CompTIA Security+ against Certified Ethical Hacker.
Stats match each cert's full review. Requirement from job postings (Q1 2026); wages and growth from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Methodology
Both show up in SOC and analyst roles, and both are on the DoD 8140 approved list, so they are genuinely cross-shopped. The big differences are cost (Security+ at $425 versus CEH at $950 and up) and framing: CEH markets offense but, per our data, mostly lands defensive roles.
Dimension
Security+
CEH
Tier
Our published threshold summary, not a score.
Broadly required
Well established
Required
Share of postings that mandate it. L n=201, R n=271.
53.7%required
34.7%required
Preferred
26.9% preferred
40.6% preferred
Pay (postings)
Median of postings that stated pay. The figure that differs most.
$120,365
$140,000
Prerequisite
None (DoD 8140 baseline)
Training OR 2 yrs experience
Cost
$425 exam
$950–1,199 + $100 app
Renewal
50 CEUs + $150 / 3 yrs
120 ECE + $80/yr
Issuer
CompTIA
EC-Council
Both certs map to the same BLS occupation (information security analysts), so median wage and field growth are identical for either. Those are shown once below; the posting-pay row above is where the two genuinely differ.
Shared field: information security analysts
Both certifications point at the same Bureau of Labor Statistics occupation, so the median wage and field growth are the same whichever you choose. The decision between them rests on the rows above, not on these.
Median wage (BLS)
$124,910
entry $66,18090th $182,370
Field growth, 2024 to 2034
+29%
187k
2024
242k
2034
About 17,300 openings a year. Among the fastest of any occupation.
How to weigh them
Security+ is required far more often (54% versus 35%) and costs less than half as much. CEH carries the ethical-hacker name, but only about 10% of its roles in our data are actually offensive; the rest are general security. For most SOC or analyst goals, Security+ delivers similar access for less money. CEH earns its cost mainly where an employer specifically asks for it or you want the structured attacker-technique content.
Who each is best for
Security+
›People breaking into security on a budget.
›Those targeting cleared or defense roles.
›Anyone who wants the most widely-required baseline.
›Government roles where CEH is the listed requirement.
Bottom line
For most early SOC or analyst goals, Security+, since it is cheaper and required more often. Choose CEH when an employer specifically wants it.
Reddit and Quora: the real questions
The matchup-specific questions people actually ask, answered from the data above.
Security+ or CEH for an entry SOC analyst job?
Security+ for most people: it is required more often (54% versus 35% in our data) and costs less than half. CEH adds attacker-technique knowledge but is not necessary for most SOC roles unless an employer lists it specifically.
Is CEH worth the money over Security+?
Only situationally. CEH runs $950 to $1,199 plus a $100 fee, versus Security+ at $425, and Security+ is required more often. CEH earns its cost mainly when a target employer names it or you specifically want the offensive-security content; otherwise Security+ is the better value.
Which is better for DoD or government work?
Both are on the DoD 8140 approved list, so both qualify for relevant roles. Security+ is the more common baseline and far cheaper; CEH appears where a specific role calls for it. Check the exact posting, since government listings name the specific cert required.
CEH or Security+ for pentesting?
Honestly, neither is a strong pentesting credential. CEH is knowledge-based (only about 10% of its roles are offensive in our data) and Security+ is defensive fundamentals. For real pentesting, hands-on certs like the OSCP are the recognized signal. Between these two, CEH is closer to the topic but will not make you a pentester.