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thinQbeyond™ · DoD cyber workforce

What you hold. What it qualifies you for. What it pays.

Tick your certifications and see exactly which DoD workforce categories you already meet, which jobs each one gets you, how much experience those jobs actually ask for, and what to do next.

Current to DoD Manual 8140.03 and the February 2026 contractor change · Free, no sign-up

Read this first

8570 was cancelled in 2023. Contractors only moved across this year.

DoD 8570.01-M was cancelled outright on 15 February 2023 by DoD Manual 8140.03. IAT, IAM, IASAE and CSSP stopped being policy categories that day for military and DoD civilian personnel. But contractors stayed under 8570 pending a DFARS update — so for three years, two people doing identical work sat under different rulebooks. That gap closed on 1 February 2026, when a DFARS class deviation removed the references to 8570.01-M and clause 252.239-7001. Most people have not caught up.

Meanwhile the old baseline certification table is still live on public.cyber.mil, with no warning on it, still describing itself as an extension of a manual that no longer exists. It ranks well in search. Half the internet quotes it as current.

So this page shows you both systems — the legacy levels, because that is still what job postings say, and the DCWF work roles, because that is what policy requires. What it will not do is invent a crosswalk between them, because DoD states plainly that none exists: “there is no ‘crosswalk’ of qualifications between them.” Anyone showing you one built it themselves.

What do you hold?

Include certifications you are working toward as well — the point is to see the finish line before you start. Everything is worked out in your browser and nothing is sent anywhere.

Every level, and what it actually gets you

The fourteen legacy categories, with the jobs each one leads to, the experience those jobs really ask for, the pay grade they sit at and what they pay. Open any of them.

On the experience figures: there is no official source for these and we will not pretend otherwise. They are what these billets ask for in practice, drawn from how the roles are actually staffed. Treat them as a planning guide, not a rule — people clear them faster with a clearance and a good record, and slower without.

IAT — the technical track

IAT Level I Information Assurance Technical, Level I 0–2 years experience GS-5 to GS-7 5 qualifying certs
Jobs this gets you
  • Help desk technician
  • Desktop / client support
  • IT specialist (customer support)
  • Junior network technician
Typical pay

$61,860

Computer User Support Specialists, BLS median (May 2025). Range $41K–$100K.

Typically performs, under DCWF
411 Technical Support Specialist

What this population usually does — not an official mapping. DoD says no crosswalk exists.

Certifications that qualify
A+ CE → CCNA-Security → CND → Network+ CE → SSCP

Green means we run a class for it — click through for dates.

The doorway, and only the doorway. A+ and Network+ qualify here and explicitly cannot be used for anything above. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects this occupation to SHRINK 3% through 2035. Treat IAT I as a place you pass through in twelve to eighteen months, not a place you stay.
IAT Level II Information Assurance Technical, Level II 2–5 years experience GS-9 to GS-11 7 qualifying certs
Jobs this gets you
  • System administrator
  • Network administrator
  • Junior security analyst
  • ISSO on a small system
Typical pay

$99,130

Network and Computer Systems Administrators, BLS median (May 2025). Range $63K–$155K.

Typically performs, under DCWF
451 System Administrator441 Network Operations Specialist521 Cyber Defense Infrastructure Support Specialist

What this population usually does — not an official mapping. DoD says no crosswalk exists.

Certifications that qualify
CCNA-Security → CySA+ → GICSP GSEC Security+ CE → CND → SSCP

Green means we run a class for it — click through for dates.

The single most common requirement in cleared job postings, and Security+ is the reason. Because higher levels satisfy lower ones, Security+ alone covers IAT I, IAT II and IAM I — three qualifications from one exam. Nothing else on this page is that efficient. Note BLS projects sysadmin roles to shrink 4% through 2035; the growth is one level up.
IAT Level III Information Assurance Technical, Level III 5–10 years experience GS-12 to GS-13 7 qualifying certs
Jobs this gets you
  • Senior system administrator
  • Network security engineer
  • Systems engineer
  • Technical lead on an enclave
Typical pay

$129,180

Information Security Analysts, BLS median (May 2025). Range $75K–$200K.

Typically performs, under DCWF
461 Systems Security Analyst652 Security Architect633 System Security Engineer

What this population usually does — not an official mapping. DoD says no crosswalk exists.

Certifications that qualify
CASP+ CE → CCNP Security → CISA CISSP (or Associate) → GCED GCIH CCSP

Green means we run a class for it — click through for dates.

The technical ceiling under the old system. CCNP Security is the only Cisco professional-level certification on the whole 8570 chart — CCNP Enterprise and CCIE are not on it at all, which surprises a lot of network engineers.

IAM — the management track

IAM Level I Information Assurance Management, Level I 2–4 years experience GS-9 to GS-11 6 qualifying certs
Jobs this gets you
  • ISSO on a single system
  • Security coordinator
  • Assistant ISSM
  • Compliance support
Typical pay

$99,130

Between the BLS sysadmin median and the information security median, depending on scope.

Typically performs, under DCWF
722 Information Systems Security Manager (Basic)612 Security Control Assessor (Basic)

What this population usually does — not an official mapping. DoD says no crosswalk exists.

Certifications that qualify
CAP CND → Cloud+ GSLC Security+ CE → HCISPP

Green means we run a class for it — click through for dates.

The first rung of the management ladder, and the fork in the road. IAT is the hands-on track; IAM is the accountability track — RMF packages, POA&Ms, authorisation paperwork. Security+ opens both, so you can defer the decision until you know which you actually enjoy.
IAM Level II Information Assurance Management, Level II 5–10 years experience GS-12 to GS-13 7 qualifying certs
Jobs this gets you
  • ISSM
  • ISSO on a major system
  • Cybersecurity manager
  • Security control assessor
Typical pay

$129,180

Information Security Analysts, BLS median (May 2025).

Typically performs, under DCWF
722 Information Systems Security Manager612 Security Control Assessor

What this population usually does — not an official mapping. DoD says no crosswalk exists.

Certifications that qualify
CAP CASP+ CE → CISM CISSP (or Associate) → GSLC CCISO → HCISPP

Green means we run a class for it — click through for dates.

Where CISSP starts paying for itself. It qualifies here, at IAM III, at IAT III and at two IASAE levels — five of the fourteen categories, the broadest coverage of any single credential on the chart.
IAM Level III Information Assurance Management, Level III 10+ years experience GS-14 to GS-15 4 qualifying certs
Jobs this gets you
  • Senior ISSM
  • Cybersecurity division chief
  • Authorizing Official representative
  • CISO track
Typical pay

$143,913

GS-14 step 1, Washington-Baltimore-Arlington locality, 2026 OPM tables. Rises to $187,093 at step 10.

Typically performs, under DCWF
611 Authorizing Official / Designated Representative722 Information Systems Security Manager (Advanced)

What this population usually does — not an official mapping. DoD says no crosswalk exists.

Certifications that qualify
CISM CISSP (or Associate) → GSLC CCISO →

Green means we run a class for it — click through for dates.

Only four certifications qualify here, and every one of them is a management credential. This is the level where technical depth stops being the constraint and accountability starts being the job.

IASAE — the architecture track

IASAE Level I IA System Architect and Engineer, Level I 3–5 years experience GS-11 to GS-12 3 qualifying certs
Jobs this gets you
  • Security systems developer
  • Junior security architect
  • Secure software engineer
Typical pay

$129,180

Information Security Analysts, BLS median (May 2025).

Typically performs, under DCWF
631 Information Systems Security Developer622 Secure Software Assessor

What this population usually does — not an official mapping. DoD says no crosswalk exists.

Certifications that qualify
CASP+ CE → CISSP (or Associate) → CSSLP

Green means we run a class for it — click through for dates.

The architecture track, and the smallest of the three families — only three certifications qualify at Levels I and II combined. Critically, the waterfall rule does NOT apply to IASAE: a Level III credential does not satisfy Level I. That catches people out.
IASAE Level II IA System Architect and Engineer, Level II 5–10 years experience GS-12 to GS-13 3 qualifying certs
Jobs this gets you
  • Security architect
  • Secure systems engineer
  • Enclave design lead
Typical pay

$129,180

Information Security Analysts, BLS median (May 2025).

Typically performs, under DCWF
652 Security Architect633 System Security Engineer

What this population usually does — not an official mapping. DoD says no crosswalk exists.

Certifications that qualify
CASP+ CE → CISSP (or Associate) → CSSLP

Green means we run a class for it — click through for dates.

Identical certification list to Level I — the difference is scope and demonstrated experience, not credential. Which means the way up from IASAE I is time and evidence, not another exam.
IASAE Level III IA System Architect and Engineer, Level III 10+ years experience GS-13 to GS-14 3 qualifying certs
Jobs this gets you
  • Chief security architect
  • Enterprise security engineer
  • Cross-domain solution architect
Typical pay

$143,913

GS-14 step 1, DC locality, 2026 OPM tables.

Typically performs, under DCWF
652 Security Architect (Advanced)628 Software/Cloud Architect

What this population usually does — not an official mapping. DoD says no crosswalk exists.

Certifications that qualify
CISSP-ISSAP CISSP-ISSEP CCSP

Green means we run a class for it — click through for dates.

ISSAP and ISSEP are CISSP concentrations — you must already hold CISSP to sit them. This is the narrowest gate on the entire chart, and the waterfall does not help you: holding ISSAP does not qualify you for IASAE I or II.

CSSP — cybersecurity service provider specialties

CSSP Analyst Cybersecurity Service Provider Analyst 2–5 years experience GS-11 to GS-12 11 qualifying certs
Jobs this gets you
  • SOC analyst
  • Cyber defense analyst
  • Threat hunter
  • Watch floor analyst
Typical pay

$129,180

Information Security Analysts, BLS median (May 2025). SOC analysts typically sit below this median early on.

Typically performs, under DCWF
511 Cyber Defense Analyst

What this population usually does — not an official mapping. DoD says no crosswalk exists.

Certifications that qualify
CEH → CFR CCNA Cyber Ops → CCNA-Security → CySA+ → GCIA GCIH GICSP Cloud+ SCYBER PenTest+

Green means we run a class for it — click through for dates.

Eleven qualifying certifications, the widest choice anywhere on the chart. If you want into defensive operations and are not sure which exam to sit, this is the category with the most doors. CySA+ is the best value of them: it qualifies for this and three other CSSP specialties.
CSSP Infrastructure Support Cybersecurity Service Provider Infrastructure Support 3–6 years experience GS-11 to GS-12 8 qualifying certs
Jobs this gets you
  • Sensor / tool administrator
  • IDS-IPS engineer
  • SIEM engineer
  • Defensive infrastructure support
Typical pay

$129,180

Information Security Analysts, BLS median (May 2025).

Typically performs, under DCWF
521 Cyber Defense Infrastructure Support Specialist

What this population usually does — not an official mapping. DoD says no crosswalk exists.

Certifications that qualify
CEH → CySA+ → GICSP SSCP CHFI CFR Cloud+ CND →

Green means we run a class for it — click through for dates.

The least glamorous and most transferable of the CSSP specialties. Somebody has to keep the sensors, the SIEM and the tooling running, and that somebody is employable anywhere.
CSSP Incident Responder Cybersecurity Service Provider Incident Responder 3–7 years experience GS-12 to GS-13 10 qualifying certs
Jobs this gets you
  • Incident responder
  • DFIR analyst
  • CIRT member
  • Digital forensics examiner
Typical pay

$129,180

Information Security Analysts, BLS median (May 2025). Experienced DFIR sits well above it.

Typically performs, under DCWF
531 Cyber Defense Incident Responder212 Cyber Defense Forensics Analyst

What this population usually does — not an official mapping. DoD says no crosswalk exists.

Certifications that qualify
CEH → CFR CCNA Cyber Ops → CCNA-Security → CHFI CySA+ → GCFA GCIH SCYBER PenTest+

Green means we run a class for it — click through for dates.

Where the SANS certifications earn their price. GCFA and GCIH are the practitioner standard for this work, and they are also the reason to chase service credentialing funding rather than pay out of pocket.
CSSP Auditor Cybersecurity Service Provider Auditor 4–8 years experience GS-12 to GS-13 6 qualifying certs
Jobs this gets you
  • Security control assessor
  • Compliance auditor
  • Red team support
  • Vulnerability assessment analyst
Typical pay

$129,180

Information Security Analysts, BLS median (May 2025).

Typically performs, under DCWF
612 Security Control Assessor541 Vulnerability Assessment Analyst

What this population usually does — not an official mapping. DoD says no crosswalk exists.

Certifications that qualify
CEH → CySA+ → CISA GSNA CFR PenTest+

Green means we run a class for it — click through for dates.

The bridge between the technical and management tracks. CISA qualifies here and at IAT III, which makes it an unusually flexible credential for anyone unsure whether they want to stay hands-on.
CSSP Manager Cybersecurity Service Provider Manager 8+ years experience GS-13 to GS-14 3 qualifying certs
Jobs this gets you
  • SOC manager
  • CIRT lead
  • Cyber defense branch chief
  • Cyber operations manager
Typical pay

$143,913

GS-14 step 1, DC locality, 2026 OPM tables.

Typically performs, under DCWF
722 Information Systems Security Manager752 Cyber Policy and Strategy Planner

What this population usually does — not an official mapping. DoD says no crosswalk exists.

Certifications that qualify
CISM CISSP-ISSMP CCISO →

Green means we run a class for it — click through for dates.

Three certifications, all management. ISSMP is a CISSP concentration, so CISSP is a prerequisite. The route here is almost always CSSP Analyst or Incident Responder first — you do not manage a watch floor you have never stood on.

How qualification actually works now

Four parts. Most people only know about one of them, and it is not even the mandatory-looking one.

Foundational qualification

Within 9 months of being assigned the work role. Contractors: at commencement of work, with no grace period.

Satisfied by ANY ONE of three coequal options: a qualifying degree, training covering 70% of the work role content completed within five years, or an ISO/IEC 17024-accredited certification current within five years. This is the correction most people need: 8140 does not require a certification. A certification is one of three ways in.

Foundational alternative (experience)

Closing. If it applies to you, move.

A time-limited path for people already in post. Only open to those who were incumbents in a DCWF IT, cybersecurity or enabler position as of 16 December 2024, self-nomination is prohibited, and it expires — 31 December 2027 for cybersecurity, 31 December 2028 for IT and enablers. Qualification earned this way is permanent and survives those dates.

Residential qualification

Within 12 months of assignment. Runs concurrently with foundational, not after it.

On-the-job qualification covering all task and knowledge content for the role, including a formal period of supervised work before you are allowed to work unsupervised, plus any environment-specific requirements your command sets. Always required. This is the half people forget — passing the exam is not being qualified.

Continuous professional development

Every year, permanently.

A minimum of 20 hours a year, or whatever your certification's own continuing-education requirement is, whichever is greater. Maintaining an active certification generally satisfies it.

How we got here

  • 19 Dec 2005
    DoD 8570.01-M issued

    The Information Assurance Workforce Improvement Program. It gave us IAT, IAM, IASAE and CSSP, and it governed DoD cyber certification for eighteen years.

  • 5 Oct 2020
    DoD Directive 8140.01 takes effect

    "Cyberspace Workforce Management" reissues and renumbers the old 8570 directive. The manual underneath it has not been replaced yet.

  • 15 Feb 2023
    8570.01-M is CANCELLED

    DoD Manual 8140.03 "incorporates and cancels" it outright. IAT, IAM, IASAE and CSSP stop being policy for military and DoD civilian personnel on this date. Contractors do not move yet - and that is where three years of confusion comes from.

  • 15 Feb 2024
    Components must have coded every position

    Twelve-month mark: every cyberspace position identified, assigned a DCWF work role and proficiency level, and reported.

  • 15 Feb 2025
    Foundational qualification due — cybersecurity workforce

    The first population had to be foundationally qualified against their assigned work role.

  • 1 Feb 2026
    Contractors finally move to 8140

    A DFARS class deviation removes references to DoDD 8140.01, DoD 8570.01-M and clause 252.239-7001. Contractors must now meet foundational qualification for their DCWF work role AT COMMENCEMENT OF WORK - no nine-month grace period. The codified DFARS text still cites 8570, so old contracts may still carry the old clause.

  • 15 Feb 2026
    Foundational due — IT, effects, intelligence, enablers

    Plus residential qualification for the cybersecurity workforce element. Both deadlines have passed.

The 76 work roles that replaced the levels

Seven workforce elements. Your position gets coded to one primary work role and up to two more, each at Basic, Intermediate or Advanced — and that proficiency level is set by the work, not by your rank or grade.

Count is as of DCWF v5.2, July 2026. Roles are added and revised quarterly, so check the DCWF Tool before relying on it. Two of these elements — Software Engineering and Data/AI — are in the framework but have no published qualification matrix and no deadline in the manual.

Cyberspace IT · 11

Building and running the networks and systems everything else depends on.

411Technical Support Specialist 421Database Administrator 431Knowledge Manager 441Network Operations Specialist 451System Administrator 452Secure Configuration Specialist 632Systems Developer 641Systems Requirements Planner 651Enterprise Architect 661Research and Development Specialist 671System Testing and Evaluation Specialist

Cybersecurity · 14

Defending them. This is the element most legacy IAT, IAM and CSSP people land in, and the only one with a mature published qualification matrix.

212Cyber Defense Forensics Analyst 462Control Systems Security Specialist 511Cyber Defense Analyst 521Cyber Defense Infrastructure Support Specialist 531Cyber Defense Incident Responder 541Vulnerability Assessment Analyst 611Authorizing Official / Designated Representative 612Security Control Assessor 622Secure Software Assessor 631Information Systems Security Developer 633System Security Engineer 652Security Architect 722Information Systems Security Manager 723COMSEC Manager

Cyberspace Effects · 13

Offensive and access operations. Almost always TS/SCI, almost always uniformed or IC.

121Exploitation Analyst 122Digital Network Exploitation Analyst 131Joint Targeting Analyst 132Target Digital Network Analyst 133Target Analyst Reporter 321Access Network Operator 322Cyberspace Operator 332Cyber Operations Planner 341Cyberspace Capability Developer 442Network Technician 443Network Analyst 463Host Analyst 551Red Team Specialist

Intelligence (Cyberspace) · 5

Analysis and collection management in the cyber domain.

111All-Source Analyst 151Multi-Disciplined Language Analyst 311All Source-Collection Manager 312All Source-Collection Requirements Manager 331Cyber Intelligence Planner

Cyber Enablers · 14

Legal, policy, acquisition, training and programme management. The route in for people whose background is not technical.

211Forensics Analyst 221Cyber Crime Investigator 711Cyber Instructional Curriculum Developer 712Cyber Instructor 731Cyber Legal Advisor 732Privacy Compliance Manager 751Cyber Workforce Developer and Manager 752Cyber Policy and Strategy Planner 801Program Manager 802IT Project Manager 803Product Support Manager 804IT Investment / Portfolio Manager 805IT Program Auditor 901Executive Cyber Leader

Software Engineering · 8

Added to the framework, but with no published qualification matrix and no deadline in the manual.

461Systems Security Analyst 621Software Developer 625Product Designer (UI) 626Service Designer (UX) 627DevSecOps Specialist 628Software / Cloud Architect 673Software Test and Evaluation Specialist 806Product Manager

Data and AI · 11

The newest element. Same caveat — in the framework, not yet in the qualification schedule.

422Data Analyst 423Data Scientist 424Data Steward 623AI/ML Specialist 624Data Operations Specialist 653Data Architect 672AI Test and Evaluation Specialist 733AI Risk and Ethics Specialist 753AI Adoption Specialist 902AI Innovation Leader 903Data Officer

The other half of the job

Clearances

You cannot get one on your own. There is no application, no way to pay for your own, and no legitimate service that sells one — an investigation is initiated by a sponsoring agency or a cleared employer against a specific position with a demonstrated need. Which is exactly why leaving the service with a current clearance is the single most valuable thing you carry out of the door.

Secret

Tier 3 · about 156 days to process

$107,439

average total compensation

Damage to national security if disclosed. The working clearance for most cleared IT and cyber jobs.

Top Secret

Tier 5 · about 227 days to process

$126,839

average total compensation

Exceptionally grave damage. Required for most operational and intelligence-adjacent work.

TS/SCI

Tier 5 + indoctrination

$139,261

average total compensation

Not a fourth level — Top Secret eligibility plus separate access approval for compartmented information. A polygraph is a further condition on top, not a level.

TS/SCI with polygraph

Tier 5 + CI or full-scope poly

$149,875

average total compensation

Counterintelligence or lifestyle polygraph. Adds unpredictable time and roughly thirty thousand dollars.

Processing times are DCSA figures for the fastest 90% of cases, FY2026 Q1, and they are improving — but end-to-end the government rates its own timeliness “Poor”. Budget five to eight months for Secret and eight to twelve or more for Top Secret. Compensation figures are from the 2026 ClearanceJobs survey: a self-selected job-board sample skewed to the Washington corridor, not government wage data. They are also unadjusted — higher clearances cluster in senior roles in expensive places, so the true clearance-only premium is smaller than the gap looks.

What changed in May 2026, and why it matters more than it sounds

Periodic reinvestigations have been abolished for cleared contractor personnel. In their place: continuous vetting that runs permanently in the background, plus a questionnaire refresh every five years for everyone regardless of level. Scheduled reinvestigation requests fell from 7,716 a quarter to about 100.

The practical consequence is about self-reporting. Under the old system a financial problem might have surfaced at a ten-year reinvestigation. Now it surfaces in weeks — and an alert that arrives without a prior self-disclosure reads very differently from one that follows a disclosure. Report foreign contacts, foreign travel, financial distress and arrests promptly. The window to quietly fix things first is gone.

Three ways in, and they are not equivalent

Uniformed military

Rank-bound, plus special pays

Clearance. Sponsored automatically as a condition of the job — the fastest and cheapest way to get cleared, full stop.

Certifications. Funded through COOL or Credentialing Assistance, and often mandatory for the billet.

The 2026 basic pay raise was 3.8%. Army Cyber Assignment Incentive Pay runs $200 to $1,500 a month for certified USCYBERCOM work roles, and you do not need a cyber MOS to draw it. Watch 1 October 2026: the new DoD-wide Cyber Mastery Incentive Pay starts then, $103M in the FY27 request, and an Army memo indicates it will TERMINATE some existing incentive pays. Tiers have not been published.

DoD civilian

GS, or CES / DCIPS where implemented

Clearance. Sponsored by the hiring component, but you need a tentative offer first.

Certifications. Funded by the component, and required by DoDM 8140.03 for your assigned work role.

The 2026 civilian raise was 1.0%, against 3.8% for the military. DoD declined the government-wide 2210 special salary rate — roughly $740M a year, unbudgeted — so a DoD IT specialist generally does not get the boost a VA or DHS one may. The real money is elsewhere: in certified DCIPS cyber work roles the Targeted Local Market Supplement runs +65% to +80%, which puts a GG-11 step 1 at about $115,000, more than a GS-13 in Washington.

Defense contractor

Market-set — the highest ceiling

Clearance. Sponsored against a specific contract requirement. Already-cleared candidates are strongly preferred, which is why leaving the service with a current clearance is worth so much.

Certifications. Usually your own problem. Official guidance says DoD should not pay for contractor certifications, and the contract may require them before you can bill.

The pay gap is smaller than folklore suggests: contractors average $129,264 against $124,404 for government employees, and government pay grew faster this cycle. The real differences are job security — tied to contract recompetes — and speed. Since 1 February 2026 contractors are under 8140 like everyone else, and must be foundationally qualified at commencement of work with no grace period.

Who will pay for your certification

Three of these changed materially in 2026, and two got worse. Check yours before you plan around a number somebody quoted you last year.

Army Credentialing Assistance

Enlisted and warrant officers · $2,000 a year

CUT IN HALF in March 2026, and commissioned officers are no longer eligible at all. One credential a year, three in any ten-year period, command approval now required, and you repay the course if you do not sit the exam. $2,000 comfortably covers Security+ or CySA+. It does not come close to a SANS course, so anyone with a GIAC plan needs to re-plan.

Official page →

Air Force COOL

Enlisted Air Force and Space Force · $4,500 lifetime

Lifetime, not annual — spend it deliberately. Covers exam fees, books up to $500, application and recertification fees. Officers are not eligible for primary-AFSC credentials. Failed retakes come out of your own pocket.

Official page →

Navy COOL

Enlisted · No published cap

Voucher-based and covers exam, membership, application and recertification fees — but NOT training or study materials, which is a real limitation. Critical procedural trap: you must be authorised BEFORE you start, or you are ineligible for reimbursement.

Official page →

Marine Corps COOL

See the restriction · First come, first served

An unusual inversion worth reading twice: as of March 2026, cyberspace workforce credentialing funding is restricted to OFFICERS and government civilians in cyber-coded billets, with no waivers. Enlisted Marines outside cyber-coded billets use the standard MOS-aligned path instead.

Official page →

Coast Guard CA

Enlisted AND officers · $4,500 a fiscal year

The most inclusive of any service — officers are eligible, and books and study guides are covered as well as the exam. Our figure comes from a 2022 user guide, so confirm it is still current before you plan around it.

Official page →

SpouseWorks Scholarship

Military spouses · $4,000

The programme formerly called MyCAA. Covers licences, certifications and continuing education. The current official page says all ranks and pay grades qualify, which contradicts the long-standing E-1 to E-6 restriction — call Military OneSource on 800-342-9647 and confirm before you count on it.

Official page →

GI Bill

Veterans and eligible dependants · $2,000 a test

It works, but it is usually the wrong tool. Test fees only — no prep courses, no study materials — and it CHARGES AGAINST YOUR ENTITLEMENT, roughly half a month for a $986 exam. Burning degree entitlement on a $400 Security+ voucher is poor value when COOL or CA would cover it. Save the GI Bill for the degree.

Official page →

SkillBridge

Service members in their final months · Full pay continues

Civilian industry training on permissive duty while the military still pays you — effectively a funded audition. But do not quote 180 days any more: since 31 March 2026 the Air Force and Space Force cap it by rank at 60 to 120 days, with higher approval authority. Start the paperwork twelve to fourteen months out, not at six.

Official page →

One sequence beats all the others, and almost nobody runs it deliberately: use COOL or Credentialing Assistance to get certified while you are still in, use SkillBridge to get placed before you separate, and walk out with a current clearance. A cleared, certified hire and an entry-level one are two different salaries for the same person — roughly $73,000 against $104,000 and up.

What almost everyone gets wrong

“I need an IAT Level II certification.”

Not since 15 February 2023 — and since 1 February 2026 that is true for contractors too. IAT, IAM, IASAE and CSSP are not policy categories any more. Your certification almost certainly still counts, but it now qualifies you for a specific DCWF work role at a specific proficiency level. The words still appear in job postings because nobody rewrote the templates.

“I found the approved certification list on public.cyber.mil.”

That page is still live, still ranks well in search, and still opens by describing itself as an extension of a manual that was cancelled three years ago. It carries no warning. The current list is the DoD 8140 Qualification Matrix V2.1, dated 19 September 2025, and it lives on cyberworkforce.mil — a different site.

“There must be a chart showing IAT II equals work role X.”

There is not, and DoD says so in writing: “there is no ‘crosswalk’ of qualifications between them.” The two systems are different shapes. 8570 sorted people by function and tier; DCWF sorts them by the work they actually perform, with proficiency as a separate axis. One old IAT II population scatters across several work roles. Any vendor showing you a crosswalk built it themselves.

“8140 means I have to get certified.”

No. Foundational qualification is education OR training OR certification — three equal paths. If you have a relevant degree, or your service school covered 70% of the role content, you are foundationally qualified without sitting an exam.

“I passed the exam, so I am qualified.”

Half qualified. Residential — on-the-job — qualification is separately required within twelve months, including a supervised period before you work unsupervised. For cyber IT, effects, intelligence and enabler roles, that department-wide deadline is 15 February 2027.

“Once I am qualified I am done.”

Twenty hours of continuous professional development a year, minimum, or whatever your certification requires to stay current — whichever is greater. And “good for life” certifications no longer count; everything must be maintained to the provider's renewal rules.

“My proficiency level is my rank.”

It is set by the work role assignment and the ability standard — Basic, Intermediate or Advanced — through your coding and Letter of Designation. Not rank, not grade, not time in service.

“The company will pay for my certification.”

For contractors, official guidance says DoD components should not pay for contract personnel to obtain or retain required certifications. Many employers still do as a benefit, but the requirement sits with you, and the contract may require it before you can bill an hour.

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Send us what you hold and where you are trying to get to. We will map it — which category you already meet, what the shortest route to the next one is, who will pay for it, and whether the job on the other side is worth the exam. Free, and if the answer is that you do not need any more training from us, that is what we will tell you.

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Please read this. thinQtank Learning is a private training company. We are not part of the Department of Defense, not affiliated with or endorsed by DoD, DISA, DCSA, the DoD CIO, any military service, CompTIA, Cisco, ISC2, GIAC, EC-Council or ISACA, and nothing here is official policy guidance. We report what the published issuances say and link them so you can read them yourself.

Policy changes, and this page will go out of date. Verify anything you intend to act on against DoD Manual 8140.03, the current DoD 8140 Qualification Matrix on cyberworkforce.mil, and your own command, security manager or contracting officer — they, not us, decide whether you are qualified. Years-of-experience figures on this page have no official source and are a planning guide only. Pay figures are labelled with their source; the clearance compensation figures come from a commercial job-board survey, not from government wage data.

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