ISC2 offers two certifications that people often weigh against each other: Certified in Cybersecurity (CC), its entry-level exam, and the CISSP, its certification for experienced security leaders. They use the same adaptive exam style, but they sit at opposite ends of a security career. Here is how they compare, taken from ISC2’s official pages and exam outlines, followed by our suggestion on which to take first.

The two exams side by side

Detail Certified in Cybersecurity (CC) CISSP

Level Entry level Experienced practitioners, managers and executives

Format Computerized adaptive test (CAT): multiple choice and advanced item types Computerized adaptive test (CAT): multiple choice and advanced item types

Items 100 to 125, including 25 unscored pretest items 100 to 150, including 25 unscored pretest items

Time 2 hours maximum 3 hours maximum

Passing grade 700 out of 1000 points 700 out of 1000 points

Price US$199 in most regions (EUR 191.04 in Europe, GBP 161.19 in the UK) US$749 in most regions (EUR…