CISSP vs CCSP
Certified Information Systems Security Professional and Certified Cloud Security Professional compared with live job-market data: demand, salary, difficulty, and cost — updated weekly.
The short answer
CISSP leads on market demand (18,260 vs 257 US job postings) and CISSPalso leads on average salary ($145,000). CCSP is the more accessible starting point at 4/5 difficulty versus 5/5 for CISSP.
Side-by-Side Data
| CISSP | CCSP | |
|---|---|---|
| Job Postings | 18,260leads | 257 |
| Market Share | 0.31% | 0.00% |
| Demand Trend | Stable | Declining |
| Avg Salary | $145,000leads | $142,000 |
| Difficulty (1-5) | 5 / 5 | 4 / 5 |
| Exam Cost | $749 | $599 |
| Study Time | 100-150 hours | 60-100 hours |
Job counts and market share from live US job postings, updated weekly. Want a different matchup? Use theinteractive comparison tool.
CISSP
Certified Information Systems Security Professional
The gold standard in security. Validates expertise in eight domains including risk management, asset security, and software development security. The 3-hour CAT exam (English) features 100-150 adaptive questions. Requires 5 years of verified experience.
CCSP
Certified Cloud Security Professional
ISC2's premier cloud security certification. The 3-hour CAT exam features 100-150 questions across six domains including architecture, data security, and platform security. Requires 5 years IT experience (3 in security).
CISSP vs CCSP: FAQ
Which pays more, CISSP or CCSP?+
CISSP is associated with the higher average salary: about $145,000 vs $142,000 for CCSP, based on current US job market data.
Which is more in demand, CISSP or CCSP?+
CISSP currently appears in 18,260 US job postings versus 257 for CCSP — roughly 71.1× the demand. Data updates weekly from live job listings.
Is CISSP harder than CCSP?+
Generally yes: we rate CISSP 5/5 difficulty versus 4/5 for CCSP, reflecting exam depth and experience requirements.
Should I get both CISSP and CCSP?+
Many professionals eventually hold both, but sequencing matters. A common path is starting with CCSP (4/5 difficulty) and progressing to CISSP. Compare requirements on each certification's detail page before committing.