CCSP
Exam fee
$599
≈ 473 GBP · 809 CAD · 551 EUR · rolling-avg FX; verify with your bank before any payment
Exam code
CCSP
Renewal
3yr
The CCSP is a cybersecurity certification from ISC2 with an exam fee of $599 and a 3-year renewal cycle. Built from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and ISC2's official exam requirements.
About the CCSP
CCSP is ISC2's cloud security specialization. It covers the shared responsibility model across AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud; cloud architecture; data security; and cloud-specific risk management. Unlike AWS Security Specialty, CCSP is vendor-neutral, which matters when you work in a multi-cloud environment or consult across providers. It pairs naturally with CISSP for architects working on cloud programs. The exam is heavy on governance and lighter on hands-on technical depth; expect scenarios that ask you to pick the right control for a given compliance or architecture tradeoff.
Who should earn it
CISSP holders specializing in cloud, architects working on multi-cloud programs, and security engineers building cloud-first security controls.
Exam details
- Provider
- ISC2
- Exam code
- CCSP
- Questions
- 150
- Duration
- 4 hours
- Passing score
- 700/1000
- Exam fee
- $599 (verify with ISC2)
- Renewal
- Every 3 years via CPE
- Experience level
- Specialized
- DoD 8570/8140
- Not on the list
Prerequisites
Five years of cumulative paid IT experience, with three years in information security and one year in one or more of the six CCSP domains.
Key domains
- Cloud Concepts, Architecture and Design
- Cloud Data Security
- Cloud Platform and Infrastructure Security
- Cloud Application Security
- Cloud Security Operations
- Legal, Risk and Compliance
Salary impact
CCSP commonly adds $15,000-$25,000 for cloud security roles and is increasingly requested for cloud security architect positions in the $150,000-$200,000 range.
Most relevant roles
This role lives inside a packaged path
Want the curriculum, comp delta, and recommended courses for this role?
DecipherU bundles cybersecurity roles into a small set of packaged paths. Each path has the curriculum sequence, the compensation delta it unlocks, and the recommended courses, all pre-set. Two ways in:
Certification details are sourced from official certifying body websites. Verify current pricing, exam format, and requirements directly with the certifying organization before making decisions. DecipherU is not affiliated with any certifying body.
Exam code CCSP. ISC2 publishes 6 domains: Cloud Concepts, Architecture and Design, Cloud Data Security, Cloud Platform and Infrastructure Security, Cloud Application Security, Cloud Security Operations, Legal, Risk and Compliance. Practice questions on DecipherU are grouped by those domains.
Up to 150 questions in 4 hours, with a passing score of 700/1000, according to ISC2. Formats and counts change between exam versions, so confirm on the ISC2 site before you book.
ISC2 lists the exam fee at $599 USD. Vouchers, bundles and regional pricing differ; the fee on the ISC2 site at checkout is the one that applies.
3 years, per ISC2. Renewal is through continuing education credits or by passing a current exam; ISC2 sets the credit count and the deadline.
Five years of cumulative paid IT experience, with three years in information security and one year in one or more of the six CCSP domains.
Sources
- ISC2 official website · Certification pricing, exam format, and renewal requirements
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024
Bridge to Applied AI
Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Engineer Associate
CCSP certifies cloud security architecture; Azure AI Engineer Associate certifies cloud AI implementation. Roles bridging cloud security and AI deployment increasingly require depth in both.
Read the Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Engineer Associate guide →Related Cybersecurity Resources
Wondering if CCSP is right for you?
Take a free behavioral assessment to discover which certifications align with your natural strengths and cybersecurity career goals.
Was this page helpful?
DecipherU's career insights are developed by Julian Calvo, Ed.D., M.S., with AI-assisted research and drafting, then reviewed and edited by DecipherU Editorial. Career and compensation data come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, O*NET, and industry compensation databases. Assessment frameworks are grounded in peer-reviewed psychometric research, learning sciences (University of Miami), organizational learning (Barry University), and applied AI (Northeastern University). AI is used as a research and drafting tool; all methodology, framework design, scoring, and editorial standards are owned by the DecipherU team.