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CySA+ vs PenTest+: Which One Should You Choose?

Sarah Nguyen
Sarah Nguyen
Created at July 2, 2025

In an era where cybersecurity is the ultimate line of defense, choosing the right certification can shape your entire career. CySA+ vs PenTest+ is a common comparison for IT professionals looking to prove their skills. These respected CompTIA credentials serve different goals, job roles, and skill sets. Knowing how PenTest+ vs CySA+ differ will help you decide whether to build your defensive security analytics expertise or sharpen your offensive penetration testing skills. So, which one is right for you? Find your answer in our detailed guide below.

About the CompTIA CySA+

CompTIA CySA+

CompTIA CySA+

The CompTIA CySA+ is an intermediate-level certification that validates an IT professional’s ability to use behavioral analytics and threat detection techniques to identify, prevent, and combat cybersecurity threats.

CySA+ covered skills and knowledge areas

The CySA+ exam measures your ability in 4 key domains that cover real-world security analysis and defense tasks.

Domain Description Weight
Security Operations Managing and analyzing data to support security operations, using SIEM, log analysis, and threat intelligence. 33%
Vulnerability Management Identifying, analyzing, and prioritizing vulnerabilities to reduce organizational risk. 30%
Incident Response & Management Applying appropriate response and recovery procedures to security incidents. 20%
Reporting and Communication Using documentation, reporting, and communication best practices to support security processes. 17%

See the CySA+ exam objectives guide for an easy breakdown of all 4 domains.

CySA+ target audience

The CySA+ is ideal for security professionals with 3–4 years of practical experience in security or IT administration. Common job roles include:

  • Security Operations Center (SOC) Analyst
  • Threat Intelligence Analyst
  • Vulnerability Analyst
  • Security Engineer
  • Incident Responder

CySA+ exam details

  • Exam code: CS0-003 (latest version)
  • Format: Multiple-choice and performance-based questions
  • Number of questions: Maximum 85
  • Duration: 165 minutes
  • CySA+ passing score: 750 (on a scale of 100–900)
  • Recommended experience: 4 years of practical work as an incident response analyst or SOC analyst.
  • Renewal: Valid for 3 years, renewable through Continuing Education Units (CEUs) or retaking the exam.

About the CompTIA PenTest+

CompTIA PenTest+

CompTIA PenTest+

The CompTIA PenTest+ is an intermediate-level cybersecurity certification that verifies the skills required to plan and scope a penetration testing engagement, perform vulnerability scanning and exploitation, and produce professional reports for stakeholders.

PenTest+ covered skills and knowledge areas

CompTIA PenTest+ covers 5 domains that build the essential skills you need for hands-on penetration testing.

Domain Description Weight
Engagement Management Scoping engagements, managing client expectations, legal compliance, and rules of engagement. 13%
Reconnaissance and Enumeration Performing passive and active information gathering, social engineering, and enumerating targets. 21%
Vulnerability Discovery and Analysis Identifying, analyzing, and prioritizing vulnerabilities in various environments. 17%
Attacks and Exploits Executing exploits against vulnerabilities, privilege escalation, pivoting, and evasion techniques. 35%
Post-Exploitation and Lateral Movement Maintaining access, covering tracks, moving within the network, and preparing final reports. 14%

PenTest+ Target Audience

The PenTest+ is ideal for cybersecurity professionals with 3-4 years of hands-on experience in a penetration tester job role. Common job roles include:

  • Penetration Tester
  • Vulnerability Assessor
  • Security Consultant
  • Network Security Specialist
  • Web Application Penetration Tester
  • Cloud Penetration Tester
  • Ethical Hacker

PenTest+ exam details

  • Exam code: PT0-003
  • Number of questions: Maximum of 90
  • Format: Multiple-choice and performance-based
  • Duration: 165 minutes
  • Pentest+ passing score: 750
  • Recommended experience: 3–4 years of hands-on experience in a penetration tester job role.
  • Renewal: Valid for 3 years, renewable through Continuing Education Units (CEUs) or retaking the exam.

CompTIA CySA+ vs PenTest+ key differences

CompTIA CySA+ vs CompTIA PenTest+? Which one should you take first? These two certifications may look similar, but they prepare you for very different tasks in the cybersecurity world. Let’s take a closer look at  three key points: 

1. Difficulty level

Both CySA+ and PenTest+ are considered intermediate-level certifications, but they challenge learners in different ways.

  • CySA+ connects to the Blue Team for analysis and defense. You’ll need to interpret logs, work with SIEM data, understand incident response workflows, and follow compliance procedures.
  • PenTest+ aligns with the Red Team for attack and exploitation, which is often rated slightly more challenging. You’ll perform reconnaissance, discover vulnerabilities, exploit them, pivot through networks, and write detailed technical reports.

Check out the typical tools you’ll need to know for each certification. Some overlap exists, but the focus is very distinct. 

Tool category CompTIA CySA+ CompTIA PenTest+
Log & SIEM Tools SIEM platforms: Splunk, QRadar, ELK Stack N/A
Vulnerability scanning Nessus, Qualys, OpenVAS Nessus (for discovery), but focus is on exploiting
Threat intelligence Threat intelligence feeds, platforms N/A
Incident response Incident response platforms, ticketing tools N/A
Log analysis Log analyzers, correlation tools N/A
Reconnaissance Basic network scanning for a defense context Nmap, Maltego, Recon-ng
Exploitation N/A Metasploit, custom exploit scripts
Web app testing N/A Burp Suite, OWASP ZAP
Password cracking N/A Hydra, John the Ripper
Packet analysis Wireshark (for incident response) Wireshark (for exploits & traffic analysis)
Scripting Basic scripting for log parsing Python, Bash, and PowerShell for automating exploits

2. Career outlook

When comparing PenTest+ vs CySA+, the career outlook is one of the biggest factors to keep in mind. These certifications open doors to different positions on the Blue Team and Red Team.

Aspect CompTIA CySA+ CompTIA PenTest+
Industry demand ~80,000+ job openings in the U.S. for SOC and Blue Team roles.  ~35,000–45,000 open roles for pentesters and red teamers. 
Common roles SOC Analyst, Threat Hunter, Incident Responder Penetration Tester, Ethical Hacker, Red Team Specialist
Average salary (US) $60,000–$100,000/year $88,000–$120,000/year
Employers MSSPs, finance, healthcare, government SOCs Security consulting firms, offensive contractors, bug bounty programs
Job trend Higher number of jobs, steady growth Fewer jobs but higher pay per role, niche expertise

3. Exam cost

The CompTIA CySA+ exam cost is the same as the PenTest+ one; both are 425 USD. This is the standard exam registration fee if you buy the voucher directly from the official CompTIA website. 

In addition, there are various bundle options available, such as vouchers with a retake, study guides, or online labs, which can help you save money and increase your chances of passing on the first try.

FAQs

1. Is CySA+ harder than PenTest+?

Not necessarily. Both are intermediate-level certifications, but they test different skills. Many learners find PenTest+ slightly more challenging because it requires more hands-on exploitation, while CySA+ focuses more on analysis, monitoring, and process-oriented tasks. Your experience and strengths will determine which one feels harder.

2. Should I get CySA+ or PenTest+?

Both are great, but they lead to different paths:

  • If you enjoy analyzing data, monitoring threats, and working on defense, CySA+ is a good fit for a Blue Team role.
  • If you prefer finding vulnerabilities and testing security by attacking systems, PenTest+ is better for a Red Team path.

However, instead of choosing, many people study all Security+, then CySA+, and then PenTest+ to build a strong Purple Team skill set.

Final thoughts

CySA+ vs PenTest+ both hold strong value in today’s cybersecurity landscape. Instead of seeing them as a choice you must make, think of them as complementary skills you can build over time. Mastering one area first gives you confidence and experience to tackle the next. Whether you start with the Blue Team or the Red Team, staying flexible and open to learning is the key to long-term success.