Exam fee
$749
Standard registration in the Americas; set by region
Cost, pay and fit
Is CISSP worth it?
Yes, once you have the experience. CISSP is written for senior security roles, and ISC2 lists it as approved by the US Department of Defense. Without the years of paid security work ISC2 requires you can’t hold it yet, so start with Security+ or SSCP.
Last updated
The cost
What it costs
The exam fee is the certification’s fixed cost. Study material and your own time come on top.
Keeping it
Valid for 3 years
Earn 120 CPE credits over the three-year cycle (about 40 a year)
A fee covers one attempt: if you don’t pass, the next attempt is paid for again. What every exam costs
The return
What the jobs pay
US government figures for the occupations this certification most often leads to.
Information security analysts
$129,180
Median pay a year, 2025
- Employed
- 192,900
- Openings a year
- About 14,100
- Outlook
- Expected to grow much faster than average (7% or higher) from 2025 to 2035
Computer and information systems managers
$175,140
Median pay a year, 2025
- Employed
- 685,800
- Openings a year
- About 53,500
- Outlook
- Expected to grow much faster than average (7% or higher) from 2025 to 2035
ISC2 says CISSP is for experienced security practitioners, managers and executives. It names security analysts and architects, and also security managers, directors and chief information security officers: the second occupation here.
These figures cover everyone in the occupation in the United States, with or without the certification, at every level of experience. Starting pay is lower, and no certification guarantees a job.
Source: O*NET OnLine (US Department of Labor), from Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data and employment projections. Checked November 10, 2026. How we check our facts
Recognition
What the vendor says
Quoted from the vendor’s own page, so read it as their claim.
ISC2 lists CISSP as approved by the US Department of Defense (DoDM 8140.03) and accredited under ISO/IEC Standard 17024.
ISC2’s CISSP page · Read November 10, 2026
ISC2 says its members report 35% higher salaries than non-members.
ISC2’s Certified in Cybersecurity page · Read November 10, 2026
Your decision
Is CISSP worth it for you?
It’s worth it if
- you have the experience ISC2 asks for and are moving toward senior, architect or management roles.
- the roles you’re applying for list it, as some senior security and government roles do.
- you want one certification that covers the whole field instead of several narrow ones.
Think twice if
- you’re early in your career. You can pass the exam, but you’d be an Associate of ISC2 until you have the experience.
- your work is deeply technical and you plan to stay hands-on. A specialist certification may serve you better.
- the fee and the yearly upkeep aren’t justified by any role you’re aiming for.
FAQs
Got Questions? We’ve Got Answers.
Find quick answers or contact our support team.
Is CISSP worth it in 2026?
Yes, once you have the experience. CISSP is written for senior security roles, and ISC2 lists it as approved by the US Department of Defense. Without the years of paid security work ISC2 requires you can’t hold it yet, so start with Security+ or SSCP.
How much does CISSP cost?
$749 (standard registration in the Americas; set by region). Check ISC2’s site for the price in your country.
What jobs does CISSP lead to, and what do they pay?
The closest occupations are information security analysts (median pay $129,180 a year in 2025) and computer and information systems managers (median pay $175,140 a year in 2025). The figures are for the United States, from O*NET OnLine, the US Department of Labor’s occupation database. They cover everyone in the occupation, with or without the certification, so starting pay is lower.
Does CISSP expire?
Valid for 3 years. To keep it: earn 120 CPE credits over the three-year cycle (about 40 a year).
How hard is CISSP?
We rate it advanced, going by the level ISC2 gives it and the experience it expects. You need 700 out of 1000. ISC2 requires 5 years in 2 or more of its 8 domains to certify. You can take the exam before you have it.
