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CISA - Certified Information Systems Auditor

CISA - Certified Information Systems Auditor vs 3 alternatives compared

Exam fee, level, duration, validity and salary side by side. Blank cells mean we do not have verified data yet.

CISA - Certified Information Systems AuditorCISSP - Certified Information Systems Security ProfessionalCEH - Certified Ethical HackerCompTIA Security+
VendorISACAISC2EC-CouncilCompTIA
LevelAdvancedAdvancedIntermediateBeginner
Exam feeUS$575 (member) / US$760 (non‑member)$749$1,199$425
Duration——4 hours (MCQ) + 6 hours (practical)—
Passing score————
Valid for————
Typical salary$115K–$155K$140K–$175K$95K–$130K$75K–$100K
Prerequisites————

Which should you choose?

Should I take CISA - Certified Information Systems Auditor or CISSP - Certified Information Systems Security Professional first?

Both are rated Advanced. Pick the one whose exam domains match the job you want, and check which one employers in your area ask for.

Should I take CISA - Certified Information Systems Auditor or CEH - Certified Ethical Hacker first?

CEH - Certified Ethical Hacker is the lower-level certification (Intermediate vs Advanced), so it is usually the better first step.

Should I take CISA - Certified Information Systems Auditor or CompTIA Security+ first?

CompTIA Security+ is the lower-level certification (Beginner vs Advanced), so it is usually the better first step.