CISSPCertified Information Systems Security Professional
The most prestigious cybersecurity certification in the world
CertPath Score
9.8
/10
About this certification
The CISSP is universally recognized as the gold standard in cybersecurity certification. It validates expertise across 8 security domains (the Common Body of Knowledge) including security risk management, architecture, cryptography, and software security. Requires 5 years of experience.
What you'll validate
- ✓Security risk management
- ✓Asset security
- ✓Security architecture and engineering
- ✓Network security
- ✓IAM
- ✓Security assessment and testing
- ✓Security operations
- ✓Software development security
Pros & Cons
Advantages
- +Most recognized security credential globally
- +Major salary impact — top tier earners
- +Required or preferred for CISO and senior security roles
- +Covers the full security domain landscape
Disadvantages
- −Requires 5 years of experience
- −Long, grueling exam (up to 6 hours)
- −Annual maintenance fee
- −3-year renewal with CPEs
Who it's for
Best for
- →Security professionals targeting leadership roles
- →Those with 5+ years of security experience
- →Anyone targeting CISO or Security Director
Not ideal for
- ×Early-career professionals (start with Security+)
- ×Those without security work experience
Career paths this unlocks
Study Guide
CISSP Study Guide: How to Think Like a CISO and Pass
CISSP has a ~50% first-attempt pass rate for a reason — it's not a technical exam, it's a judgment exam. This guide covers the mindset shift, domain breakdown, study resources, and the specifics of the CAT format that most candidates don't know about.
16 min read
Study Resources
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Register for the exam
Official registration only — no third-party resellers. (ISC)² offers candidate discounts for members.
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Jobs for CISSP holders
CISSP holders report $10k–$30k+ salary uplift on average.
LinkedIn Jobs
Updated daily
Indeed
Dice (tech roles)
Tech-focused job board
CyberSeek (cyber only)
NIST-backed supply/demand tool
Job links open external sites. Search results are live and not curated by CertPath.
Quick Facts
- Exam Cost
- $749
- Exam Duration
- 360 minutes
- Questions
- ~250
- Passing Score
- 700/1000
- Exam Format
- Multiple Choice + Performance
- Study Time
- ~250 hours
- Validity
- 3 years
- Salary Impact
- Strong ($10k–$30k+ uplift reported)
- Certified Globally
- ~160,000
Prerequisites
- !5 years paid work experience in 2+ of the 8 CISSP domains
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