Security+ Certification Prerequisites, Cost, Skills, Job Prospects, And Salary

Cybersecurity is one of the most important focal points for IT departments these days in the wake of rising cyber-attacks that include malicious ransomware attacks, zero-day viruses etc. These attacks can cause firms millions of dollars in damage in terms of data loss and system downtimes. Therefore, firms these days are looking to recruit the best IT talent in order to make the security of their systems and networks more robust.

For professionals looking to build a career in cybersecurity by capitalizing on this rising demand for relevant talent, CompTIA offers a dedicated certification path for cybersecurity.

These certifications comprise of associate and advanced level certifications and if you want to start out on this path and become a CompTIA certified cybersecurity expert, you will first need to undertake the CompTIA Security+ certification.

Along with A+ and Network+, Security+ certification is offered at the first level of CompTIA certifications, but not many professionals know much about it, especially those who are just beginning out in their careers.

In this article, we’ll give you a detailed overview of the Security+ Certification that will provide you with a round-up on the pre-requisites for enrolling in this course, CompTIA Security+ online training, the total cost, exam details, course contents, skills that can be gained by passing this course, what job prospects open up to individuals who take this course, the market salary for Security+ certified professionals and more.

Pre-Requisites for Security+:

None of CompTIA’s baseline certifications mandate any must-have pre-requisites either its Network+ or Security+. This is because these certifications are springboards for advanced level certifications in CompTIA’s certification paths and don’t have anything below them that individuals need to complete in order to make them eligible for taking this course.

However, CompTIA does recommend that you take the Network+ certification and bring in around 2 years of professional experience in the cybersecurity sector for this certification. And the reason CompTIA recommends them is that the terminologies and concepts explored and covered in the course contents of Security+ often need some basic level of prior understanding to go through and if individuals do have them, it makes it a whole lot easier for them to pass this course.

But, if you don’t want to go for the Network+ certification or if you plan to do the Security+ certification before starting your career, you can do it, and if you need any sort of assistance in covering the course contents then Quickstart offers online information security training that will help you prepare in the best possible manner for this course.

Skills Gained by Undertaking Security+:

CompTIA says that professionals who pass Security+ certification will gain the following six skills relevant to modern cybersecurity department needs:

• Know how to run penetration testing and vulnerability scanning among detecting other types of threat channels as well
• Undertake management of network access endpoints along with being able to configure and install them anew whenever required
• Learn ways to asses risk and prepare the methodologies through which it can be managed for enhanced organizational security
• Understand the ways in which various network components can be installed to become an integrated part of the firm’s network infrastructure and provide troubleshooting services if necessary
• Learn the best practices related to implementing robust security architectures and system designs
• Organize the settings for wireless connection security and execute public key infrastructure

Security+ Exam:

Also known as CompTIA SY0-501, the Security+ exam consists of just a single MCQ or performance-based questionnaire consisting of a total of 90 questions. The exam time allotted to each candidate is 90 minutes, so the candidate’s preparation has to be very detailed if it wants to stand a chance at passing this exam.

A total of 750 score is required if an individual wants to be considered as pass on the exam, and the rating scale on which its judged is 100-900, leaving very little room or margin for error.

The exam is available in four different languages i.e. English, Portuguese, Japanese and Simplified Chinese, so to as allow for a wider and more localized reach across the globe.

The certification, however, comes with an expiry period running into a total validity period of 36 months, after which you will have to re-appear in the exam to gain the credential.

The total cost of the Security+ certification is $339, which is a bit on the higher end of the spectrum considering the fact that this is a baseline certification, but the job prospects it opens up more than makes up for this high price tag.

Security+ Career Options:

The course contents of this certification are so diverse that nearly anyone working in the cybersecurity sector will benefit immensely from acquiring this certification, but more recently, these are the jobs that require this certification the most:

• Systems Administrator
• Network Administrator
• Security Administrator
• Junior IT Auditor/ Penetration Tester
• Security Specialist
• Security Consultant
• Security Engineer

Average Salary for Security+ Certified Professionals:

This question is the one that’s often asked the most by individuals looking to go for the Security+ certification. To answer them, there is a lot of difference in how much an individual can earn after taking the Security+ certification and this difference depends on the overall experience and skill of the individual.

The average salary ranges from $42,128 - $95,829 on the higher side for network engineers who have done the CompTIA Security+ certification. This salary can also vary depending on the type of profession or job chosen by the individual, its location and the firm its working with, but one thing is certain and that’s the fact the Security+ certification does have a positive impact on an individual’s earning.

Wrapping Things Up:

If you want the most relevant information security training then the CompTIA Security+ certification is the perfect way to start off this journey and continue on with further advanced level CompTIA cybersecurity certifications in order to establish yourself as a top-notch cybersecurity professional with a highly validated skillset.