Guide to Cybersecurity Certifications with Ranking — 2026 Update (the AI Era)

Cybersecurity certifications 2026 — ranking, prices and the AI era (updated guide)

Two years ago I published a ranking of cybersecurity certifications — and a lot has come crashing down since. CASP+ formally no longer exists, OSCP got an expiration date, the free ISC2 exam is no longer free, and AI has started closing the industry’s door on juniors. I repeated my Indeed job-posting analysis after two years: some certifications grew by over 200%, others dropped by half. 💥 In the updated guide you’ll find the 6-level ranking, current prices for all 21 certifications, and hard data on what AI has changed. Continue reading