I’ve been involved in hiring for IT and cybersecurity roles for over a decade, and the question “Is Security+ enough to get a job?” comes up constantly. My honest answer is: Security+ is a powerful starting point, but it’s rarely the only thing that lands you a job. It proves you understand foundational network security, risk management, and cryptography—exactly what employers look for in entry-level positions like SOC analyst, junior penetration tester, or help-desk security specialist. However, the job market is competitive, and hiring managers typically weigh a combination of certification, hands-on experience, and soft skills.
Let’s look at what the data says. According to CompTIA’s own 2025 survey, over 60% of hiring managers consider Security+ a “preferred or required” certification for entry-level cybersecurity roles. Yet only 23% said it alone would be sufficient to make a hiring decision. The rest wanted additional evidence—such as a home lab project, a GitHub portfolio, or a related internship. I’ve seen candidates with Security+ but no practical troubleshooting ability get passed over for someone who lacked the cert but had two years of desktop support.
To give you a clearer picture, here’s how Security+ stacks up against other common entry-level certifications in terms of job postings (based on a 2026 analysis of 10,000 US-based cybersecurity job listings):
| Certification | % of postings requiring or preferring it | Average additional requested skills |
|---|
| CompTIA Security+ | 62% | Networking (TCP/IP), OS fundamentals, scripting (Python/PowerShell) |
| Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) | 18% | Web application testing, penetration testing tools |
| CISSP (Associate) | 5% | Five years of experience (waived with associate) |
| No certification listed | 41% | Strong emphasis on experience ( ≥ 2 years) |
As you can see, Security+ is widely recognized, but it’s almost always paired with a call for real-world skills. If you’re asking whether it’s “enough,” I’d say yes, if you supplement it with demonstrable practice. Build a small home lab, configure a firewall, or write a script to parse logs. Then you’ll be far more competitive than someone with just the cert. The certification opens the door, but you still need to walk through it.
