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From mastering multi-cloud environments and sticky scenarios to unlocking opportunities for increased earnings and consulting engagements, here’s a look at eight significant perks of becoming a Certified Cloud Security Professional.

King Of The Cloud

The CCSP (Certified Cloud Security Professional) certification is for IT leaders looking to validate their understanding of cybersecurity and securing critical assets in the cloud. Passing the rigorous (ISC)2 exam proves that security professionals have the advanced technical skills and knowledge needed to design, manage and secure data, applications and infrastructure in the cloud, according to (ISC)2.

To qualify for the CCSP, (ISC)2 said candidates must pass the exam and have at least five years of cumulative, paid work experience in information technology, of which three years must be in information security, (ISC)2 said. A candidate who doesn’t yet have the required experience to become a CCSP may become an Associate of (ISC)2 after successfully passing the CCSP exam.

From its application in practical situations such as multi-cloud environments to the opportunities it unlocks for increased earnings and consulting engagements, here’s what four education and training experts said are the most significant perks of getting CCSP-certified.

8. Can Apply Knowledge In Practical Situations

The CCSP shies away from general knowledge and instead forces practitioners to determine how their learning can be applied in specific situations, according to Toni Hahn, content development manager for the (ISC)2 Examinations team. The test looks at how practitioners can apply the knowledge they’ve accrued rather than just having them regurgitate the key findings, Hahn said.

As a result, Hahn said it’s easy for practitioners to go out into the real world after passing the CCSP exam and use what they’ve learned to demonstrate cloud security expertise. The CCSP goes well beyond book-based knowledge to ensure practitioners have a comprehensive understanding of how the concepts can be applied, Hahn said.

Questions on the CCSP exam tend to be more scenario-based than knowledge-based to assess how the practitioner would respond to a particular set of circumstances, according to Hahn.

7. Complements Vendor-Specific Cloud Certifications

Security generalists or analysts looking to get into cloud security typically get certified in whichever public cloud platform their current or prospective employer uses, according to Brad Puckett, global portfolio director at IT training company Global Knowledge. But the CCSP puts a security professional on a different career vector or trajectory since it’s not tied to any particular employer, Puckett said.

Vendor-based certifications allow security professionals to work at a specific organization, Puckett said, but their applicability is limited since being certified in Microsoft Azure isn’t useful if the organization uses AWS. As a vendor-neutral certification, Puckett said the CCSP is more complementary than competitive with the platform-based certifications, and it can actually be ancillary to certifications for Azure, AWS or GCP.

Practitioners holding the CCSP tend to work in the following cybersecurity or IT security roles, according to Global Knowledge: incident response/forensic analyst; CISO/CSO/ISO; security manager or director; or security engineer or analyst.

6. Signifies Cloud Proficiency And Professionalism

The CCSP was introduced in 2015, and it has been the fastest of any (ISC)2 certification to reach 5,000 people certified, according to (ISC)2’s Hahn. The certification gives businesses confidence that the practitioner knows industry best practices for securing a cloud environment, Hahn said.

Having a CCSP certification signifies a level of proficiency and professionalism, and can be a big differentiator when competing against another security practitioner for a job, Hahn said. The CCSP is updated every three years to reflect changes on the ground, and has recently put more emphasis on making sure practitioners know the differences between Software as a Service and Infrastructure as a Service.

The CCSP is more senior to the Cloud Security Alliance’s CCSK (Certificate of Cloud Security Knowledge) since the CCSP requires industry experience as well as continuing education credits to remain certified, Hahn said. The CCSP is broader than the CCSK, Hahn said, covering all types of cloud security rather than just introducing certificate-seekers to a couple of key documents.

5. Demonstrates Hands-On Expertise

Even though the CCSP is vendor-agnostic, practitioners should make sure they’re getting hands-on experience with AWS or Azure while preparing for the exam to help with retaining classroom material and understanding how security misconfigurations can be attacked, according to Ken Underhill, a master instructor at Cybrary.

The hands-on practice ensures that security professionals know what to do in the field with the skills they’ve gained from passing the CCSP exam that extends well beyond book smarts, Underhill said. The CCSP pairs well with (ISC)2’s signature CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) exam, which helps practitioners understand how security risks pan out across other areas of the organization.

The CSSP goes down into architectural and design concepts in the cloud, addressing syllabus such as auditing, virtualization, identity and access management, and cloud platform and infrastructure security, according to Leif Jackson, Cybrary’s vice president of content and community. This covers tasks such as avoiding unauthorized access and analyzing infrastructure in the cloud, Jackson said.

4. Can Build Clouds Either In-House Or As Consultant

The CCSP prepares practitioners to go in and securely build a cloud security solution as either a consultant or a cloud architect, according to Global Knowledge’s Puckett. Being a certified security practitioner for cloud positions certificate-holders well for consulting on secure ways organizations can architect and build their cloud infrastructure, Puckett said.

In addition to being brought in as a consultant to vet and secure cloud buildouts, Puckett said CCSP certificate-holders are well-positioned to work in-house managing an organization’s security themselves. Learners would have to advance to the senior or executive level before they’d have the competencies, knowledge and skills to perform the job the CCSP accreditation qualifies them for, according to Puckett.

All cybersecurity functions require distinct knowledge of IT concepts ranging from programming, incident response and forensics down to troubleshooting, risk management, business continuity and disaster recovery, according to Puckett. Many of the competencies require distinct knowledge of how the network works in the technical world, Puckett said.

3. Applies Well To Multi-Cloud Environments

Most organizations are multi-cloud and don’t just rely on Amazon Web Services or Microsoft Azure to meet all of their needs, according to Cybrary’s Underhill. Since the CCSP is vendor-agnostic, Underhill said the information can be applied to most organizations, making it possible for security professionals to get a role within any cloud organization since they’re not limited to any single environment.

The CCSP is laser-focused on security and goes into how strategy and risk should be evaluated in the cloud, according to Cybrary’s Jackson. That’s a big contrast as compared with Cloud Security Alliance’s Certificate of Cloud Security Knowledge (CCSK), which Underhill said provides a more general and holistic view of the cloud without going too deep into security.

Obtaining the CCSP helps with career advancement, Jackson said, providing a salary bump that boosts compensation above what most other roles in cybersecurity pay.

2. Boost To Earnings Potential

Practitioners going for the CCSP certification typically have a high earnings potential since more than 80 percent of them have been in the industry for at least 11 years, according to Global Knowledge’s Puckett. The CCSP definitely isn’t a foundational or midcareer certification since it requires a significant body of work experience, Puckett said.

Professionals coming into the security industry today would probably gain midlevel experience and pursue vendor-neutral certifications like CompTIA Security+ and the EC-Council’s Certified Network Defender that accredit them as an experienced professional before even thinking about going for the CCSP, according to Puckett.

Practitioners holding the CCSP certification earned an average salary of $122,761 in 2020, up 7.5 percent from an average salary of $114,164 a year earlier, according to Global Knowledge. CCSP certificate-holders primarily got a salary boost due to better job performance, Global Knowledge found, with some profiting from standard company increases or additional responsibilities in their current role.

1. Sought By Tech Vendors, Hospitals & Starbucks Alike

The CCSP shows potential employers that the practitioner has senior-level management ability and knowledge to ensure that what’s going into the cloud is secure, according to (ISC)2’s Hahn. The CCSP is great for any job that requires knowledge of cloud security such as being a cloud manager or engineer, Hahn said.

Not everybody who obtains the CCSP works for a major public cloud provider like Amazon Web Services or Microsoft, Hahn said. One of (ISC)2’s subject matter experts for cloud security works in IT at a hospital, Hahn said, while others pursuing the certification are part of the technology team at Starbucks.

The vendor-agnostic approach of the CCSP ensures that the certificate-holder will have relevant knowledge regardless of which cloud platform or platforms the organization actually uses, according to Hahn. And the broad-based approach of the CCSP means that a business can switch cloud providers and still leverage the knowledge of its CCSP certificate-holder, Hahn said.

Project Management Professional (PMP)® certification can make you stand out against the competition in the field of project management. If you’ve wondered how to get PMP certification, know that you must first complete work experience, training courses and an exam.

But is PMP certification worth it? In this article, we’ll explore what it takes to get certified, how much you might have to pay and how PMP certification can help you level up your project management career.

What Is PMP Certification?

Professional certifications verify your career skills and allow you to learn more about important concepts and industry best practices that can help in your day-to-day operations.

PMP certification is the most widely recognized in the world of project management. It’s available through the Project Management Institute (PMI), which publishes the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK). The PMBOK is the Holy Grail of knowledge when it comes to project management concepts.

PMP certification demonstrates a strong understanding of the concepts set forth in the PMBOK and other reference materials. This designation can help you distinguish yourself from your peers and gain respected credentials in your field. Along the way, you’ll learn about concepts like Agile, waterfall project scheduling, leadership and business management.

How to Sign Up for PMP Certification

The first step to earning PMP certification is to begin work in the field of project management. PMP certification requires months of work experience. Precise requirements vary depending on your level of education. If you have a bachelor’s degree, you’ll need 36 months of relevant project experience to qualify for the PMP credential. Without a degree, you must complete 60 months of experience.

If you have this work experience or are working toward it, the next step is to complete at least 35 hours of formal PMP training, also called “contact hours,” or hold a current CAPM certification. You can complete contact hours through a PMP certification course, which you may take online or in person. These courses take a few weeks to a few months to complete, and they teach the concepts you should understand before taking the PMP certification exam.

Below, we’ll discuss how to get a PMP certification in more detail, including prerequisites and PMP exam costs.

PMP Certification Requirements

You must accomplish a certain amount of professional experience and formal training before you qualify for PMP certification.

If you have completed high school or an associate degree but not a bachelor’s, PMP certification requirements are as follows.

• 60 months leading projects
• 35 contact hours

If you have a bachelor’s degree, you must complete the following before pursuing PMP certification.

• 36 months leading projects
• 35 contact hours

PMP Cost

Most PMP certification training programs (through which you can earn your contact hours) range in cost from around $300 to around $3,000. Courses offered through well-known colleges and universities tend to cost more, but many also offer for-credit programs that result in undergraduate or graduate certificates. Consider a program that holds GAC accreditation when searching for courses. Free PMP certification training is available through some resources, but usually only for short trial periods.

To sit for the exam, the cost is $405 for PMI members or $575 for nonmembers.

PMP Time Commitment

How long does it take to get PMP certification? The most time-consuming part of the PMP certification process is completing the required work experience. Start documenting your work experience as soon as you consider applying for PMP certification. Once you get that experience under your belt, the rest of the certification process involves studying and scheduling your test. The time spent on this step can vary depending on your schedule and study habits, location and testing center availability.

Most PMP certification training courses take only a few weeks to a few months to complete. After that, it’s up to you how much time you spend studying for the certification exam. Retakes cost $275 for PMI members and $375 for nonmembers, so it’s best to go into the exam as prepared as possible.

PMP Renewal Costs

Once you’ve passed the PMP exam, you must complete a certain level of continuing education to keep your certification active. The renewal fee, due every three years, is $60 for PMI members or $150 for nonmembers.

Is PMP Certification Worth It?

To determine whether PMP certification is worth it to you, weigh the costs of certification against the potential benefits. Since we’ve listed the costs of PMP certification above, you likely have a good idea of the investment you’d need to make to get certified. Now, it’s time to consider your potential return on that investment.

Benefits of PMP certification

• Salary increase. PMPs in the U.S. earn about 32% more than their non-certified peers in project management.
• Greater respect in the industry. The Project Management Institute is the leading organization for project management knowledge and the publisher of the PMBOK. Earning PMP certification through PMI carries lots of weight in the project management industry.
• Greater career opportunities. Holding PMP certification should make you more marketable when it comes to looking for better or different positions in project management.

Consider Your Career

Are you looking to make a career change? Move into a higher role in your current team? In either case, PMP certification could be just what you need to level up your career. As part of the certification process, you’ll learn industry best practices that you can start incorporating into your day-to-day work life immediately.

Look at Earning Potential vs. Certification Cost

According to PMI, PMP-certified professionals in the U.S. earn a median annual salary of $123,000, compared to a median of $93,000 for their non-certified colleagues. This translates to a 32% salary increase for certified PMPs.

Multiply your current salary by 1.32 to estimate your potential PMP certification salary. You can then weigh that salary increase against the cost of PMP certification training and the PMP exam. This cost vs. benefit analysis can help you understand whether PMP certification would be worth it for you.