CompTIA Security+ SY0-701 in 2026: The Domain Weights Most Guides Quote Are the Retired Exam’s
If a Security+ guide tells you the exam is 24% threats, 21% architecture, 25% implementation, 16% operations and 14% governance, it is describing SY0-601 — the version that retired in 2024. SY0-701 has five different domains with different weights, and the largest of them, Security operations at 28%, did not exist as a standalone domain under the old structure. The second thing worth checking before you buy a voucher is timing. CompTIA states on its own certification page that Security+ versions retire "usually three years after launch," and SY0-701 launched on November 7, 2023 — putting the estimated retirement in 2026. CompTIA had not published a successor exam code or a firm retirement date on its official certification pages as of August 30, 2026, so confirm the current version before committing to a study plan built around this one.
CompTIA Security+ SY0-701 (V7) is a 90-minute exam with a maximum of 90 questions, mixing multiple-choice and performance-based items, and a passing score of 750 on a 100–900 scale. Its five domains are General security concepts (12%), Threats, vulnerabilities and mitigations (22%), Security architecture (18%), Security operations (28%), and Security program management and oversight (20%).
Last updated on August 30, 2026
How we verified this page
Exam code, version, launch date, retirement guidance, question count, duration, passing score, languages, recommended experience, and the five domain weights were verified against the CompTIA Security+ certification page on August 30, 2026. The domain weights previously shown on this page were SY0-601’s and have been replaced. CompTIA does not publish the exam voucher price on that certification page, so no price is quoted here — check the CompTIA Store for current pricing. Wage data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, May 2025 figures.
Security+ quick facts
| Fact | Current detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Exam version and code | V7, exam series code SY0-701 | CompTIA Security+ certification page |
| Launch date and retirement | Launched November 7, 2023. CompTIA states retirement is usually three years after launch, estimated 2026 — confirm the live version before buying a voucher | CompTIA Security+ certification page |
| Domain weights (SY0-701) | General security concepts 12%, Threats, vulnerabilities and mitigations 22%, Security architecture 18%, Security operations 28%, Security program management and oversight 20% | CompTIA Security+ certification page |
| Question count | Maximum of 90 questions, a mix of multiple-choice and performance-based items | CompTIA Security+ certification page |
| Time limit | 90 minutes | CompTIA Security+ certification page |
| Passing score | 750 on a scale of 100 to 900 | CompTIA Security+ certification page |
| Recommended experience | CompTIA Network+ and two years of experience in a security or systems administrator role. Neither is a prerequisite, but the exam is written for that level | CompTIA Security+ certification page |
| Languages | English, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, and Thai | CompTIA Security+ certification page |
| DoD 8140 alignment | CompTIA maps Security+ to DoD 8140 work roles including cyber defense analyst, incident responder, vulnerability analyst, security control assessor, and systems administrator — the reason it appears in so many federal and contractor job postings | CompTIA Security+ certification page |
| Exam price | CompTIA does not publish the voucher price on the Security+ certification page. Pricing varies by region, bundle, and promotion — check the CompTIA Store before budgeting | CompTIA Security+ certification page |
Cybersecurity salary benchmarks
Security+ is an entry credential, but it feeds into cybersecurity job families with strong wage signals. The rows below use BLS information security analyst data rather than marketing copy from bootcamps or training vendors.
| Role / benchmark | Pay | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Information security analysts | $129,180 median annual wage | May 2025 figure. The clearest BLS benchmark for the cybersecurity analyst path, with 21% projected growth from 2025 to 2035 — much faster than average BLS Information Security Analysts |
| Information industry | $138,650 median annual wage | May 2025 figure. The top-paying industry line in the BLS breakdown for this occupation BLS Information Security Analysts |
| Finance and insurance | $130,630 median annual wage | May 2025 figure. Benchmark for regulated-industry security work BLS Information Security Analysts |
Related jobs for this exam path
Use the exam-specific jobs page to see the role families, live search links, and hiring context tied to this certification or study path.
What are the SY0-701 domains and their weights?
General security concepts 12%, Threats, vulnerabilities and mitigations 22%, Security architecture 18%, Security operations 28%, and Security program management and oversight 20%.
Security operations at 28% is the single largest domain, and it is where a lot of candidates under-prepare because it is less glamorous than architecture or threat topics. More than a quarter of the exam sits there.
Watch out for guides quoting 24% / 21% / 25% / 16% / 14%. Those are SY0-601’s weights, and that version retired in 2024. The mix-up is easy to make because CompTIA’s own comparison article shows both structures side by side, so an author skimming it can lift the wrong column.
Is SY0-701 about to be replaced?
Possibly. CompTIA says versions retire roughly three years after launch, and SY0-701 launched November 7, 2023.
CompTIA’s certification page puts the estimated retirement in 2026 without committing to a date, and as of August 30, 2026 no successor exam code appeared on its official certification pages. That matters most if you are buying prep material with a long shelf life or a bundled retake — check the live exam version on CompTIA’s page before you commit money, because a version change resets which objectives your material is written against.
What is the passing score for Security+?
The passing score is 750 on a 100 to 900 scale.
That scale is not a percentage. A 750 out of 900 does not mean 83% correct — CompTIA scales scores, so you cannot back-calculate how many questions you need right. Treat the number as a threshold you clear by covering the domains, not as a percentage target you can budget misses against.
How much does the Security+ exam cost?
CompTIA does not publish the voucher price on the Security+ certification page.
Pricing varies by region, bundle, and promotion, and the certification page links out to purchasing rather than stating a figure. Any specific dollar amount you find on a third-party site is not from the official source. The practical decision for most candidates is voucher-only versus a bundle that includes a retake — and if a version change is near, whether the bundle’s material covers the version you will actually sit.
Who is Security+ actually written for?
CompTIA recommends Network+ plus two years of experience in a security or systems administrator role.
Neither is a formal prerequisite, so anyone can register, but the recommendation explains why career changers often find the exam harder than its "entry-level" reputation suggests. It is entry-level for cybersecurity, not entry-level for IT.
Why does Security+ appear in so many government job postings?
Because CompTIA maps it to DoD 8140 work roles.
Those roles include cyber defense analyst, incident responder, vulnerability analyst, security control assessor, and systems administrator, among others. For federal and defence-contractor roles the certification often functions as a hiring gate rather than a differentiator, which is a different value proposition from the commercial market.
How to use these guides
Free quiz
Start with the quiz while your baseline is still honest. That gives the rest of this page a real job.
Open →Best guide article
Use the strongest article first, then expand only into the narrower guides that solve your specific weakness.
Open →AI tutor
The tutor is the explanation layer. It turns missed questions and vague uncertainty into a concrete next-step plan.
Open →Jobs page
See the related role families, live search links, and hiring intent connected to this exam cluster.
Open →Complete article library
Every article below belongs to the CompTIA Security+ cluster. The grouping is by funnel stage so the page works both as a study hub and as a cleaner internal-link destination.
Awareness
Compares two paths directly so you can choose the stronger option before you commit more study time.
Consideration
Useful supporting guide for this exam cluster when you need a deeper explanation than the main pillar can provide.
Useful supporting guide for this exam cluster when you need a deeper explanation than the main pillar can provide.
Maps out a sequence of what to study, when to review, and how to move from general prep into exam-specific execution.
Useful supporting guide for this exam cluster when you need a deeper explanation than the main pillar can provide.
Decision
Breaks down the exam content itself so you can see what the test is really rewarding and where to focus first.
High-intent
Useful supporting guide for this exam cluster when you need a deeper explanation than the main pillar can provide.
Official resources
The authoritative page for the SY0-701 domain weights, passing score, retirement guidance, and DoD 8140 mapping.
Official CompTIA breakdown of item types and exam expectations.
Useful for seeing what changed — but read it carefully, since it shows both domain structures side by side and the old one is easy to quote by mistake.
External resources and benchmarks
Use this to benchmark pay and career growth without certification hype.
Next move
Use the quiz, the guide, and the tutor as one study loop
These pillar pages are meant to reduce scattered browsing. Start with the quiz, move into the article that matches your weakness, then use the tutor to get targeted feedback until the mistake pattern changes.
Frequently asked questions
What are the CompTIA Security+ SY0-701 domains?
General security concepts (12%), Threats, vulnerabilities and mitigations (22%), Security architecture (18%), Security operations (28%), and Security program management and oversight (20%). Guides quoting 24/21/25/16/14 are describing SY0-601, which retired in 2024.
What is the passing score for Security+?
750 on a scale of 100 to 900. The scale is not a percentage, so you cannot convert it into a number of questions you are allowed to miss.
How long is the Security+ exam?
90 minutes, with a maximum of 90 questions mixing multiple-choice and performance-based items.
Is SY0-701 still the current Security+ exam?
It was as of August 30, 2026. CompTIA states versions retire usually three years after launch and SY0-701 launched November 7, 2023, putting its estimated retirement in 2026 — so confirm the current version on CompTIA’s certification page before buying a voucher or prep material.
What experience does CompTIA recommend before Security+?
CompTIA Network+ and two years of experience working in a security or systems administrator role. Neither is required to register, but the exam is written for candidates at that level.