Best Cybersecurity Certifications for Beginners

If you're looking to get your start in cybersecurity, you have multiple entry points to consider. You could find an entry-level role after earning a certificate, an associate degree, a bachelor's degree — or a certification.

While a degree and field experience are both crucial to advance in cybersecurity, certifications can also be a way help prove that you’re qualified to perform a certain role, according to Rodney Royster, a Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) faculty member who teaches information security and has 40 years of experience in tech, including 25 years in cybersecurity.

Although SNHU doesn't offer any cybersecurity certifications, many professional organizations and training providers do. Ready to learn more? Royster shared his recommendations on which certifications can help you start or grow your career.

Which Cybersecurity Certification is Best for Beginners?

If you’re looking for a certification that can help qualify you for an entry-level cybersecurity role, the CompTIA Security+ certification is where to start, according to Royster. Although many certs cover advanced and specific areas, this is a foundational certification that can prove you have the essential skills needed for a cybersecurity role.

“If you just want to get in the industry, you can just go get your Security+ certification,” Royster said.

He said CompTIA's A+ and Network+ certifications are also good for beginners — but noted the Security+ as his top recommendation in terms of foundational cyber certifications that can help you break into the field.

Although you can study and get these certifications without any previous experience in cybersecurity, you could also earn them in tandem with an associate or bachelor's degree in cybersecurity.

Learn more about how to get into cybersecurity.

What Specialized Cybersecurity Certifications Are There?

After you have the foundations covered, Royster said there are various specialized cybersecurity certifications that are popular in the field.

Here’s where to start:

Cloud Security

“Cloud security is really huge now,” Royster said. As more businesses and individuals rely on the cloud to consume and store data, the field of cloud security has become increasingly important, according to Forbes, with the global cloud market expected to generate more than $2.5 trillion by 2031.

If you’re looking to expand your resume and break into this arena, Royster recommended getting certifications with these major cloud computing platforms:

• Amazon Warehouse Systems (AWS)
• Google Cloud
• Microsoft Azure

Read more about what cloud computing is?

Digital Forensics

Another popular area of cybersecurity is digital forensics, Royster said. According to IBM, digital forensics involves collecting and analyzing digital evidence while maintaining its integrity and admissibility in court.

Some Global Information Assurance Certification (GIAC) certifications in this area include:

• GIAC Certified Forensic Analyst (GCFA)
• GIAC Certified Forensic Examiner (GCFE)
• GIAC Cloud Forensics Responder (GCFR)

Learn about the types of cybercrime you could analyze through a career in digital forensics.

More Options

There are a number of other specialized certifications to consider. Royster holds several himself, including:

• Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
• GIAC Certified Incident Handler (GCIH)
• GIAC Cyber Threat Intelligence (GCTI)

Royster recommended visiting the websites of different certification providers like SANS Institute or ISC2 to find more certifications you might be interested in pursuing.

What Are Some Advanced Cybersecurity Certifications?

With a degree and experience under your belt, Royster said you could consider managerial-level certifications, such as:

• CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional)
• Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)
• CRISC (Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control)

Royster is CISSP certified, himself. “It's one of the top certifications you can get,” he said.

While certifications may be able to help you land an entry-level role, you’ll often need a college degree if you want to advance to a higher position, according to Royster. “If you want to move up, most of the jobs require you to have a degree, a bachelor's or a master's,” he said.

Ready to Get Started in Cybersecurity?

Certifications are just one way to launch your career. Although Royster started with school, he said many in the field today start with certifications to build experience before continuing on with a degree. But no matter the order, he said all of these elements are crucial to grow as a cyber professional.

"We all have to have our degrees, our certifications and experience,” Royster said. “You need all three of those legs in order to be successful in this field.”

*Cited job growth projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth. Actual salaries and/or earning potential may be the result of a combination of factors including, but not limited to: years of experience, industry of employment, geographic location, and worker skill.

Mars Girolimon '21 '23G is a staff writer at Southern New Hampshire University where they earned their bachelor's and master's, both in English and creative writing. In addition to their work in higher education, Girolimon's short fiction is published in the North American Review, So It Goes by The Kurt Vonnegut Museum & Library, X-R-A-Y and more. Connect with them on LinkedIn.