Complete Guide to Cisco Certification Career Paths

cisco certificationThe article concludes by providing tools for planning career paths, salaries, and professional development related to Cisco certifications.

In 2025, the demand for Cisco-certified professionals has never been stronger. With global enterprises accelerating cloud adoption, zero-trust security, AI-driven networking, and hybrid infrastructure, Cisco certifications continue to stand as the most recognized and job-relevant credentials in the networking and cybersecurity industry.

According to Ciscoโ€™s public workforce report, more than 80% of global enterprises rely on Cisco technologies, which directly increases the need for certified engineers in roles such as network operations, security engineering, and systems architecture.

This guide breaks down every Cisco certification level, offers career path recommendations, provides salary insights, and incorporates fresh updatesfor 2025.

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Everything You Need to Know About the Cisco CCST Certification

CCST Certification

Cisco introduced the Cisco Certified Support Technician (CCST) program to give new IT professionals a modern, accessible starting point aligned with todayโ€™s enterprise needs. As of 2025โ€“2026, CCST has become one of the most popular entry-level credentials because it covers real-world support skills in networking, cybersecurity, and IT troubleshootingโ€”skills employers expect from day one.

This guide breaks down all three CCST examsโ€”100-140 (Support), 100-150 (Networking), and 100-160 (Cybersecurity)โ€”with exam details, salary insights, practical career paths, and preparation strategies based on current Cisco information.

โญ CCST Exam Mapping

Exam CodeOfficial NameFocus Area100-140CCST SupportIT support, device management, basic networking100-150CCST NetworkingRouting, switching, wireless, connectivity100-160CCST CybersecurityThreats, SOC operations, security fundamentals

Introduction to CCST

What Is CCST?

CCST stands for Cisco Certified Support Technician. According to Cisco, this certification verifies the hands-on ability to solve common IT support issues, perform entry-level troubleshooting, and understand foundational networking and security concepts.

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