What to Study After CompTIA Security+? Next Certification Path (2026 Guide)
Earning Security+ is a major milestone — but what comes next? After passing CompTIA Security+, many professionals ask: 🔎 Which certification should I take next to grow my salary and career? The answer depends on your career direction — defensive security, ethical hacking, cloud security, governance, or advanced cybersecurity leadership. This guide breaks down the best certification paths after Security+ in 2026 , based on job demand and salary growth. If You Want to Become a SOC Analyst (Blue Team Path) Security+ gives you foundational defensive knowledge. If you want to specialize in monitoring and incident response, consider: CompTIA CySA+ (Cybersecurity Analyst) Focus: Threat detection & SIEM analysis Skill Level: Intermediate Ideal Role: SOC Analyst, Threat Hunter CySA+ builds directly on Security+ concepts and is perfect for defensive security professionals. Salary Range (2026): $85K–$115K If You Want to Become an Ethical Hacker (Red Team Path) ...
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