CCSP vs CISSP – Which is the Best Certification?

If you are planning a career in the IT sector, choosing between the CCSP (Certified Cloud Security Professional) and CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) certifications might be quite challenging. The fact that both these certifications are offered by (ISC)² makes this choice even more difficult. In this situation, the choice should be made on the basis of what a person wants to achieve with the certification. Each of these certifications has been explained in detail below for your better understanding.

Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP)

The CCSP is a prominent cloud security certification recognized across the world. Earning a CCSP certification validates your knowledge of cloud security architecture, design, operations, and network parameters. Candidates require a minimum of five years of IT experience as a prerequisite for this certification. Out of these five years, one year of experience must be in dealing with one of the six domains of the CCSP exam.

A CCSP certification offers instant credibility as it allows you to gain the top accreditation for cloud security knowledge. It helps you stay ahead of the competition by keeping you informed about the latest technology, threats, and prevention methods. CCSP also assists you in discovering new possibilities and transitioning into job positions that are best suitable for you.

Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)

The CISSP certification can help you boost your career in cyber security. Obtaining a CISSP certificate validates your ability to plan, execute, and manage a high-quality cyber security program. To attain a CISSP certification, you need to have at least five years of work experience in security, including at least two of the eight CISSP CBK (Common Body of Knowledge) domains.

Earning a CISSP certification has several advantages, including quick recognition from significant businesses. According to a Global Information Security and Workforce survey, CISSP experts earn a quarter of a million dollars more than their non-certified counterparts. In addition, the rate at which CISSP specialists earn compensation exceeds that of many other IT fields.

CCSP vs CISSP

CCSP and CISSP can be compared based on the below-given criteria.

 

Basis	CISSP	CCSP
Year of introduction	1994	2015
Prerequisites	At least five years of full-time security experience is required in two of the eight domains of (ISC)2 CISSP CBK.	Minimum five years of full-time job experience comprising three years in the field of information security and one year in one of the six CCSP domains is required.
Format of the exam	CAT or Computerised Adaptive Testing is used in all the English versions of the exam. The registration price is slightly higher than the CCSP exam. Around 100-150 questions are asked. The passing score is 700 out of 1000. The exam duration is three hours.	The registration price is slightly lower than the CISSP exam. Around 125 questions are asked. The passing score is 700 out of 1000. The exam duration is three hours.
Roles that need the completion of the certification	Chief Information Officer Chief Information Security Officer Director of Security IT Director/Manager Network Architect Security Analyst Security Architect Security Auditor Security Consultant Security Manager Security Systems Engineer	Enterprise Architect Security Administrator Security Architect Security Consultant Security Engineer Security Manager Systems Architect Systems Engineer
Domains	Identity and Access Management Security and Risk Management Software Development Security Assessment and Testing Asset Security Security Architecture and Engineering Communication and Network Security Security Operations	Cloud Application Security Domain Legal, Risk and Compliance Cloud Platform & Infrastructure Security Domain Cloud Security Operations Domain Cloud Concepts, Architecture and Design Domain Cloud Data Security Domain

Salary Comparison

According to Glassdoor, a CCSP expert earns an annual average income of $100,800. This figure has been arrived upon after averaging salary reports from the US, Philadelphia, PA, Washington, DC, Dallas-Fort Worth, TX and Shreveport, LA. On the other hand, in a survey conducted by PayScale, the yearly average salary for CISSP experts ranges from $80,540 for an Information Security Analyst to $110,451 for a Security Architect.

In the Indian context, as per payscale.com, the average annual CCSP salary of an expert ranges from ₹500,000 for an Information Security Analyst position to ₹3,000,000 for the position of Division General Manager. On the other hand, the average annual salary of a CISSP expert falls between ₹500,000 for Security Analyst to ₹5,000,000 for Technology Director.

The above-mentioned pointers can help you understand the similarities and differences between the two certifications. Both of them have their own distinct positions in the cyber security field, owing to their several advantages.

CISSP vs CCSP – which is Better?

After going through the details about both the certifications, we can reasonably state that both CISSP and CCSP are essential for an InfoSec professional. However, we recommend that you go for the CISSP certification before moving on to the CCSP certification. The CCSP certification works best as an add-on to the CISSP certification.