Is CompTIA Security+ Worth It In 2021?

What do CCNA Security, CCNP Security, CEH, ISA, CISSP, Amazon AWS Certified Security and ISACA CRISC have in common? They are all part of the large grouping of cybersecurity certifications currently available.

Each of these certifications is valuable and serves a valid purpose. But what about the CompTIA Security+ certification? If you’ve got questions, we’ve got answers.

CompTIA Security+ is a popular cybersecurity certification. More than 600,000 IT pros have earned it. But, is CompTIA Security+ worth it in 2021? That depends on your goals as an IT professional.

One of your IT career goals may be to get into the information security field without prior certification. Other goals may include getting a vendor-neutral cybersecurity certification or a DoD-approved cert. If you have any of these IT career goals, CompTIA Security+ is worth it for you.

Is CompTIA Security+ Hard?

Unlike other cybersecurity certifications, CompTIA Security+ has no prerequisites. This is great news for IT professionals who want to jump right into information security without having to get multiple certifications.

The CompTIA Security+ certification can help you land an entry-level IT security position. Although this certification is entry-level for cybersecurity, the average person wouldn’t consider it easy. It covers cybersecurity concepts in depth and requires adequate preparation.

Some people grasp cybersecurity concepts fairly quickly. For others, these concepts are more of a challenge. Whichever type of learner you are, you will experience some degree of difficulty with CompTIA Security+. This is a good thing. After all, an easy cert probably wouldn’t provide you with sufficient knowledge to advance your IT career.

Although CompTIA Security+ is challenging, training tools put passing the certification exam well within your reach. Armed with the right attitude and training resources, even beginners can earn CompTIA Security+.

Is CompTIA Security+ for Beginners?

Because CompTIA Security+ has no official prerequisites, it is appropriate for beginner cybersecurity professionals. This doesn’t mean that it isn’t helpful to earn certain IT certifications before pursuing CompTIA Security+, though. It is recommended that you get CompTIA A+ and CompTIA Network+ before earning CompTIA Security+.

CompTIA A+ offers foundational knowledge of all IT concepts. In a perfect world, every technician would start with this certification. CompTIA Network+ provides you with network security skills that will be very helpful as you establish your cybersecurity specialization.

CompTIA Security+ candidates should ideally have two years of experience in IT administration with a security focus. This isn’t a hard-and-fast prerequisite, but a recommendation.