CISSP and CCSP are not competing certs in the field of information security . They are built for different use cases. So if you’re stuck thinking which one is better, you are asking the wrong question. What you should be asking is which one fits what I actually do or want to do?
CISSP’s the older one. It’s broad, requiring a broad understanding of various concepts . It covers a lot, like everything from access control, cryptography, to risk mgmt. and policy frameworks. If you are working in security in a general sense, say, as a manager, consultant, lead, or analyst, CISSP makes sense. That’s why it’s still asked for in job posts even 20+ years after it launched.
But here’s the kicker: more orgs are ditching on-prem setups. Cloud’s where everything’s heading. That’s where CCSP jumps in. You might say CCSP is the cloud-native cousin of CISSP exam. It goes deep into how to protect stuff that doesn’t sit in a data center anymore, emphasizing essential skills for cloud environments .
So, no, you don’t need both. You just need the one that fits where you’re headed. Let’s go deeper.
| Aspect | CISSP Certification | CCSP Certification Exam |
|---|---|---|
| Full Name | Certified Information Systems Security Professional | Certified Cloud Security Professional |
| Offered By | (ISC)² | (ISC)² in collaboration with Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) |
| Primary Focus | Broad cybersecurity concepts, governance, and architecture | Cloud security, cloud architecture, and compliance in cloud environments |
| Target Audience | Cybersecurity professionals, security consultants, managers | Cloud security engineers, architects, and IT professionals working in cloud environments |
| Experience Requirement | 5 years in 2 or more of the 8 CISSP domains | 5 years in IT, including 1 year in 1 or more of the 6 CCSP domains |
| Domains Covered | 8 domains (e.g., Risk Management, Network Security, Asset Security) | 6 domains (e.g., Cloud Concepts, Cloud Data Security, Legal & Compliance, Cloud computing, Cloud technologies) |
| Exam Format | Computer Adaptive Test; 100–150 questions; 3 hours | 125 multiple-choice questions; 4 hours |
| Passing Score | 700 out of 1000 | 700 out of 1000 |
| CPE Requirements | 120 CPEs over 3 years | 90 CPEs over 3 years |
| Salary Range | ~$120,000+ depending on location/role | ~$110,000+ depending on cloud expertise |
| Difficulty | Broad and technical across multiple security areas | Focused and technical, specific to cloud environments |
The Cloud Shift Is Real And It’s Changing What Security Pros Need in Information Technology
It’s not hype anymore. Cloud’s not the “future”, it’s just the way things are now. And that’s a problem for folks who still rely on frameworks that were built back when risk management was focused on data that lived inside actual servers in the office basement, highlighting the need for ongoing training .
CCSP picks up where CISSP leaves off. Think about it: identity, data security, legal/regulatory; sure, CISSP touches those. But the certified cloud security professional (CCSP) handles them across six ccsp domains in a cloud context. That means encryption at rest/in transit across multi-cloud, shared responsibility models, cloud app security, and thorough security assessment.
CISSP might give you the base as an information systems security professional , but CCSP sharpens it for today’s infra. For security engineers or those focused on security architecture working in AWS, Azure, GCP, or even hybrid, it’s probably more useful than CISSP. That’s just facts.
Do You Need CISSP Before CCSP? Not Anymore.
Some folks still think you gotta pass CISSP before CCSP. Not true.
(ISC)² says you need 5 years of experience in IT security to earn CCSP, not that you need a CISSP. Sure, having CISSP helps you knock out the CCSP requirement faster, but it’s not mandatory.
Here’s a common path in your professional journey :
- You work in cloud security for a while
- You prep for CCSP directly
- You skip CISSP altogether
That’s becoming pretty common, especially among folks working at startups or cloud-native companies. So no, you don’t need CISSP as a stepping stone anymore. CCSP stands on its own now, especially for those advancing in their cybersecurity career .
If you’re leaning toward leadership or governance instead of pure cloud, this side-by-side on CISSP vs CISM Certification (2025) clarifies how managerial tracks diverge from cloud-first roles.
Want to Know Which Cert Pays More? Here’s What Salaries Say
You probably guessed CISSP still brings higher salaries. It’s older, more widely known, and still asked for in lots of job listings. But that gap is shrinking, fast.
Average Salary (US – 2025 Estimates) based on courses and certifications :
| Certification | Avg Salary | Top Industries Hiring |
| CISSP | $129,000 | Finance, Government, Healthcare |
| CCSP | $123,000 | SaaS, Cloud Vendors, Tech Startups |
Thing is, if you are working in cloud, CCSP often opens better roles, even if the avg salary looks slightly lower. And when someone has both? The combo usually pushes you into the $140K+ bracket, especially if you’re senior or lead level.
Also: lots of companies now list CISSP or CCSP in job posts. That’s a sign they treat them as equals. The cert that edges out will depend on the job’s actual scope.
Let’s Talk Real Jobs, Not Just What the Certs Promise for Cybersecurity Field
So you’re not just doing this for a shiny badge. You want a better job through a cybersecurity certification , right?
Let’s look at the types of roles each cert aligns with:
| Job Title | CISSP Preferred | CCSP Preferred |
| InfoSec Manager | ✅ | ❌ |
| Cloud Security Architect | ❌ | ✅ |
| GRC Specialist | ✅ | ❌ |
| DevSecOps Engineer | ❌ | ✅ |
| Cybersecurity Consultant (General) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Cloud Risk Analyst | ❌ | ✅ |
If your job touches cloud workloads, container security, or SaaS platforms, CCSP’s gonna feel a lot more aligned.
If you’re dealing with policies, audits, or legacy infra, CISSP is still the go-to.
Why CISSP Still Isn’t Going Anywhere?
Let’s not pretend like CISSP is on its way out. It’s still one of the most respected certs in security, covering six domains . A lot of high-level roles flat-out require it. Even if the company’s 100% cloud, CISSP still helps if you’re overseeing security as a whole. If you’re planning to earn CISSP and want a complete walkthrough on domains, exam format, and prep tips, check out our Ultimate CISSP Exam Guide in 2025 to start your journey with confidence.
CISSP teaches you how to think about risk, policy, governance, and controls. It’s managerial. If you’re leading a team or working in compliance-heavy environments, it makes sense to have it on your resume.
Also, some job portals give keyword weight to CISSP way more than CCSP. That’s just how it is for now.
But CCSP Feels Like It Was Built for the Jobs We Have Now
Here’s what sets CCSP apart: it’s specific, focusing on eight domains in cloud security . It doesn’t waste your time on irrelevant frameworks. It’s all about cloud access, APIs, virtualization, and securing environments where you don’t own the hardware.
Example: shared responsibility models confuse a lot of new cloud engineers. CCSP explains access management and who’s responsible for what, Amazon vs customer, in every domain.
Also: It’s not vendor-specific. You’re not learning just AWS or just Azure. It’s strategy-focused. You get to understand the overall concepts, including software development security so you can adapt to any cloud provider.
That’s why DevSecOps teams love this cert. It helps them build security into pipelines, not just bolt it on later.
Preparing for CCSP? CCSP exam dumps from Cert Empire are built to match the current exam domains, with focused questions on cloud concepts, legal, and infrastructure security.
What You Study for Each Exam Isn’t Even Close
The exam content shows you just how different these certs are:
CISSP Domains:
- Security and Risk Mgmt
- Asset Security
- Security Architecture
- Comms & Network Security
- Identity & Access Mgmt (IAM)
- Security Assessment and Testing
- Security Operations
- Software Development Security
CCSP Domains:
- Cloud Concepts, Architecture, and Design
- Cloud Data Security
- Cloud Platform and Infrastructure Security
- Cloud App Security
- Operations
- Legal, Risk, and Compliance
So yeah, both talk about IAM, data, risk, but CCSP applies it directly to cloud workloads.
If you are prepping for both, don’t expect to recycle study material. You will need different mindsets for each. CISSP wants you to think like a policymaker. CCSP wants you to think like a systems architect.
How Hard Are the Exams? One’s Long, One’s Tricky
- CISSP is 3 hours, 125–175 questions, CAT (adaptive).
- CCSP is 3 hours, 125 questions, fixed.
Most people say CISSP feels harder overall, not because the content’s more advanced, but because of the way questions are worded. They’re vague. They test how you think.
CCSP questions are clearer, but the skills covered are very technical, especially if you don’t work in cloud already.
People coming from cloud infra say CCSP feels like a deep dive. People from risk and policy say CISSP makes their brain hurt after 100+ questions.
Will Doing Both Help? Depends on What You Want Next
Stacking CISSP and CCSP isn’t a bad idea, but only if you’re aiming for senior, cross-functional roles.
Example: Heads of Security who oversee policy and engineering. Or consultants who switch between client environments.
But if you’re trying to break into cloud-focused security, don’t waste time on CISSP first. Go CCSP. You’ll get into the job faster and learn what’s actually useful.
Alright, continuing the second half of the blog post while keeping your tone, structure, and NLP-friendly rules intact:
CISSP Gets You in the Room, CCSP Keeps You in the Cloud
Here’s a real-world difference that doesn’t get talked about enough:
CISSP gets you past HR filters. It’s the cert that’ll make your resume pop when recruiters are scanning. Lots of them don’t even know what CCSP is. But hiring managers do. Especially the ones building out modern infra teams.
CCSP gives you credibility with engineers. When you’re in the room talking about container security, cloud-native access control, data flows across SaaS apps, and chief information security officer strategie people listen if you know your stuff. CCSP forces you to understand those skills and concepts.
So yeah, CISSP might help you get shortlisted, but CCSP helps you actually talk shop with the people who run the environment. And when they see you know what you’re doing, your role starts growing, fast.
CISSP vs CCSP in 2025: What Recruiters and Teams Are Actually Asking For
Let’s break this down with what we’ve seen in actual listings this year:
- Senior security roles in banking, healthcare, defense → still list CISSP first. Sometimes it’s required.
- Mid-level or senior roles in SaaS, AI, or eComm companies → CCSP preferred. Especially if the stack is AWS/GCP.
- Any company using DevOps or cloud-first architecture → CCSP is gold.
- Roles with “compliance,” “audit,” or “governance” → CISSP is almost always needed.
Also, more new job posts are starting to say stuff like “CISSP or CCSP or equivalent.” That’s a clear sign both resources are recognized.
But recruiters also check GitHub, cloud certs, hands-on stuff. They’re not just going by acronyms anymore. So having one of these, paired with solid cloud certs (AWS Security Specialty, for example), can really help demonstrate your expertise .
Should You Combine These with Vendor Certs? Yeah, If You Want Practical Cred
This comes up a lot, does CCSP replace something like AWS Security Specialty or Microsoft SC-300? Nope.
But it does make you understand how to think about cloud security across vendors. That’s its strength. It’s not click-and-config like AWS or Azure certs, it involves best practices and ’s conceptual.
Pairing CCSP with AWS Security or CISSP with Azure Security Engineer shows you can think and do.
So yeah, combo cert paths make sense:
- CCSP + AWS Security Specialty → cloud engineer/security roles
- CISSP + CISA or CRISC → GRC-heavy paths
- CISSP + CCSP → security leadership/consulting gigs
What you combine these with matters more than just collecting badges.
If your path sits closer to audit, assurance, or compliance, our CISSP vs CISA Comparison 2025 breaks down when an audit-centric route outperforms a generalist security track.
Cost, Time, and Stress, What You’re Actually Signing Up For
Quick breakdown on what you’re getting into:
| Cert | Exam Fee | Prep Time | Renewal | Real Challenge |
| CISSP | $749 | 3–4 months | 3 years | Understanding vague scenario questions |
| CCSP | $599 | 2–3 months | 3 years | Applying cloud concepts to security models |
Both need Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits to stay valid. So be ready to attend webinars, trainings, etc., after you pass. For updated dumps and reliable study materials across security and cloud certifications, explore Cert Empire trusted by thousands of cybersecurity professionals. Struggling with CISSP’s broad content? CISSP exam dumps from Cert Empire focus on real exam patterns, helping you practice with scenario-driven questions.
CISSP prep feels heavier because of how broad it is, so using a practice test can help . But CCSP certification can throw you off if you haven’t worked directly with cloud tools. You’ll need to really understand cloud services, not just know the theory.
Some folks say CCSP’s easier, but that’s only if you’ve got hands-on cloud experience. If not, expect a learning curve.
Final Thought: Don’t Let Hype or Old Advice Pick for You
Too many people pick CISSP just because it’s the “standard.” Others jump on CCSP because it sounds newer or more modern. Neither is a bad choice. But neither works if it doesn’t match your daily grind or future path, as your knowledge should align with your goals .
Ask yourself:
- Are you more in charge of people and policies → CISSP
- Are you deep into cloud, containers, automation → CCSP
- Want to lead cross-team cloud projects → maybe both
Just don’t waste time chasing both just because everyone else is. Pick based on what tools, platforms, and roles are in your workflow and the operations you wish to pursue .
And don’t forget: hiring managers know when someone’s collecting certs vs actually understanding the work. Pick one, prep smart, and aim for practical knowledge through practice exams, not just a digital badge to manage.
FAQs
Which is harder, CISSP or CCSP?
Depends on your background. CISSP is broader and has trickier wording. CCSP is tighter but requires real cloud understanding. If you’re new to cloud, CCSP feels tough.
Can I do CCSP without having CISSP first?
Yep. There’s no rule saying you must have CISSP. If you meet the work exp. requirement (5 years total, 1 in cloud), you’re good to go.
Which cert gets you more money, CISSP or CCSP?
CISSP still edges out in avg salary, but CCSP is catching up fast, especially in cloud-first companies. With both, you’ll likely cross six figures comfortably.
Do I need both certs?
Only if you’re aiming for senior roles or consulting gigs that need both policy + tech fluency. For most folks, one is enough.
Is CCSP recognized by employers yet?
Yes, especially in cloud-heavy industries. It’s showing up more in job listings than ever before. CISSP still has broader recognition, though.
Is the CCSP exam all multiple choice?
Yep. No sims, no labs, just standard multiple-choice format. But the questions go deep on cloud topics.
How long should I study for CISSP or CCSP?
CISSP: give it 3–4 months if you’re working full-time. CCSP: 2–3 months is usually enough if you’ve got cloud background.
Last Updated on by Team CE
