Career information: The roles discussed below are career examples, not outcomes for Campus graduates. Hiring requirements vary by employer and may include education, experience, and other qualifications beyond an associate degree or Security+ certification. Completing a program or earning a certification does not guarantee employment, salary, or career advancement.
If you’re looking to pursue a career in cybersecurity or information technology, CompTIA Security+ is one credential to consider. It focuses on foundational security knowledge and practical concepts that can complement academic study and hands-on experience. The right starting point depends on what you already know and the responsibilities you want to pursue.
Before choosing training, understand what the certification covers, which examination version you plan to take, and how preparation fits into your education and career goals. This guide explains those distinctions and the questions to ask before registering.
What is the CompTIA Security+ Certification?
CompTIA Security+ is a vendor-neutral cybersecurity certification. Rather than focusing on one manufacturer’s products, it assesses foundational security knowledge and skills across different technology environments. Topics include protecting systems and data, assessing risks, selecting safeguards, and responding to security events. [1]
Passing the examination means a candidate has met CompTIA’s assessment standard. It does not establish expertise in every security tool or qualify someone for every cybersecurity position. Coursework, guided practice, and experience help learners apply the concepts beyond the exam.
Why Do IT Professionals Need the Security+ Certification?
Not every IT professional needs Security+. It may be useful when a position involves security responsibilities or an employer requests the credential. For someone moving from technical support, networking, or systems administration toward security work, preparation can provide a structured way to connect existing knowledge with cybersecurity concepts.
Security+ can also provide a foundation for later study in security analysis, vulnerability management, incident response, or authorized penetration testing. There is no universal certification “stack” that everyone must complete, and passing one exam does not replace the preparation required for more specialized work. Compare the actual responsibilities you want to pursue with the knowledge and skills they require. [2]
Examination versions matter. As of October 16, 2026, Security+ V7 uses exam code SY0-701. CompTIA’s official announcement schedules the English Security+ V8 exam and learning materials for November 17, 2026; V8 uses exam code SY0-801. The announcement describes expanded coverage of AI-related risks, security operations, and modern IT environments. Treat that date as a planned release and confirm current availability before booking. [3] [4]
CompTIA regularly reviews its examinations. Check its actual launch and retirement notices rather than planning around a fixed three-year replacement schedule. Exam updates and credential renewal are separate matters. Match your course, study materials, and examination booking to the appropriate version. [1] [5]
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What Skills Do You Learn Preparing for the Security+ Certification?
Security+ preparation covers concepts that apply across different products and environments. Vendor-neutral does not mean every employer uses identical tools or procedures. Training and practice should help you understand why a security measure is appropriate, not simply memorize its name.
The subject areas below summarize the kind of knowledge addressed in Security+ preparation; they are not a separate examination blueprint. [1]
- Threats and vulnerabilities: Recognizing common attacks, social engineering, malicious activity, and weaknesses that can expose an organization to risk.
- Security tools and monitoring: Understanding the purposes of firewalls, endpoint protection, security alerts, and other monitoring technologies.
- Secure architecture: Comparing safeguards for networks, cloud services, applications, and other computing environments.
- Identity and access management: Applying authentication, authorization, account management, and appropriate access restrictions.
- Risk and resilience: Evaluating risk, considering mitigation options, and understanding continuity, backup, and recovery planning.
- Cryptography and data protection: Understanding encryption, certificates, digital signatures, and public key infrastructure in context.
- Governance and security operations: Following policies, documenting findings, supporting incident response, and recognizing compliance responsibilities.
The published V8 objectives also address AI-related threats and the use of AI and automation in security work. Use the final objectives for your selected version rather than assuming that every V7 lesson maps directly to V8. A preview or draft is useful for planning but is not a substitute for the final examination specification. [4]
For practice, use systems and lab environments you are authorized to access. A certification or training exercise does not give permission to test someone else’s network. Pair technical exercises with documentation and communication so you can explain what you found and why a particular response makes sense.
Career Paths That Use the Security+ Certification
Security+ may be relevant to positions involving information security or security-related infrastructure responsibilities. Read each job announcement carefully: a credential may be required, preferred, or not mentioned at all. Job titles also vary, so focus on the work and the employer’s qualifications rather than assuming that a title establishes an entry-level position. [2]
Examples of related roles include:
- Network administrator
- Systems administrator
- Security administrator
- Junior IT auditor
- Security analyst
- Security architect
- Cyber defense analyst
- Network specialist
- Security engineer
- Information security manager
- Vulnerability analyst
- Security control assessor
These examples are not a list of jobs that Security+ alone qualifies you to perform. Architecture, engineering, and management positions, in particular, may require substantial additional experience and education. Use the list to identify areas to research, not as a guaranteed progression.
Government and defense-related work: Security+ may meet a foundational certification option for a particular DoD work role where the current qualification matrix accepts it. DoD Manual 8140.03 uses work-role and proficiency-specific requirements; a certification does not automatically satisfy every qualification, on-the-job requirement, clearance condition, or hiring criterion. Check the current matrix and the specific position’s requirements. [6]
Are There Prerequisites For Taking the Security+ Certification Exam?
There are no formal requirements to earn A+ or Network+ or complete a specified period of employment before taking Security+. CompTIA’s experience recommendations describe preparation, not a mandatory work-experience verification requirement.
For SY0-701, CompTIA recommends at least two years of IT administration experience with a security focus, practical technical-security experience, and broad security knowledge. Network+ study or comparable networking knowledge can be helpful, but passing Network+ is not a required step. [1]
A college may separately require prerequisite courses before you enter its Security+ preparation course. Those academic requirements are different from CompTIA’s exam eligibility rules. Candidates must also comply with the applicable registration, identification, testing, and candidate-agreement policies. [5] [7]
How Do You Earn the CompTIA Security+ Certification?
You earn Security+ by passing an eligible Security+ examination and meeting CompTIA’s applicable candidate requirements. You do not need to pass both SY0-701 and SY0-801 to earn the credential.
For SY0-701 (Security+ V7), the examination details are: [1] [8]
- Questions: A maximum of 90—not necessarily exactly 90.
- Format: Multiple-choice and performance-based questions.
- Time limit: 90 minutes.
- Passing score: 750 on a scale of 100–900. This is a scaled score, not a stated percentage of questions answered correctly.
Do not automatically apply those V7 specifications to a future booking without checking the final V8 information. Select the version you intend to take, review its current objectives, and confirm the matching course materials, voucher conditions, available testing language, and scheduling requirements. The V8 preview reviewed for this article contains details marked as draft or to be determined. [4]
Testing is available through Pearson VUE at participating test centers and through eligible online-proctored arrangements. Review the identification, equipment, testing-space, and accommodation requirements before scheduling. Use legitimate study resources; unauthorized exam-content collections, often called “brain dumps,” can violate CompTIA’s candidate policies. [5]
After earning the credential, review CompTIA’s current certification-maintenance requirements. A new exam version and the renewal of an existing credential are not the same event. [5]
Pursue a Cybersecurity Degree at Campus
Campus offers an Associate of Science in Cybersecurity, a standalone degree combining a broad foundation in information technology with focused cybersecurity study. The 96-quarter-credit program is designed to be completed over eight quarters in two years, with online delivery through live, interactive instruction.
The curriculum brings together networking, operating systems, cloud infrastructure, professional practice, threat detection, vulnerability assessment, security operations, and authorized ethical hacking. Through applied assignments and a culminating capstone, students practice evaluating security challenges, using relevant tools, and communicating findings within legal and ethical boundaries. Students also learn to use AI and automation responsibly while evaluating their limitations, risks, and ethical implications.
Security+ preparation connects directly with this foundation. The Foundations of Cybersecurity course incorporated from the existing curriculum includes preparation for CompTIA Security+. Other cybersecurity coursework addresses security monitoring, threat detection, and ethical hacking. Ask Campus which examination versions the current courses support and what additional preparation may be needed. [7]
For students interested in a broader IT pathway, Campus also offers an online Associate of Science in Information Technology. Its documented coursework includes preparation for CompTIA A+, Network+, Security+, and AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, alongside Linux and command-line study and cloud architecture. The two A+ examinations lead to one A+ credential. [7]
The Campus degree and third-party certifications are separate credentials. Confirm current course alignment, examination eligibility, costs, and any voucher conditions before planning to take an exam. The degree does not automatically award an external certification or establish that every examination fee is included.
Ready to explore your next step? Contact Campus Admissions for information about the curriculum, admission requirements, class schedule, and certification-preparation resources, or begin your application through the Campus website. [9]
Disclaimer
This article provides general educational and career information. CompTIA and other certification organizations establish their own examination, eligibility, fee, scoring, ethics, and renewal requirements. Completing Campus coursework does not automatically award an industry certification or guarantee examination success. Exam versions, availability, and requirements may change.
Completing a degree or earning a certification does not guarantee employment, a particular job, salary, promotion, or career advancement. Employers set their own requirements, which may include additional education, experience, credentials, and other qualifications. The career examples describe areas of potential relevance, not outcomes promised to Campus students or graduates.
Sources
[1] CompTIA — Security+ SY0-701 V7 Examination Objectives, document version 7.0.
[8] CompTIA — Security+ V7 certification overview and examination information.