The CISA and CISSP certifications have more differences than similarities. Both are based on information systems, but a CISA performs mostly auditing compared to a CISSP who focuses on security issues. Since there are only a few similarities between CISA and CISSP, this review will cover those first before we dive into the differences.
The CISA and CISSP certifications both require at least 5 years of work experience. This makes it clear that neither of these certifications are a walk in the park and should not be taken lightly.
Both of them will usually land lead you a high paying job (around $100,000 per year) which makes all the effort required to obtain them worthwhile! People that pass either the CISA and CISSP usually get multiple job opportunities because there is a high job demand for people who hold those qualifications.
CISA and CISSP – The Differences
The CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) is a certification bodied by the ISC (International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium). It exists for ICT workers who are in the information security sector. So the CISSP is relevant to the IT industry and is regarded very highly for it’s usefulness in data security.
So essentially CISSP can be branded as IT security, which is very different from CISA.
CISA is an auditing certification. The letters stand for “Certified Information Systems Auditor”, and whilst CISSP and CISA include the words “information” and “systems”, CISSP comes under security, whilst CISA is used for auditing. If you are wanting a career in securing information, CISSP is what you want. But if you’re more inclined towards auditing work, then you should go with CISA.
The CISA is regarded as the much less technical of the two exams, whereas the CISSP is generally thought of as a tough challenge for even the most experienced of IT pros.
CISSP Training Course Discounts & Comparisons
| CISSP Courses |  | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RANKINGS | #1 | #2 | #3 | #4 | #5 |
| OVERALL RATING | |||||
| WEBSITE | Simplilearn CISSP | Graduate X CISSP | CISSP ExamPractice | Master of Project CISSP | Transcender CISSP |
| PRICE | $335 | $399 | |||
| PRACTICE QUESTIONS | 1,250 | 1,500 | N/A | N/A | 949 |
| VIDEO LESSONS | 32 Hours | 50+ Hours | 35+ Hours | 10+ Hours | 23 Hours |
| CPE CREDITS OFFERED | 35 CPEs / 30 PDUs | 35 CPEs | 32 CPEs | 30 CPEs | None |
| FORMAT | Online, Self-Paced | Online, Self-Paced | Online, Self-Paced | Online, Self-Paced | Online, Self-Paced |
| GUARANTEE | 3 Day Money-Back Guarantee | 30 Day Money-Back Guarantee | None | 30 Day Money-Back Guarantee | On Practice Exam Software Only |
| FREE DEMO | | | | | Practice Exam Software Demo |
| FULL-LENGTH PRACTICE EXAMS | | | 10 Quizzes | | |
| PROGRESS TRACKING | | | | | |
| MOBILE FRIENDLY | | | | | |
| PHONE/EMAIL SUPPORT | | Yes, Plus chat anytime 24/5! | | | |
| ONLINE ACCESS | 6 Months | 6 Months | 6 Months | 12 Months | 12 Months |
| GET STARTED | START NOW | START NOW | START NOW | START NOW | START NOW |
CISA Vs CISSP Salary
The average salary of anyone who has either one of these certifications is very high, however, CISA certification holders are slightly higher. The average for someone who passed the CISA exam is $96,000, whereas the average salary for a CISSP is $94,000.
2018 Best CISA Study Materials + Discounts & Comparisons
| CISA Courses | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RANKINGS | #1 | #2 | #3 | #4 | #5 |
| OVERALL RATING | |||||
| COMPANY | CISA SuperReview | Gryfin CISA Prep Course | Surgent CISA Training | SimpliLearn CISA Course | CISA ExamPractice |
| PRICE | |||||
| MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS | 900+ | 1,650+ | 1,650+ | 79 | N/A |
| PRACTICE EXAMS | 4 Full Simulation Exams | Unlimited | Unlimited | 5 Full Simulation Exams | N/A |
| VIDEO LECTURES | 30-40 Hours | N/A | N/A | 27 Hours | 15 Hours |
| COURSE ACCESS | 6 Months | 12 Months | 12 Months | 6 Months | 6 Months |
| GUARANTEES | 6 Month Extension If You Don’t Pass | Pass or Refund | Pass Guarantee | 3 Day Money-Back Guarantee | None |
| COURSE UPDATES | Every 6 months | | | | |
| CERTIFICATE & 40+ CPE CREDITS | | | | | |
| INSTRUCTOR EMAIL SUPPORT | | | | | |
| INSTRUCTOR PHONE SUPPORT | | | | | |
| FREE DEMO | Try Now! | | | | |
| READ FULL ANALYSIS | Read Full Review | Read Full Review | Read Full Review | Read Full Review | Read Full Review |
| GET STARTED | START NOW | START NOW | START NOW | START NOW | START NOW |
CISA vs CISM
Despite what you may have heard, the CISA and CISM exams are geared towards completely different types of workers. CISA targets IT auditors, whereas CISM is for IT security managers and information risk managers.
The CISA is regarded as the standard IT systems auditor certification, whereas CISM is an intermediate or perhaps higher level qualification for the person who wants to become an expert in information security management.
The CISA is for auditing practitioners, whereas, according to ISACA, “the CISM is for “the individual who has progressed beyond the practitioner focus, whose emphasis is no longer technical or specialist skills, and who has moved on to the management of an enterprise’s information security program.”
A CISA job description might involve finance or accounting, whereas a CISM job description could include program management or information assurance.
Despite their differences, certifications for both CISA and CISM require the individual to have accumulated 5 years of relevant experience in their field.
Best CISM Review Course Discounts & Comparisons
| Online CISM Courses | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RANKINGS | #1 | #2 | #3 | #4 |
| OVERALL RATING | ||||
| WEBSITE | CISM SuperReview | Simplilearn CISM | CISM ExamPractice | Career Academy CISM |
| PRICE | $495 | |||
| PRACTICE QUESTIONS | 600 | 88 | N/A | N/A |
| PRACTICE EXAMS | 52 | 65 Quizzes | 5 Quizzes | 4 Quizzes |
| VIDEO LESSONS | 590 Narrated Screens | 16 Hours | 14 Hours | 15 Hours of Video Lectures |
| CPE CREDITS | 40 CPEs upon completion | 16 CPE’s offered | None | None |
| FORMAT | Online, Self-Paced | Online, Self-Paced or Live | Online, Self-Paced | Online, Self-Paced |
| GUARANTEE | 6 Month Extension If You Don’t Pass | 7 Day Money-Back Guarantee | None | 7 Day Money-Back Guarantee |
| FREE DEMO | | | | |
| PROGRESS TRACKING | | | | |
| MOBILE FRIENDLY | | Android Only | | IOS |
| INSTRUCTOR SUPPORT | | | | Mentor Support |
| ONLINE ACCESS | 180 Days | 180 Days | 180 Days | 30 Days |
| GET STARTED | START NOW | START NOW | START NOW | START NOW |
Get started with a CISM certification here.
What’s Next?
Now that you know how much money you stand to make after you pass the CISA exam, your next step is to choose the best CISA prep course to help you pass on your first attempt!