · UK
Recognition
Global · US · EU · UK
Global · US · EU · UK
ISO 17024 accredited
GSEC✓
Security+✓
ISO 17024 accredited
✓
✓
DoD 8140 baseline
GSEC✓
Security+✓
DoD 8140 baseline
✓
✓
Holders worldwide
GSEC30,000
Security+700,000
Holders worldwide
30,000
700,000
Current version
GSEC2024 SEC401 refresh (2024-02)
Security+SY0-701 (2023-11)
Current version
2024 SEC401 refresh (2024-02)
SY0-701 (2023-11)
› Domain coverage
A1Governance, Risk & Compliance
GSEC·
Security+○ touched
A1Governance, Risk & Compliance
·
○ touched
A10Security Operations
GSEC● core
Security+● core
A10Security Operations
● core
● core
A11Detection Engineering & Threat Hunting
GSEC·
Security+○ touched
A11Detection Engineering & Threat Hunting
·
○ touched
A12Data Security, Privacy & Protection
GSEC○ touched
Security+·
A12Data Security, Privacy & Protection
○ touched
·
A14OT/ICS Security
GSEC·
Security+⚠ gap
A14OT/ICS Security
·
⚠ gap
A15Cryptography
GSEC● core
Security+● core
A15Cryptography
● core
● core
A2Network Security
GSEC● core
Security+● core
A2Network Security
● core
● core
A21Malware Analysis & Reverse Engineering
GSEC·
Security+⚠ gap
A21Malware Analysis & Reverse Engineering
·
⚠ gap
A3Zero Trust Architecture
GSEC○ touched
Security+·
A3Zero Trust Architecture
○ touched
·
A4Application Security
GSEC○ touched
Security+○ touched
A4Application Security
○ touched
○ touched
A5Cloud Security
GSEC·
Security+○ touched
A5Cloud Security
·
○ touched
A6Identity & Access Management
GSEC● core
Security+● core
A6Identity & Access Management
● core
● core
A9Penetration Testing & Red Teaming
GSEC·
Security+⚠ gap
A9Penetration Testing & Red Teaming
·
⚠ gap
B1AI-Powered Threat Detection
GSEC·
Security+⚠ gap
B1AI-Powered Threat Detection
·
⚠ gap
C1Adversarial Machine Learning
GSEC·
Security+⚠ gap
C1Adversarial Machine Learning
·
⚠ gap
D2Post-Quantum Cryptography
GSEC·
Security+⚠ gap
D2Post-Quantum Cryptography
·
⚠ gap
Browse the full catalog or open any one of these on its detail page for full study materials, peer comparisons, and lifecycle notes.