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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.
ISC2 · expert
ISSMPInformation Systems Security Management Professional
ISC2 specialization for security management. Requires CISSP. Focus on Leadership, Risk Management, Security Operations, and Compliance Management. For CISOs and senior security executives.
Official pageISC2 · expert
CISSPCertified Information Systems Security Professional
Breadth across security engineering, architecture, operations, and governance at senior-IC / manager level. The default senior-generalist signal.
Official pageComparing
ISC2ISSMP
ISC2CISSP
› Cost
Exam fee
ISSMP$599
CISSP$749
Exam fee
$599
$749
Annual maintenance fee
ISSMP$125/yr
CISSP$135/yr
Annual maintenance fee
$125/yr
$135/yr
3-year cost of ownership
ISSMP$974
CISSP$1,154
3-year cost of ownership
$974
$1,154
› Exam mechanics
Pass mark
ISSMP700/1000 (scaled)
CISSP700/1000 (CAT-derived)
Pass mark
700/1000 (scaled)
700/1000 (CAT-derived)
Retake policy
ISSMP$599 fee · 30d wait · 4/yr cap
CISSP$749 fee · 30d wait · 4/yr cap
Retake policy
$599 fee · 30d wait · 4/yr cap
$749 fee · 30d wait · 4/yr cap
Study time
ISSMP120–250 hrs
CISSP150–300 hrs
Study time
120–250 hrs
150–300 hrs
Validity
ISSMP3 yrs
CISSP3 yrs
Validity
3 yrs
3 yrs
CPE / yr
ISSMP20 CPEs
CISSP40 CPEs
CPE / yr
20 CPEs
40 CPEs
Delivery
ISSMPtest center
CISSPtest center
Delivery
test center
test center
› Salary signal (US base)
Range
ISSMP$150K – $220K
CISSP$130K – $200K
Range
$150K – $220K
$130K – $200K
Median
ISSMP$180,000
CISSP$155,000
Median
$180,000
$155,000
Premium %
ISSMP—
CISSP+12%
Premium %
—
+12%
Role context
ISSMPSenior security manager / director, US, 7+ years. Requires active CISSP.
CISSPSenior security engineer / architect, US, 5+ years experience.
Role context
Senior security manager / director, US, 7+ years. Requires active CISSP.
Senior security engineer / architect, US, 5+ years experience.
› Quality (4-axis rubric · 0–10)
Schema quality
ISSMP8.0
CISSP9.0
Schema quality
8.0
9.0
Practice evidence
ISSMP1.0
CISSP1.5
Practice evidence
1.0
1.5
Maintenance
ISSMP5.0
CISSP8.0
Maintenance
5.0
8.0
Market recognition
ISSMP5.0
CISSP9.5
Market recognition
5.0
9.5
Average
ISSMP4.8
CISSP7.0
Average
4.8
7.0
› Recognition & lifecycle
Recognition
ISSMPGlobal
CISSPGlobal · US · EU · UK · DACH
Recognition
Global
Global · US · EU · UK · DACH
ISO 17024 accredited
ISSMP—
CISSP✓
ISO 17024 accredited
—
✓
DoD 8140 baseline
ISSMP✓
CISSP✓
DoD 8140 baseline
✓
✓
Holders worldwide
ISSMP1,500
CISSP190,000
Holders worldwide
1,500
190,000
Current version
ISSMP2024 CBK refresh (2024-04)
CISSP2024 CBK refresh (2024-04)
Current version
2024 CBK refresh (2024-04)
2024 CBK refresh (2024-04)
› Domain coverage
A1Governance, Risk & Compliance
ISSMP● core
CISSP● core
A1Governance, Risk & Compliance
● core
● core
A10Security Operations
ISSMP·
CISSP● core
A10Security Operations
·
● core
A11Detection Engineering & Threat Hunting
ISSMP·
CISSP● core
A11Detection Engineering & Threat Hunting
·
● core
A12Data Security, Privacy & Protection
ISSMP·
CISSP● core
A12Data Security, Privacy & Protection
·
● core
A13Supply Chain Security
ISSMP·
CISSP○ touched
A13Supply Chain Security
·
○ touched
A14OT/ICS Security
ISSMP·
CISSP⚠ gap
A14OT/ICS Security
·
⚠ gap
A15Cryptography
ISSMP·
CISSP● core
A15Cryptography
·
● core
A18Security Leadership
ISSMP● core
CISSP○ touched
A18Security Leadership
● core
○ touched
A2Network Security
ISSMP·
CISSP● core
A2Network Security
·
● core
A21Malware Analysis & Reverse Engineering
ISSMP·
CISSP⚠ gap
A21Malware Analysis & Reverse Engineering
·
⚠ gap
A25Security Architecture & Engineering
ISSMP·
CISSP● core
A25Security Architecture & Engineering
·
● core
A3Zero Trust Architecture
ISSMP·
CISSP● core
A3Zero Trust Architecture
·
● core
A4Application Security
ISSMP·
CISSP● core
A4Application Security
·
● core
A5Cloud Security
ISSMP·
CISSP○ touched
A5Cloud Security
·
○ touched
A6Identity & Access Management
ISSMP·
CISSP● core
A6Identity & Access Management
·
● core
A7Incident Response & Forensics
ISSMP● core
CISSP○ touched
A7Incident Response & Forensics
● core
○ touched
A9Penetration Testing & Red Teaming
ISSMP·
CISSP○ touched
A9Penetration Testing & Red Teaming
·
○ touched
B1AI-Powered Threat Detection
ISSMP·
CISSP⚠ gap
B1AI-Powered Threat Detection
·
⚠ gap
B2AI-Driven Security Automation
ISSMP·
CISSP⚠ gap
B2AI-Driven Security Automation
·
⚠ gap
B3AI for Vulnerability Management
ISSMP·
CISSP⚠ gap
B3AI for Vulnerability Management
·
⚠ gap
C1Adversarial Machine Learning
ISSMP·
CISSP⚠ gap
C1Adversarial Machine Learning
·
⚠ gap
C11Agentic AI Security
ISSMP·
CISSP⚠ gap
C11Agentic AI Security
·
⚠ gap
C2LLM-Specific Attacks
ISSMP·
CISSP⚠ gap
C2LLM-Specific Attacks
·
⚠ gap
C5AI Red Teaming
ISSMP·
CISSP⚠ gap
C5AI Red Teaming
·
⚠ gap
D2Post-Quantum Cryptography
ISSMP·
CISSP⚠ gap
D2Post-Quantum Cryptography
·
⚠ gap
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