CRISC vs CISA: Which ISACA Certification Is Right for Your Career?

If you work anywhere near IT risk, audit, or governance, you’ve probably bumped into two heavyweight ISACA credentials: CRISC (Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control) and CISA (Certified Information Systems Auditor). Both are respected. Both will push your career forward. But they signal different strengths to employers.

This guide breaks down each cert—what it covers, who it’s for, how the exams work—and then helps you choose based on your goals, background, and day-to-day preferences.

What is CRISC?

Purpose

CRISC is built for professionals who identify, assess, and respond to IT risk—and translate that into stronger business outcomes. It positions you as the person who can map risk to strategy, controls, and board-level reporting. (ISACA)

Domains (what the exam tests)

CRISC covers four job-practice domains:

1. Governance (26%)

2. IT Risk Assessment (22%)

3. Risk Response and Reporting (32%)

4. Information Technology and Security (20%)

These reflect the day-to-day of risk pros: building scenarios, evaluating controls, and communicating residual risk in business terms. (ISACA)

Who should pursue

Ideal for IT Risk Managers, risk consultants, project/program managers, and practitioners who spend more time shaping risk treatment plans and advising leadership than performing formal audits.

Exam format

• Question count: 150 multiple-choice questions

• Duration: 4 hours (240 minutes)

• Passing score: Scaled 450 (on a 200–800 scale)

You can take the exam without pre-existing experience; you’ll then have time to accumulate the required experience before you apply for the certification. (support.isaca.org)

What is CISA?

Purpose

CISA is the gold-standard audit credential for evaluating and assuring information systems—planning and executing audits, assessing governance and controls, and reporting assurance results to stakeholders. (ISACA)

Domains (what the exam tests)

CISA spans five domains:

1. Information Systems Auditing Process

2. Governance & Management of IT

3. Information Systems Acquisition, Development & Implementation

4. Information Systems Operations & Business Resilience

5. Protection of Information Assets

This is a broad lifecycle view—from audit planning through control testing and protection of assets. (ISACA)

Who should pursue

A great fit for IT auditors, assurance professionals, and control/compliance specialists—especially if you like structured audit work, testing controls, and writing findings that stand up to scrutiny.

Exam format

• Question count: 150 multiple-choice questions

• Duration: 4 hours (240 minutes)

• Passing score: Scaled 450 (on a 200–800 scale)

Delivery is computer-based via PSI test centers or remote proctoring; you can sit the exam year-round. (support.isaca.org)

Key Differences: CRISC vs CISA

Primary focus

• CRISC: Risk identification → assessment → response/mitigation → reporting to leadership.

• CISA: Independent audit & assurance of governance, IT processes, system development/ops, and protection of information assets. (ISACA)

Eligibility (experience to get certified)

• CRISC: Minimum 3 years performing CRISC tasks across at least two of the four domains (experience must be within the prior 10 years).

• CISA: Minimum 5 years of professional experience in IS audit, control, assurance, or security (with waivers up to 3 years for qualifying education/certs). (support.isaca.org)

Maintenance & CPE requirements
Both require 20 CPEs annually and 120 CPEs over a 3-year cycle, plus an annual maintenance fee (ISACA member US$45, non-member US$85; reduced fee for 3rd+ certs). (ISACA)

Breadth vs. depth

• CISA is broader—governance, SDLC, ops/resilience, security, and audit technique.

• CRISC is deeper on risk frameworks, analysis, and treatment—where you’ll spend more time prioritizing scenarios and steering risk decisions. (ISACA)

Skills & Competencies You’ll Build

CRISC

• Building/operationalizing risk frameworks, aligning with enterprise governance

• Risk scenario development, likelihood/impact analysis, risk registers

• Mitigation strategies, control evaluation, and risk reporting to executives

• Practical governance—policy, culture, and enabling risk-aware decisions (ISACA)

CISA

• Audit methodology (planning → fieldwork → reporting → follow-up)

• Risk-based audit planning and control testing techniques

• IT governance, SDLC/DevOps assurance, operations & continuity reviews

• Regulatory compliance and protection of information assets (ISACA)

Professional networks
Both certifications tap into ISACA’s global chapters, webinars, and forums—handy for mentorship and free/low-cost CPE throughout the year. (ISACA)

Career Impact & Value

Typical roles

• CRISC: IT Risk Manager/Lead, Risk & Compliance Consultant, Technology Risk Officer, Program Manager with risk ownership.

• CISA: IT Auditor (internal/external), Senior/Lead IS Auditor, IT Assurance Consultant, SOX/ICFR Specialist, IT Control Analyst.

Salary outlook & demand
Demand is strong for both profiles—auditors to validate control environments, and risk pros to help organizations navigate cyber, cloud, AI, and regulatory risk. Salaries vary by market and sector; check current ranges on sources like LinkedIn Salary or PayScale when you target roles.

Recognition

• CISA remains the most recognized credential for enterprise IT audit.

• CRISC continues to gain traction where organizations formalize technology risk and board-level reporting.

Organizational benefits

• CRISC holders strengthen risk posture, scenario planning, and board reporting.

• CISA holders elevate assurance capability, testing, and defensible audit outcomes.

Which Certification Is Best for You?

Decision factors

• Your day-to-day sweet spot:

  • Love testing controls and issuing findings? → CISA

  • Prefer prioritizing risk and driving mitigation decisions? → CRISC

• Background:

  • Existing audit/assurance experience → CISA first

  • PMO, security ops, governance, or consulting with risk ownership → CRISC first

• Industry & future plans:

  • Regulated industries with heavy audit cycles (financial services, healthcare, public) often expect CISA.

  • Digital-first, cloud-heavy enterprises building integrated risk practices value CRISC.

Typical paths

• Consultants: Start with CISA (assurance credibility), add CRISC to guide clients on risk program design.

• Internal auditors / SOX teams: CISA, then CRISC if you plan to transition into enterprise risk.

• Risk officers / compliance managers: Lead with CRISC; add CISA for audit fluency and control testing dialogue.

Day-in-the-life snapshots

• CRISC pro: Morning risk committee, refine top risk scenarios, review KRIs, align mitigation plans with product and security teams, brief the CIO/CRO.

• CISA auditor: Kick off an audit, walkthroughs, evidence requests, test samples, rate findings, and present an assurance report to leadership.

Exam Preparation & Resources

Study timelines

• Baseline: 6–10 weeks of focused prep for most experienced practitioners; extend if you’re new to the domain.

• Work from the official Exam Content Outlines (they’re the blueprint for both exams). (ISACA)

Official materials & training

• Download the latest Exam Candidate Guide for logistics, scoring, retakes, and policies.

• Use ISACA’s official question banks/courses if you prefer structured prep; pair with domain-specific reading (frameworks, control catalogs). (ISACA)

Exam day facts to remember
Both exams are 150 MCQs, 4 hours, scaled 450 to pass. There are no prerequisites to sit; you’ll meet the work-experience requirement when you apply for certification after passing. (support.isaca.org)

Membership & ongoing development
Joining ISACA helps with discounts and CPE access (webinars, chapter events). After you certify, plan for 20 CPE/year and 120 CPE/3 years; budget the annual maintenance fee (member US$45, non-member US$85; reduced fee after your second ISACA cert). (ISACA)

Conclusion & Final Recommendations

• Choose CRISC if you want to own technology risk: build scenarios, advise on treatment, and speak the language of executives and the board.

• Choose CISA if you want to assure and improve control environments: plan audits, test effectively, and produce findings that drive change.

Can’t decide? Start with the certification that matches your current responsibilities and gets you promoted where you are. Then stack the other to become the rare pro who can both design risk responses and independently validate controls. That combo is catnip for hiring managers.

If you want, share your current role and target job descriptions—I can map the domains and create a custom, week-by-week study plan for either (or both) exams.