Jason Dion's Security+ course has over a million Udemy enrollments. That's not a marketing claim — it's the actual enrollment counter on his course page, which makes it one of the best-selling IT certification courses on the platform. The question isn't whether it's popular; it's whether popularity translates to passing your SY0-701 exam and actually getting hired.
This review covers what the Jason Dion Security+ course contains, how it stacks up against alternatives, what kind of learner it works best for, and what it won't teach you. If you're deciding between Dion and another prep option — or trying to figure out whether Security+ is even the right cert for where you want to go — this is the breakdown you need.
Who Is Jason Dion?
Jason Dion is a former U.S. Navy officer with over 20 years in IT and cybersecurity. He holds more than 20 certifications, including CISSP, CEH, Security+, Network+, and A+. He's also a Professor Emeritus at Regent University. Before creating courses, he worked in information assurance roles that required the same certs he now teaches.
That background matters because his teaching style reflects it. He explains concepts from an operational perspective — not purely exam-theory. You'll hear him reference how things work in practice, not just how CompTIA frames them on the test.
He runs his own platform at Dion Training alongside his Udemy catalog. The courses are effectively the same content across both, with Dion Training offering bundle pricing and practice exams as separate purchases.
What the Jason Dion Security+ Course Actually Covers
The current version targets the SY0-701 exam (updated in late 2023), which replaced SY0-601. If you're looking at older reviews referencing SY0-601, the structure is similar but the content was overhauled — CompTIA shifted the exam's weight toward cloud security, automation, and zero trust architectures.
Dion's SY0-701 course typically runs 20-25 hours of video content organized around the five CompTIA exam domains:
- General Security Concepts — cryptography, authentication, authorization, PKI
- Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations — threat actors, attack types, vulnerability scanning
- Security Architecture — network segmentation, cloud models, virtualization, zero trust
- Security Operations — incident response, digital forensics, endpoint security, SIEM
- Security Program Management and Oversight — risk management, compliance, governance
Each domain is broken into short video modules — typically 5-15 minutes each. Dion leans heavily on acronym mnemonics and visual diagrams, which reviewers either love or find repetitive depending on their learning style.
Practice Exams
This is where the Dion course genuinely earns its reputation. The practice exams are harder than the actual CompTIA exam — intentionally so. He includes performance-based questions (PBQs), which are the drag-and-drop and simulation questions that trip up test-takers who only studied multiple choice. Most competing courses underweight PBQs. Dion doesn't.
The Udemy version typically includes 3-6 full practice exams (about 90 questions each). Dion Training bundles often include more. If you're treating this purely as exam prep and budget is a concern, the practice exams are often more valuable than the video lectures on a dollar-per-point basis.
What It Doesn't Cover
The Jason Dion Security+ course is exam prep, not a cybersecurity fundamentals bootcamp. If you don't already have basic networking knowledge — OSI model, TCP/IP, DNS, firewalls — you'll struggle. Dion assumes you've already passed CompTIA Network+ or have equivalent experience. There are brief refreshers but no deep networking module.
It also doesn't include hands-on labs with real tools. You won't be configuring Wireshark, running Nessus scans, or setting up a SIEM. For practical skills, you'd need to supplement with TryHackMe, Hack The Box, or a separate lab environment. The course is optimized for the exam, not for job-ready technical depth.
Jason Dion Security+ vs. Competing Courses
The main alternatives in the Security+ prep space are Professor Messer, Mike Chapple (LinkedIn Learning/O'Reilly), and Darril Gibson's written materials.
Jason Dion vs. Professor Messer
Professor Messer offers free video content on his website and YouTube channel. If budget is your primary constraint, Messer is the default recommendation — his videos are thorough and genuinely free (not a trial or sample). Dion's advantage is pacing and production quality. Messer's free videos are solid but recorded independently; Dion's course has tighter editing and more structured progression through the domains.
Messer's paid study materials (practice exams, study groups) cost extra and are separate purchases. When you factor in all-in pricing, Dion and Messer end up at similar price points if you buy full bundles. On a pure video-for-video comparison, most learners report similar pass rates with both.
Jason Dion vs. Mike Chapple
Chapple wrote the official CompTIA Security+ Study Guide (Sybex). His teaching style is more academic and text-heavy — if you absorb information better from books than video, Chapple's materials complement well. Chapple's LinkedIn Learning course is shorter (around 13 hours) and works best as a supplement rather than standalone prep.
When Dion Is the Right Choice
Jason Dion's Security+ course is the strongest option for learners who:
- Prefer structured video over self-directed reading
- Want exam-focused content with hard practice questions included
- Have basic networking foundations but are new to security concepts
- Are studying solo without an instructor or study group
It's not ideal if you want hands-on technical practice, are looking for deep conceptual security theory beyond what the exam requires, or have no prior IT background at all.
Top Courses for CompTIA Security+ and Cybersecurity Fundamentals
If you're building toward Security+ and want supplementary resources beyond Dion's core course, these are worth considering:
Cybersecurity Assessment: CompTIA Security+ & CySA+
Covers both Security+ and the CySA+ (CS0-003) exam in one course, which is useful if you're planning to stack certifications — Security+ is a prerequisite for CySA+ and this course bridges the gap efficiently.
IT Security: Defense Against the Digital Dark Arts
Google's IT security course from their IT Support Professional Certificate. It doesn't prep you for the Security+ exam specifically, but it builds foundational concepts — cryptography, authentication, network security — in a way that makes Dion's exam content easier to absorb. Good pre-study for career changers.
Operating Systems: Overview, Administration, and Security
Security+ heavily tests OS-level security concepts — patching, hardening, access controls. This course fills in gaps for learners who haven't worked in sysadmin roles and need to understand what they're actually securing.
Computer Security and Systems Management Specialization
A multi-course specialization that goes deeper than exam prep and into actual security management workflows. Better suited for learners who want the cert and the underlying conceptual grounding, not just the pass.
What Security+ Actually Gets You (Career Outcomes)
CompTIA Security+ is a DoD 8570 baseline certification. That's the mandate that requires U.S. Department of Defense contractors and federal employees in certain roles to hold specific certs. Security+ satisfies the IAT Level II requirement, which covers roles like Information Systems Security Officer and Security Control Assessor at the entry level.
For private sector jobs, Security+ signals that you understand security fundamentals and can speak the vocabulary — it's a floor, not a ceiling. Most job postings that list Security+ as required are at the SOC analyst, IT security analyst, or help desk security specialist level, with salaries ranging from $55,000 to $85,000 depending on location and company.
Passing Security+ does not make you a penetration tester, a cloud security architect, or a CISO. The learners who get the most career traction from this cert are those who pair it with either hands-on technical skills (labs, home environments, practical tools) or existing work experience in IT that they're pivoting into security. The cert opens doors; what's behind the door depends on what else you bring.
The cert is vendor-neutral and valid for three years before renewal (via continuing education credits or retesting). Dion's course is an efficient way to get to the credential — but budget 60-90 days of consistent study alongside the course if you're coming from a non-security background.
FAQ
Is the Jason Dion Security+ course enough to pass the exam?
For most learners with some IT background, yes — particularly if you use all the practice exams and review any domain where you're scoring below 75% before sitting the real test. CompTIA recommends candidates have two years of IT experience before attempting Security+. If you're below that, consider supplementing with Professor Messer's free videos or hands-on labs to fill gaps.
Which version of the Security+ exam does Dion's course cover?
The current version targets SY0-701, which has been the active exam since November 2023. CompTIA retired SY0-601 in July 2024. If you're buying a course, confirm it's the 701 version — older courses are still listed on Udemy and the domain weightings are meaningfully different.
How long does it take to get through the Jason Dion Security+ course?
The video content alone is 20-25 hours. Most people take 4-8 weeks to complete the course, practice exams, and review — assuming 1-2 hours of study per day. Accelerated learners with existing network knowledge have reported passing in under four weeks. Going slower is fine; the material doesn't expire and the Udemy license is lifetime access.
Is Dion Training better than Udemy for this course?
The video content is functionally identical. Dion Training is worth considering if you want bundle pricing (course + practice exams together), if you're buying for a team, or if you want Dion's platform-specific features. Udemy is the better option when it's on sale (it goes to $12-15 regularly), which is often cheaper than purchasing from Dion Training directly.
Does Security+ lead to remote work?
More so than most entry-level IT roles. SOC analyst roles are frequently remote or hybrid, and several federal contractor positions that require Security+ have moved to remote-eligible status post-2020. It's not a guarantee, but the cert is commonly listed in remote-eligible security job postings at the junior to mid level.
What should I study after Security+?
The typical progression from Security+ is toward either CySA+ (for blue team/analyst track), PenTest+ (for offensive security), or cloud-specific certs like AWS Security Specialty or Azure Security Engineer. CISSP is a natural long-term goal but requires five years of experience. Jason Dion also has courses for most of these if you want to stay in the same teaching environment.
Bottom Line
The Jason Dion Security+ course is a genuinely solid exam prep resource. It's not a magic shortcut — you still need to put in study time and work through the practice exams honestly rather than just watching the videos — but Dion's teaching is clear, the practice questions are appropriately hard, and the course is updated to reflect the current exam.
The caveats are real: this is exam prep, not job-skills training. If you want to work in security and not just hold the cert, you'll need to supplement with hands-on practice. TryHackMe has beginner paths that pair well with the conceptual framework Dion builds. Build a home lab if you can. The cert matters, but interviewers will probe whether you understand what you certified for.
For the price point — especially when Udemy runs its $12-15 sales — the Jason Dion Security+ course is hard to beat on a cost-per-exam-point basis. Buy it, actually do the practice exams, and review what you get wrong. That formula works.