How much does Security+ increase your salary?

Security+ adds $17,000-$25,000 depending on sector. Federal and defense contracting roles show the largest premium ($25,000+) because it satisfies DoD 8570 IAT Level II requirements for privileged access positions. Private sector security analyst roles average $17,000-$18,000 premium.

Is Security+ worth it for non-government IT jobs?

Yes, though the premium is smaller. For healthcare IT (HIPAA compliance), financial services, and corporate security analyst roles, Security+ is widely recognized and typically required or preferred. The $392 exam with near-free study materials makes it one of the highest-ROI entry security certs regardless of sector. After gaining 5+ years of experience, CISSP becomes the natural next step.

CompTIA Security+: Cost vs Salary Increase

Q: How much does CompTIA Security+ cost?

The SY0-701 exam fee is $392. Study materials can run near-zero — Professor Messer's course is free. His practice tests are $35. Total realistic cost: $425-$500. CompTIA periodically offers 10-20% discounts through their site.

$392 exam. DoD 8570 baseline requirement. The most widely required entry-level security cert in federal and defense contracting — here's what it actually pays.

Security+ Total Cost Breakdown

Item	Cost
Exam fee (SY0-701)	$392
Professor Messer study notes (free) or paid course	$0–$40
Practice exams (Jason Dion on Udemy)	$15–$30
Official CompTIA study guide (optional)	$50–$60
CertMaster Labs (optional hands-on)	$119/6 months
Realistic total (budget route)	$410–$440
Realistic total (full prep)	$475–$600
3-year renewal (CEUs or retake)	$0–$392

CompTIA exam fees as of 2026. Professor Messer's free Security+ course covers everything you need at no cost. Renewal requires 50 CEUs or retaking the exam.

Security+ Salary Impact by Sector

Sector / Role	Without Security+	With Security+	Annual Increase
IT support / help desk	$48,000	$65,000	+$17,000
Junior security analyst	$62,000	$80,000	+$18,000
Federal / DoD contractor	$65,000	$90,000	+$25,000
Network / systems admin (security focus)	$72,000	$89,000	+$17,000

Source: BLS OEWS, CompTIA IT Industry Outlook 2025. Federal contractor figures include cleared positions where Security+ satisfies DoD 8570 IAT Level II.

Your Security+ Payback Calculator

Current Annual Salary

Expected Total Cost

Who Security+ Is Actually For

Security+ has a specific niche: government, defense contractors, and healthcare IT. For these sectors it's often mandatory. Defense contractors need it to satisfy DoD 8570 baseline requirements for anyone with privileged access to unclassified systems. Federal agencies use it as a screening filter. Private sector employers in finance and healthcare ask for it in job descriptions.

Outside those sectors? The premium is real but smaller. A private tech company doesn't require Security+ the way a defense contractor does. Cloud security skills, hands-on SIEM experience, and platform-specific certs (AWS Security Specialty, Google Cloud Security) often carry more weight in pure private sector hiring.

Free vs Paid Study Materials

Professor Messer's Security+ course is genuinely free, updated for every new exam version, and widely considered the best foundation for the exam. His practice tests aren't free ($35 for a bundle) but the video course is. Most people who fail Security+ didn't lack materials — they skipped the practice exams and got surprised by performance-based questions.

Performance-based questions (PBQs) show up at the start of the exam and are worth more points than multiple-choice. They're hands-on simulations: configure a firewall rule, identify a network topology, analyze a log file. If you've only memorized definitions, these will hurt you. Do them in practice.

Security+ vs Network+: Which First?

CompTIA recommends Network+ before Security+, and for good reason — the Security+ exam assumes you understand subnetting, VLANs, firewalls, and IDS/IPS at a working level. If your networking foundation is weak, study both simultaneously or do Network+ first. If you already work in networking or have A+ under your belt, go straight to Security+.

Common Questions

How much does CompTIA Security+ cost?

The exam fee is $392 for the SY0-701 version. Study materials can be nearly free — Professor Messer's course is free, his practice tests are $35. Budget $425-$500 total for a realistic all-in cost. CompTIA sometimes offers 10-20% discounts through their site during promotions. CertMaster Learn (CompTIA's official e-learning) adds $219 if you want the official study platform.

Is Security+ worth it without experience?

Yes, for entry into federal/defense security roles. No firm experience requirement exists — you can take it with zero IT experience. CompTIA recommends 2 years of IT administration with security focus, which is practical advice, not a gate. Many people earn it fresh out of IT bootcamps and immediately land junior analyst roles at $65,000-$75,000 in the DC/Northern Virginia corridor.

How does Security+ compare to CISSP?

Security+ is an entry-level cert. CISSP is a senior-level cert requiring 5 years of experience. Get Security+ first, build 5 years of security experience, then pursue CISSP. The salary premiums reflect this: Security+ adds ~$17,000-$25,000; CISSP adds ~$30,000-$35,000 on top of an already higher baseline salary. They're not competing — they're sequential steps in a security career path.

ROI Calculator CISSP ROI CompTIA Network+ CompTIA A+ Best ROI Rankings

Data: BLS OEWS, CompTIA IT Industry Outlook 2025, CompTIA exam fee schedule. Updated March 2026.

Data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Official Certification Body Fee Schedules, O*NET Occupation Data

Last updated: January 2025

How we calculate this · Payback calculations assume you qualify for and secure a role that values the certification. Outcomes vary by employer, region, and experience level.