Security Plus Certification Cost 2026: Full Breakdown

Quick Answer

CompTIA Security+ certification cost in 2026 starts at $425 USD for the SY0-701 exam voucher, plus optional study materials, retake assurance, and training. A self-study path lands at $440 to $485 total, while a mid-range live course with a retake runs $477 to $1,200. Bootcamps with instructor-led five-day immersion reach $2,500 to $4,000 all-in (CompTIA, August 2026).

Security+ remains the most-requested entry-level credential for US IT help-desk, junior SOC analyst, and federal contractor roles. Most first-time test-takers pass within 8 to 12 weeks of structured study (CompTIA, September 2026).

Last verified: Sep 15, 2026.

At a glance

• Exam voucher $425 USD; bundles with retake $474-$630 (CompTIA, August 2026)
• DoD 8140.03 IAT Level II approved baseline credential
• Self-study $440 to $485; live course $477 to $1,200; bootcamp $2,500 to $4,000
• Five domains, 90 questions, 90 minutes, 750-of-900 passing
• Three-year validity, CertMaster CE renewal at $129

CompTIA Security+ exam voucher pricing in 2026

CompTIA publishes a single SY0-701 voucher price and lets authorised partners discount it at their discretion. The list price in the US is $425 USD, while resellers such as Training Camp, GetCertified4Less, and Total Seminars undercut the list price to $360 to $400 (CompTIA store, August 2026).

International pricing follows regional banding: UK candidates pay about GBP 330, EU candidates pay EUR 370 to 420, Canadian candidates pay CAD 500, and Australian candidates pay AUD 615. Currency conversions update quarterly on the CompTIA store (CompTIA, August 2026).

Vouchers expire 12 months after purchase and are non-transferable. CompTIA replaced its older SY0-601 exam in mid-2024, and the SY0-801 update is scheduled for November 2026 release (CompTIA, September 2026).

Source: CompTIA store, August 2026; reseller sites, August 2026.

Security+ bundle and retake pricing

CompTIA bundles CertMaster Learn, Practice, Labs, and exam vouchers into tiered packages that include a free retake. Retake Assurance saves $425 if the first attempt fails, and most candidates value the bundled content more than the retake (CompTIA, August 2026).

The Study and Exam bundle pairs CertMaster Learn with a voucher for $477, while the CertMaster Practice and Exam bundle with retake assurance sits at $593. The premium all-in-one Super Bundle with labs and TotalTester practice exams lists at $630 (CompTIA, August 2026).

Standalone CertMaster Practice costs $179, CertMaster Labs costs $299, and the CertMaster Learn subscription runs $299. These are useful add-ons for candidates who already own a voucher from their employer (CompTIA, August 2026).

Source: CompTIA store, August 2026.

Self-study Security+ path: $440 to $485

The cheapest path to Security+ combines CompTIA's free official objectives PDF with the free Professor Messer video series and a $425 voucher. Adding a printed study guide and a practice exam bundle pushes the spend to $485 (CompTIA, August 2026).

Professor Messer's SY0-701 course on YouTube covers all five domains in roughly 30 hours. Mike Meyers' All-in-One Exam Guide and Darryl Gibson's Get Certified Get Ahead paperback both run around $25 to $40 (CompTIA, August 2026).

Udemy practice exams from Jason Dion and Darryl Gibson run $15 to $25 on sale, and the official CertMaster Practice subscription is $179 if candidates want a CompTIA-aligned question pool (CompTIA, August 2026).

Source: CompTIA store and major reseller pricing, August 2026.

Live online Security+ training: $477 to $1,200

Live online Security+ courses from CompTIA, Coursera, and ed2go pair instructor-led weekly sessions with a voucher and retake assurance. Most programmes run six to eight weeks at four to six hours per week (CompTIA, August 2026).

CompTIA's own CertMaster Learn + Live course sits at $899 to $1,199, while third-party bootcamp-lite courses at Coursera and Cybrary run $477 to $799. Many community colleges offer accredited Security+ courses for $300 to $600 tuition (CompTIA, August 2026).

Live training suits career-changers who need structure and accountability. The advantage over self-study is the instructor's domain walk-through; the disadvantage is the rigid schedule and added cost (Infosec, August 2026).

Security+ bootcamp path: $2,500 to $4,000

Five-day immersive Security+ bootcamps condense 35 to 40 contact hours into a single working week with a Pearson VUE exam scheduled at the end. Tuition bundles the exam voucher, retake assurance, and a Pass Guarantee (Infosec, August 2026).

Training Camp, Infosec, and Test Pass Academy lead the market at $2,500 to $4,000 all-in. Add $300 to $600 for travel, lodging, and meals for out-of-state candidates, pushing the bill to $2,800 to $4,600 (Infosec, August 2026).

Many employers reimburse Security+ bootcamp tuition under professional-development budgets. The US military and several federal agencies have blanket purchase agreements with named training providers (DoD 8140.03, September 2026).

Security+ exam format and 2026 domains

The SY0-701 exam splits content into five domains, refreshed for the AI-integrated SOC environment. General Security Concepts carries 12 percent, Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations 22 percent, Security Architecture 18 percent, Security Operations 28 percent, and Security Program Management and Oversight 20 percent (CompTIA, September 2026).

The exam delivers a maximum of 90 questions in 90 minutes, with a 750-of-900 passing score. Question types include traditional multiple-choice, drag-and-drop matching, and performance-based scenarios that simulate a real configuration task (CompTIA, September 2026).

The SY0-801 refresh expected November 2026 will incorporate AI-specific threat detection, generative-AI risk categories, and updated cloud-security content. Existing SY0-701 vouchers are not valid for the SY0-801 exam (CompTIA, September 2026).

Source: CompTIA SY0-701 exam objectives, September 2026.

DoD 8140 and US federal contractor demand

Security+ is the de facto baseline credential for US Department of Defence contractor cybersecurity roles in 2026. DoD 8140.03 lists Security+ as approved for IAT Level I, IAT Level II, and IAM Level I positions (DoD 8140.03, September 2026).

Federal contractors such as Booz Allen, Leidos, SAIC, and CACI require Security+ for junior SOC analyst, help-desk security, and compliance analyst roles. Pay differentials of $5,000 to $12,000 are common for Security+ holders in cleared positions (DoD 8140, September 2026).

State governments and critical-infrastructure operators also list Security+ for IT support roles. The credential is the most-cited IT certification on US job ads in 2026, ahead of Cisco CCNA and AWS Cloud Practitioner (CompTIA Workforce Trends, 2025).

Security+ renewal cycle and CertMaster CE

Security+ credentials expire three years after the date of passing and require 50 Continuing Education Units or a higher-level CompTIA exam to renew. CompTIA offers three renewal paths (CompTIA, September 2026).

The CertMaster CE online course costs $129 and walks candidates through the latest SY0-701 objectives plus refreshers on AI threat detection. Candidates who pass earn a renewed three-year certification (CompTIA, September 2026).

Free CEU sources include CompTIA webinars, employer-provided training, published cybersecurity articles, and conference attendance. Many candidates stack 50 CEUs over the three-year cycle at zero direct cost (CompTIA, September 2026).

Source: CompTIA renewal policies, September 2026.

How Security+ compares to other entry-level security credentials

Security+ sits between the entry-level SSCP and the mid-tier CySA+ on cost and depth, with a $425 exam versus SSCP at $249 and CySA+ at $392. All three are US DoD 8140 approved at different role levels (ISC2, CompTIA, September 2026).

SSCP from ISC2 covers seven operational domains and is well regarded for system administration security, while CySA+ adds blue-team analyst skills on top of Security+. PenTest+ from CompTIA focuses on red-team skills and costs the same $392 voucher (CompTIA, September 2026).

Most US federal hiring managers accept any of the three for junior analyst roles, but Security+ remains the most-cited baseline in 2026 job postings. Candidates targeting penetration testing should pair Security+ with PenTest+ (DoD 8140, September 2026).

Source: CompTIA, ISC2, and DoD 8140 official listings, September 2026.

FAQs

Should I take Security+ or Google's Cybersecurity Certificate?

Security+ is industry-recognised and ANSI-accredited, while Google's Cybersecurity Professional Certificate through Coursera is an entry-level completion credential. Federal contractors and large enterprises require Security+; small businesses may accept Google's certificate for junior roles. Many candidates earn Google's certificate first then sit Security+ within six months (CompTIA, Coursera, August 2026).

How long is the Security+ exam in 2026?

The SY0-701 exam has a 90-minute seat time. CompTIA recommends arriving 15 minutes early for ID verification. Candidates with approved testing accommodations may receive extended time. The exam closes automatically after 90 minutes, even if questions remain (CompTIA, September 2026).

Can I schedule Security+ as an online proctored exam?

Yes. CompTIA offers online proctoring through Pearson VUE OnVUE and in-person testing at Pearson VUE centres. Both delivery modes use the same $425 voucher and identical exam content. Online proctoring requires a webcam, microphone, and a clean workspace (CompTIA, September 2026).

What is the difference between SY0-701 and SY0-801?

SY0-701 is the current Security+ exam code, launched in November 2023. SY0-801 is the next refresh expected November 2026 with roughly 10-15 percent content change, focused on AI threat detection and generative-AI risk categories. Vouchers are exam-specific and cannot be transferred between versions (CompTIA, September 2026).

Do Security+ vouchers expire?

Yes. CompTIA exam vouchers expire 12 months after purchase, regardless of exam delivery mode. Unused vouchers after the 12-month window are forfeit and non-refundable. Resellers such as Training Camp and Total Seminars sometimes offer short-extension vouchers at a $50-$75 fee (CompTIA, September 2026).

Is Security+ harder than Network+?

Security+ covers a broader set of security domains than Network+, but the question styles are more conceptual and less hands-on. Most IT administrators report Security+ is harder on first attempt because it tests reasoning about security trade-offs. Network+ sits at the same 90-question, 90-minute format (CompTIA, September 2026).

What study time should I budget for Security+?

CompTIA recommends 60 to 80 hours of structured study for first-time candidates. Career-changers typically need 100 to 120 hours, while experienced system administrators may need 40 to 60 hours. A 10-week plan of 6 to 8 hours per week works well (CompTIA, September 2026).

Source verification: CompTIA official store (August 2026), CompTIA Security+ SY0-701 exam objectives (September 2026), DoD 8140.03 approved baseline (September 2026), Infosec Institute Security+ cost analysis (August 2026), CompTIA Workforce Trends report (2025), ISC2 CC and SSCP exam pricing (September 2026).