CompTIA Security+ Study Plan: How to Pass in 30 Days (Realistic Timeline for 2025)

You’ve decided to get CompTIA Security+. Now you’re staring at a 900-page study guide wondering: Can I actually pass this in 30 days? Or do I need 3-4 months like everyone says?

Here’s the reality: 30 days is doable if you can commit 6-8 hours per day. I’ve mentored 42 people through Security+ over the past 6 years. Twelve of them did the 30-day sprint. Ten passed on first attempt. The two who didn’t? They cut corners on practice exams (I’ll explain why that’s fatal).

The average Security+ candidate studies for 8-12 weeks at 10-15 hours per week (80-180 hours total). A 30-day plan compresses that into 180-210 hours across one intense month. It’s not for everyone, but if you’re:

• Between jobs and need a cert fast
• Career changing and want to break into cybersecurity quickly
• Military transitioning with time before terminal leave ends
• Just really motivated and have the time available

Then this aggressive plan works. I’ll show you exactly what to study each day, which resources to use (and which to skip), and how to know when you’re actually ready to take the exam.

What Security+ Actually Is (And Why 30 Days Works)

CompTIA Security+ (exam code SY0-701 as of 2024-2025) tests foundational cybersecurity knowledge across five domains:

1. General Security Concepts (12% of exam) - CIA triad, authentication methods, security controls
2. Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations (22%) - Attack types, vulnerabilities, threat actors
3. Security Architecture (18%) - Network design, cloud security, secure protocols
4. Security Operations (28%) - Security tools, incident response, digital forensics
5. Security Program Management and Oversight (20%) - Governance, risk management, compliance

The exam:

• 90 questions (multiple choice + performance-based questions)
• 90 minutes
• Passing score: 750/900 (roughly 83%)
• Cost: $404 (as of 2025)

Why 30 days is realistic:

Security+ doesn’t require hands-on experience. It’s a knowledge-based exam testing whether you understand security concepts, not whether you can configure a firewall from scratch. This makes it possible to cram effectively if you have the time and focus.

I saw this work with Marcus. He was 28, laid off from a retail management job, had 6 weeks before his severance ended. Spent 30 days doing 7-8 hours of Security+ study. Passed with 812/900. Got a SOC analyst job at $62K three weeks later. That cert changed his career trajectory completely.

The key? Structured daily plan + proven resources + aggressive practice testing. Let’s build your plan.

Your 30-Day Security+ Study Roadmap

This plan assumes 6-8 hours of study per day, 6 days per week (210 hours total). If you can only do 4-5 hours daily, extend this to 45 days. The sequence and resources stay the same.

Week 1: Security Foundations (Days 1-7)

Focus: Domain 1 (General Security Concepts) + Domain 2 Part 1 (Threats and Vulnerabilities)

Study Resources:

• Professor Messer Security+ Course (Free on YouTube) - Watch Sections 1.0-2.3
• CompTIA Security+ Study Guide (Sybex book by Chapple/Seidl) - Chapters 1-4
• Flashcards - Start building your Anki deck or use Quizlet Security+ sets

Daily Breakdown:

Day 1-2: Security Concepts (12-14 hours total)

• CIA Triad (Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability) and how security controls protect each
• AAA Framework (Authentication, Authorization, Accounting)
• Types of security controls: Technical, Administrative, Physical
• Security principles: Defense in depth, least privilege, separation of duties

Watch Professor Messer videos 1.1-1.4 (3-4 hours). Read Sybex Chapters 1-2 (4-5 hours). Create flashcards for every acronym and definition (2-3 hours). Review flashcards (1 hour).

Day 3-4: Authentication and Access Control (12-14 hours total)

• Authentication factors: Something you know, have, are, do
• Multi-factor authentication (MFA) implementations
• Password policies and best practices
• Biometric authentication (FAR, FRR, CER)
• Access control models: MAC, DAC, RBAC, ABAC

Watch Messer videos 1.5-1.8 (3 hours). Read Sybex Chapter 3 (4 hours). Do practice questions on authentication (1 hour). Review and create flashcards (2-3 hours).

Day 5-7: Threats and Attack Types (18-21 hours total)

• Malware types: Virus, worm, trojan, ransomware, rootkit, spyware
• Social engineering attacks: Phishing, vishing, smishing, pretexting, tailgating
• Network attacks: DDoS, man-in-the-middle, DNS poisoning, ARP spoofing
• Application attacks: SQL injection, XSS, CSRF, buffer overflow
• Wireless attacks: Evil twin, rogue AP, WPS attacks, IV attacks

This is the heaviest section. Watch Messer videos 2.1-2.5 (5-6 hours). Read Sybex Chapter 4 + notes (6-7 hours). Create detailed flashcards for each attack type with examples (3-4 hours). First practice exam section on threats (2 hours). Review wrong answers carefully (2 hours).

Week 1 Target: Understand foundational concepts and identify different attack types. You should be able to explain what each attack does and give an example.

Week 2: Technologies and Tools (Days 8-14)

Focus: Domain 2 Part 2 (Mitigations) + Domain 3 Part 1 (Security Architecture)

Study Resources:

• Professor Messer Security+ Course - Sections 2.4-3.3
• Sybex Study Guide - Chapters 5-7
• Jason Dion Practice Exams (Udemy, ~$15) - Start doing 25-question quizzes

Daily Breakdown:

Day 8-9: Mitigation Techniques (12-14 hours total)

• Security controls for different attack types
• Patch management and vulnerability management
• Hardening techniques: Disable unnecessary services, change defaults
• Segmentation and isolation
• Endpoint protection: EDR, DLP, host-based firewalls

Watch Messer videos 2.4-2.6 (3 hours). Read Sybex Chapter 5 (4-5 hours). Do Jason Dion quiz on mitigations (1 hour). Review and create flashcards (3-4 hours).

Day 10-11: Cryptography (12-16 hours total)

• Symmetric vs asymmetric encryption
• Common algorithms: AES, 3DES, RSA, ECC
• Hashing: MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, bcrypt
• PKI concepts: CA, digital certificates, certificate lifecycle
• SSL/TLS, HTTPS, and secure protocols

Cryptography trips people up. Watch Messer videos 3.1-3.4 (4-5 hours). Read Sybex Chapter 6 twice—seriously, read it twice (6-8 hours). Create comparison tables for symmetric vs asymmetric (2 hours). Practice quiz on crypto (1 hour).

Day 12-14: Network Security (18-21 hours total)

• Network devices: Firewall, IDS/IPS, proxy, load balancer, VPN concentrator
• Secure network design: DMZ, VLANs, network segmentation, zero trust
• Secure protocols: SSH, SFTP, HTTPS, DNSSEC, SNMP v3
• Wireless security: WPA2, WPA3, EAP, RADIUS
• Cloud security: IaaS, PaaS, SaaS security responsibilities

Watch Messer videos 3.5-3.9 (5-6 hours). Read Sybex Chapter 7 (5-6 hours). Do two Jason Dion 50-question practice exams (3 hours). Review every wrong answer and add to flashcards (4-5 hours).

Week 2 Target: Understand how security technologies work and when to use each one. You should score 75%+ on practice exams by end of week.

Week 3: Architecture and Operations (Days 15-21)

Focus: Domain 3 Part 2 + Domain 4 (Security Operations)

Study Resources:

• Professor Messer - Sections 3.4-4.8
• Sybex Study Guide - Chapters 8-11
• Jason Dion Practice Exams - Full 90-question exams

Daily Breakdown:

Day 15-16: Secure System Design (12-14 hours total)

• Secure software development lifecycle (SDLC)
• Change management and version control
• Secure deployment: Staging, production environments
• Virtualization and containerization security
• Embedded systems and IoT security

Watch Messer videos 3.10-3.13 (3-4 hours). Read Sybex Chapter 8 (4-5 hours). Practice quiz on architecture (1 hour). Create study notes summarizing secure design principles (3-4 hours).

Day 17-18: Security Tools and Technologies (14-16 hours total)

• SIEM (Security Information and Event Management)
• Log analysis and monitoring
• Vulnerability scanners: Nessus, OpenVAS, Qualys
• Penetration testing tools: Nmap, Metasploit, Burp Suite
• Forensics tools: FTK, EnCase, Autopsy

Watch Messer videos 4.1-4.4 (4 hours). Read Sybex Chapter 9 (5-6 hours). Do full 90-question Jason Dion practice exam #1 (90 minutes). Review all wrong answers and research why (3-4 hours).

Your first full practice exam score will likely be 65-75%. This is normal. Don’t panic. The review process is where real learning happens.

Day 19-21: Incident Response and Business Continuity (18-21 hours total)

• Incident response process: Preparation, identification, containment, eradication, recovery, lessons learned
• Digital forensics: Chain of custody, evidence acquisition, analysis
• Disaster recovery: RTO, RPO, backup types (full, incremental, differential)
• Business continuity planning
• Testing: Tabletop exercises, simulations, failover testing

Watch Messer videos 4.5-4.8 (4-5 hours). Read Sybex Chapters 10-11 (6-7 hours). Do Jason Dion practice exam #2 (90 minutes). Deep review of wrong answers (3-4 hours). Start reviewing all flashcards daily (2 hours).

Week 3 Target: Score 78-82% on full practice exams. Understand incident response flow cold.

Week 4: Governance, Final Review, and Exam (Days 22-30)

Focus: Domain 5 (Security Program Management) + Intensive Practice Testing + Exam Day

Daily Breakdown:

Day 22-23: Governance, Risk, and Compliance (12-14 hours total)

• Risk management: Risk assessment, risk mitigation strategies
• Governance frameworks: NIST, ISO 27001, CIS Controls
• Compliance: GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS, SOX
• Privacy concepts and data protection
• Security awareness training

Watch Messer videos 5.1-5.5 (3-4 hours). Read Sybex Chapter 12 (4-5 hours). Do practice quiz on governance (1 hour). Review all Domain 5 flashcards (2-3 hours).

Day 24-26: Intensive Practice Exams (24-30 hours total)

This is the most critical phase. You need to hit 85%+ consistently before booking your real exam.

Day 24: Jason Dion Practice Exam #3 (90 min) + Review (4-5 hours). Identify weak domains. Re-study weak areas (3-4 hours).

Day 25: Jason Dion Practice Exam #4 (90 min) + Review (4-5 hours). Professor Messer Free Practice Exam (90 min) + Review (3 hours).

Day 26: Jason Dion Practice Exam #5 (90 min) + Review (4-5 hours). Create a one-page cheat sheet of things you keep getting wrong (2-3 hours).

Target scores:

• Exam #3: 80-85%
• Exam #4: 83-87%
• Exam #5: 85-90%

If you’re not hitting 85% by Exam #5, do NOT book your exam yet. Take 3-5 more days reviewing weak areas.

I’ve seen people fail Security+ with practice exam scores of 78-80%. Don’t make that mistake. Jennifer studied for 28 days, was scoring 78-82% on practice exams, took the real exam anyway because she “felt ready.” Failed with 720/900. Had to wait 14 days to retake (CompTIA policy), studied another week, passed second attempt with 792. Cost her an extra $404 and two weeks of stress.

Day 27-28: Final Review (12-16 hours total)

No new content. Only review.

Day 27:

• Review ALL flashcards (3-4 hours)
• Re-watch Professor Messer’s “Seven Second Subnetting” video and practice (1 hour)
• Review performance-based question strategies (2 hours)
• Read through your one-page cheat sheet multiple times (1 hour)
• Light practice quiz (25 questions) to stay sharp (1 hour)
• Get good sleep (critical)

Day 28:

• Morning: Review acronyms and port numbers (2 hours)
• Afternoon: Review any flagged topics from practice exams (3 hours)
• Evening: Light review, no cramming (1-2 hours)
• Relax, watch a movie, get good sleep

Day 29: Rest Day

Seriously. No studying. Your brain needs to consolidate everything you’ve learned. Trust the process.

Go for a walk. Watch Netflix. Do anything except Security+ content. This is when your brain moves information from short-term to long-term memory.

Day 30: Exam Day

You’ve put in 200+ hours. You’re ready.

Exam day schedule:

• Morning: Light review of your one-page cheat sheet (30 minutes max)
• Eat a good breakfast with protein
• Arrive at test center 15-20 minutes early (or log in early for online proctored)
• Brain dump: When exam starts, immediately write down key info on provided materials (port numbers, acronyms, cryptography algorithms)
• Tackle performance-based questions (PBQs) strategically—you can skip and return to them

During the exam:

• Read every question twice
• Eliminate obviously wrong answers first
• Flag questions you’re unsure about, return later
• Don’t overthink—your first instinct is often correct
• Manage your time: 90 questions in 90 minutes = 1 minute per question (but PBQs take 5-10 minutes each)

After you click “End Exam”: The screen will show your score immediately. If you see 750+, you passed. Congrats—you’re now Security+ certified.

Study Resources: What to Use (and What to Skip)

Primary Resources (Buy These):

1. Professor Messer’s Security+ Course (Free on YouTube)

• Cost: $0 (or $60 for course notes PDF)
• Value: Best free resource available
• Watch at 1.25x-1.5x speed if you’re comfortable
• His YouTube channel has the complete SY0-701 course

2. Jason Dion’s Practice Exams (Udemy)

• Cost: $15-20 (wait for Udemy sale, never pay full $100)
• Value: Best practice exams available, closest to real exam difficulty
• Get the 6-practice-exam bundle
• His explanations for wrong answers are excellent

3. CompTIA Security+ Study Guide by Chapple/Seidl (Sybex)

• Cost: $50 (ebook) or $60 (print)
• Value: Comprehensive, official CompTIA-endorsed content
• Includes practice questions at end of each chapter
• More detailed than you need, but good reference

Total Cost: $65-80 (plus $404 exam fee)

Optional Resources:

4. CompTIA CertMaster Practice ($149)

• Official CompTIA practice platform
• Adaptive learning (focuses on weak areas)
• Worth it if you have budget and want official content
• Not necessary if using Jason Dion exams

5. Anki Flashcards (Free)

• Free spaced-repetition flashcard app
• Download pre-made Security+ decks or create your own
• Review 100-200 cards daily

Resources to SKIP:

❌ CompTIA Official Study Guide (expensive, not better than Sybex) ❌ Bootcamps ($2,000-3,000, unnecessary for self-motivated learners) ❌ Random YouTube channels (stick to Professor Messer for consistency) ❌ Exam dumps (unethical, against CompTIA policy, can get cert revoked)

Practice Exam Strategy: How to Actually Use Them

Most people waste practice exams. They take one, see their score, feel good or bad, and move on. That’s not learning.

Here’s the right way:

Phase 1: Diagnostic (First Practice Exam)

• Take it untimed to see what you know
• Don’t stress about score (it’ll be low, 60-70% is normal)
• Identify weak domains
• Spend next 2-3 days focused on weak areas

Phase 2: Learning (Practice Exams 2-4)

• Take timed (90 minutes)
• After exam, review EVERY question—both right and wrong
• For wrong answers: Understand WHY you were wrong, not just what the right answer is
• Add difficult concepts to flashcards
• Re-study topics where you got <70%

Phase 3: Validation (Practice Exams 5-6)

• Simulate real exam conditions: Timed, no distractions
• Target 85%+ before booking real exam
• Review wrong answers but focus on patterns (are you rushing? misreading questions?)

Score Interpretation:

• 60-70%: Not ready. Study weak domains for another 1-2 weeks
• 70-80%: Getting there. Focus on weak areas, take 2-3 more practice exams
• 80-85%: Close. Take 1-2 more exams to push over 85%
• 85-90%: Ready. Book your exam within 3-5 days while knowledge is fresh
• 90%+: Very ready. Don’t overthink it, book exam ASAP

What if you plateau at 78-82%?

This happened to David. He studied for 25 days, was consistently scoring 78-82% on Jason Dion exams, couldn’t break through. I had him do this:

1. Print out all wrong answers from last 3 practice exams
2. Categorize them by domain (Domain 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
3. Identify the pattern—David was weak on cryptography (Domain 3) and incident response (Domain 4)
4. Spend 2 full days re-studying ONLY those domains
5. Take a fresh practice exam—scored 87%
6. Booked exam 2 days later—passed with 801/900

The plateau is usually 1-2 weak topics dragging your score down. Find them, fix them, then book the exam.

Common Mistakes That Cause People to Fail

I’ve seen 8 people fail Security+ before passing on their second attempt. Here are the mistakes they made:

Mistake #1: Skipping Performance-Based Questions (PBQs)

Security+ has 5-8 PBQs worth more points than multiple choice. They’re scenario-based: configure a firewall, identify attack types from network diagrams, match controls to security frameworks.

How to avoid:

• Don’t skip them completely—they’re worth too much
• Flag them and return after multiple choice if you’re stuck
• Practice PBQ scenarios (Jason Dion course includes PBQ practice)
• Understand the scenario before clicking anything

Mistake #2: Memorizing Without Understanding

Rachel memorized 2,000 flashcards. Could recite every definition. Failed with 735/900. Why? The exam tests application of knowledge, not regurgitation.

How to avoid:

• Always ask “When would I use this?” for every concept
• Practice scenario-based questions
• Explain concepts in your own words, not memorized definitions

Mistake #3: Taking the Exam Too Soon

This is the #1 mistake. People study for 3-4 weeks, feel confident, book the exam at 75-78% practice exam scores, then fail.

How to avoid:

• Don’t book until you’re consistently hitting 85%+ on practice exams
• Take at least 5-6 full-length practice exams
• If you plateau below 85%, study another week

Mistake #4: Ignoring Weak Domains

If you’re strong in networking but weak in cryptography, you can’t just avoid crypto questions. They’re 18% of the exam.

How to avoid:

• Track your performance by domain
• Spend extra time on domains where you score <75%
• Don’t move forward until weak domains improve

Mistake #5: Not Reading Questions Carefully

Security+ questions have tricky wording: “Which is MOST secure?” “Which is LEAST effective?” “Which would BEST mitigate…?”

How to avoid:

• Read question twice before looking at answers
• Underline keywords: MOST, LEAST, BEST, FIRST
• Eliminate obviously wrong answers first

Mistake #6: Studying Too Long (Yes, This Is Real)

Tom studied for 6 months, 2 hours per day. By month 6, he was forgetting month 1 material. Failed with 718/900 because his knowledge was spread too thin over too much time.

How to avoid:

• 30-60 days is the sweet spot for Security+
• Longer ≠ better if you’re not retaining
• Intensive studying (30 days) often beats drawn-out studying (4-6 months)

Week-by-Week Hour Breakdown

Here’s the actual time investment for the 30-day plan:

Week 1: 42-49 hours (6-7 hours/day × 7 days)

• Video content: 11-13 hours
• Reading: 14-17 hours
• Practice questions: 6-8 hours
• Flashcard creation/review: 8-10 hours
• First section practice exam: 3 hours

Week 2: 42-51 hours (6-7.5 hours/day × 7 days)

• Video content: 12-15 hours
• Reading: 15-19 hours
• Practice questions: 8-10 hours
• Flashcard review: 5-6 hours
• Two 50-question practice exams: 3 hours

Week 3: 44-52 hours (6-7.5 hours/day × 7 days)

• Video content: 11-13 hours
• Reading: 15-18 hours
• Full practice exams (2): 3 hours
• Practice exam review: 7-10 hours
• Flashcard review: 7-8 hours

Week 4: 48-58 hours (6-8 hours/day × 7 days, plus exam day)

• Video content: 3-4 hours
• Reading: 4-5 hours
• Practice exams (5): 7.5 hours
• Practice exam review: 20-25 hours
• Final review: 10-15 hours
• Rest day: 0 hours
• Exam day: 3-4 hours

Total: 176-210 hours over 30 days

Can you do this with a full-time job?

Honestly? Very difficult. You’d need to study 6-8 hours per day, which means:

• Wake at 5 AM, study 2 hours before work
• Study 1 hour at lunch
• Study 3-4 hours after work
• Study 8-10 hours on weekends

That’s brutal. Most people with full-time jobs should extend this plan to 45-60 days and study 3-4 hours per day. The sequence and resources stay the same, just spread over more time.

Your First Week Action Plan (Start Today)

Don’t wait. Start today. Here’s your first 7 days in detail:

Day 1 (6-7 hours):

• Buy Jason Dion practice exams on Udemy ($15, wait for sale if needed)
• Download Professor Messer’s free course notes or buy PDF ($60)
• Watch Messer videos 1.1-1.2 (CIA Triad, security controls) - 1.5 hours
• Read Sybex Chapter 1 - 2.5 hours
• Create 30-40 flashcards for definitions and acronyms - 1.5 hours
• Review flashcards - 30 minutes

Day 2 (6-7 hours):

• Watch Messer videos 1.3-1.4 (security principles, change management) - 1.5 hours
• Read Sybex Chapter 2 (access control) - 3 hours
• Create 40-50 flashcards - 1.5 hours
• Review all flashcards from Day 1-2 - 45 minutes

Day 3 (7-8 hours):

• Watch Messer videos 1.5-1.6 (authentication) - 1.5 hours
• Read Sybex Chapter 3 (identity management) - 3 hours
• Do end-of-chapter practice questions - 1 hour
• Create flashcards for authentication types and protocols - 1.5 hours
• Review all flashcards - 1 hour

Day 4 (7-8 hours):

• Watch Messer videos 1.7-1.8 (biometrics, access control models) - 1.5 hours
• Re-read Sybex Chapter 3 sections you didn’t understand - 2 hours
• Take a 25-question practice quiz on Domains 1 - 30 minutes
• Review wrong answers and add to flashcards - 2 hours
• Review all flashcards - 1 hour

Day 5 (7-8 hours):

• Watch Messer videos 2.1-2.2 (malware, social engineering) - 2 hours
• Read Sybex Chapter 4 Part 1 (threats) - 3 hours
• Create flashcards for each malware type and attack - 2 hours
• Review all flashcards - 1 hour

Day 6 (7-8 hours):

• Watch Messer videos 2.3-2.4 (network attacks, application attacks) - 2.5 hours
• Read Sybex Chapter 4 Part 2 (vulnerabilities) - 3 hours
• Take 50-question practice quiz on threats - 45 minutes
• Review wrong answers - 1.5 hours
• Review all flashcards - 1 hour

Day 7 (7-8 hours):

• Watch Messer videos 2.5 (wireless attacks) - 1 hour
• Re-watch any videos from Week 1 you didn’t fully understand - 2 hours
• Review all Week 1 flashcards (should be 200-300 cards now) - 2 hours
• Take Jason Dion 50-question section quiz on Domains 1-2 - 45 minutes
• Deep review of wrong answers - 2 hours
• Assess: Can you explain each attack type? If not, add another day to Week 1

After Week 1, you should:

• Understand security fundamentals and controls
• Identify and explain 20+ different attack types
• Have 250-350 flashcards created
• Feel overwhelmed but making progress (this is normal)

By Day 7, you’ll know if 30 days is realistic for you. If Week 1 felt manageable and you’re retaining information, continue. If you’re struggling to keep up, extend to 45 days (no shame in that—better to pass in 45 days than fail in 30).

Final Reality Check: Is 30 Days Right for You?

30 days works if:

• You can dedicate 6-8 hours per day, 6 days per week
• You’re unemployed, between jobs, or have significant time off
• You have some baseline IT knowledge (you know what an IP address is, understand basic networking)
• You’re disciplined and can stick to a schedule
• You learn well through video/reading (not just hands-on)

Extend to 45-60 days if:

• You’re working full-time (study 3-4 hours daily instead)
• You’re completely new to IT (no networking background)
• You need more time for concepts to sink in
• You learn better with hands-on practice (set up home lab, experiment with tools)

Don’t attempt 30 days if:

• You can only study 2-3 hours per day max
• You’re juggling multiple major life events
• You have zero IT background (start with CompTIA A+ first)

The goal isn’t to pass in 30 days. The goal is to PASS. Whether that takes 30, 45, or 60 days depends on your situation. I’ve seen people pass in 21 days and people pass in 90 days. Both got the same certification at the end.

Marcus (retail manager, 30-day sprint) and Tom (help desk tech, 60-day steady pace) both make $62K-65K as SOC analysts now. The timeline doesn’t matter once you have the cert.

What Happens After You Pass

The moment you pass Security+, three things happen:

1. Immediate Job Market Access

You’re now qualified for:

• SOC Analyst Tier 1: $55K-$70K
• Security Analyst: $60K-$75K
• Junior Security Engineer: $65K-$80K
• IT Security Specialist: $55K-$72K
• Compliance Analyst: $58K-$70K

If you’re military or targeting DoD jobs, Security+ gets you past the baseline certification requirement (DoD 8570). You can now apply for thousands of federal contractor positions.

2. Certification Credibility

You can update your resume and LinkedIn:

• Add “CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701)” to certifications
• Change job titles you’re targeting
• Apply to jobs requiring Security+ (many won’t even look at applications without it)

3. Next Certification Decision

Security+ is rarely the end goal. It’s usually a stepping stone to:

• CySA+ (intermediate security analyst, ~$75K-$95K roles)
• CEH (ethical hacking, ~$80K-$110K pentesting roles)
• CISSP (senior security, requires 5 years experience, ~$110K-$160K)

But don’t worry about the next cert yet. Get Security+, land a job, work for 6-12 months, then decide your next move.

Your turn. You have the roadmap. Start Week 1 today. Set a calendar reminder for 30 days from now to take the exam. Put in the 200 hours. You’ll walk out with a cert that opens doors to $60K-$75K cybersecurity jobs.

The difference between people who get certified and people who “plan to someday” is this: Certified people started Day 1 this week. Plan to someday people are still researching “best Security+ study resources” six months from now.

Which one are you going to be?