CISSP vs CEH
Which certification is right for your career? Here's the full breakdown.
(ISC)²
CISSP
CISSP
Gold-standard senior security certification covering 8 domains including risk management, architecture, and cryptography.
Full guide →EC-Council
CEH
CEH v13
Certified Ethical Hacker — offensive security certification covering penetration testing methodologies and hacking tools.
Full guide →Side-by-side comparison
| Category | CISSP | CEH |
|---|---|---|
| Exam cost | ✓$749 USD | $1199 USD |
| Avg salary uplift | ✓+$22,000/yr | +$15,000/yr |
| Exam duration | 240 min | 240 min |
| Renewal period | Every 3 years | Every 3 years |
| Issued by | (ISC)² | EC-Council |
| Difficulty | Advanced | Intermediate |
CISSP — Prerequisites
5 years paid work experience in 2+ of 8 CISSP domains
CEH — Prerequisites
2 years IT security experience or EC-Council official training
Get CISSP if…
- •You're aiming for senior or management roles in security
- •You want a +$22,000/yr salary boost
- •You prefer credentials from (ISC)²
Get CEH if…
- •You have 2–3 years of IT experience and want to specialise
- •You want a +$15,000/yr salary boost
- •You prefer credentials from EC-Council
Best CISSP courses
udemy
CISSP Complete Course
by Top-rated instructor
One-time purchase, lifetime access
View on Udemy →Best CEH courses
udemy
CEH Complete Course
by Top-rated instructor
One-time purchase, lifetime access
View on Udemy →Frequently asked questions
Is CISSP harder than CEH?
CISSP is harder — rated advanced vs intermediate.
Which pays more — CISSP or CEH?
CISSP has an average salary uplift of +$22,000/yr, while CEH has +$15,000/yr. CISSP has the higher salary impact.
Which should I get first — CISSP or CEH?
CEH is the better starting point — it's rated intermediate and costs less. Use it as a stepping stone toward CISSP.