The median CompTIA Security+ holder earns around $85,000 per year. The median A+ holder earns closer to $48,000. That $37,000 gap isn't just about the certifications—it's about where each cert positions you in the job market. If you're deciding which CompTIA path to pursue, the salary difference between adjacent certifications is one of the most practical factors to weigh, and it's one that most cert guides bury or ignore entirely.
This guide breaks down CompTIA salary ranges by certification tier, shows which job roles they unlock, and explains what actually moves the needle on pay—because the cert alone rarely tells the whole story.
CompTIA Salary by Certification: The Numbers
CompTIA's certification stack runs roughly in order of complexity and compensation. Here's where each credential tends to land, based on aggregated data from sources including the Bureau of Labor Statistics, LinkedIn Salary, and CompTIA's own State of the Tech Workforce reports.
CompTIA A+
A+ is the entry point. Certified technicians typically land roles like help desk analyst, desktop support technician, or IT support specialist. The salary range sits between $38,000 and $55,000, with most entry-level positions clustering around $44,000–$48,000. Location matters significantly here—the same A+ role pays $52,000 in San Francisco and $38,000 in rural Ohio. A+ is not a long-term salary ceiling; it's a foot in the door that you're expected to grow beyond within 12–24 months.
CompTIA Network+
Network+ targets network support roles: network administrator, junior network engineer, systems administrator. CompTIA salary data for this tier ranges from $55,000 to $75,000. Network+ on its own is often insufficient for mid-level network roles—employers frequently want it paired with Cisco's CCNA or hands-on experience. Where it earns its keep is in government and DoD contracting positions, where it satisfies baseline 8570 requirements and can directly qualify you for roles that otherwise require years of experience.
CompTIA Security+
Security+ is the most consequential CompTIA certification for salary purposes. It's the threshold between general IT work and cybersecurity, where compensation jumps sharply. Typical roles include security analyst (SOC Tier 1–2), information security specialist, and junior penetration tester. CompTIA salary expectations here range from $70,000 to $95,000, with government and federal contractor positions frequently hitting $90,000+ even at entry level due to clearance and compliance requirements.
Security+ also satisfies DoD 8570/8140 IAT Level II, which makes it a requirement—not just a preference—for a wide category of federal IT security roles. That mandate creates a floor under Security+ salaries that purely private-sector certifications don't have.
CompTIA CySA+
CySA+ is the bridge between Security+ and senior analyst work. It covers threat detection, security operations, and vulnerability management at a deeper level than Security+. Roles aligned with CySA+ include SOC analyst (Tier 2–3), threat intelligence analyst, and security operations engineer, with typical salaries in the $85,000–$115,000 range. CySA+ holders in major metro areas or federal contractor environments routinely see salaries above $100,000.
CompTIA PenTest+
PenTest+ targets offensive security roles—penetration testers, vulnerability assessment specialists, and red team members. Salaries range from $90,000 to $125,000, though PenTest+ is considered less prestigious than the OSCP in offensive security hiring circles. It's a credible credential for government and compliance-heavy environments but less likely to be the deciding factor at a private security consultancy.
CompTIA SecurityX (formerly CASP+)
SecurityX (CAS-005) is CompTIA's senior practitioner credential—the expert-level cert for architects and engineers. It doesn't have an exam equivalent at the associate tier; it's meant for people with 5–10 years of experience who want a vendor-neutral credential at the senior level. Salaries for SecurityX-aligned roles—security architect, enterprise security engineer, senior security analyst—range from $110,000 to $145,000+. This is also a DoD 8570 IAT Level III credential, which again creates direct hiring demand in federal environments.
CompTIA Salary vs. Experience: What Actually Drives Pay
A certification adjusts your salary band; experience determines where within that band you land. A Security+ holder with three years of SOC experience earns more than one who passed the exam last month and has never touched a SIEM. That distinction is obvious but frequently lost in certification marketing.
What certifications actually do for salary:
- Get you past the ATS filter. Many HR systems require a cert checkbox before a human sees your resume. Security+ especially functions as a gate for federal and DoD roles.
- Compress the timeline to a raise. In government and large enterprise environments, certifications map directly to pay grades. Earning CySA+ can move you from a GS-9 to a GS-11 range faster than waiting for a performance review cycle.
- Signal seriousness to employers. In a stack of 200 applicants with similar backgrounds, a recent cert shows you're actively investing in the field—which matters at the margin.
What certifications don't do: replace demonstrated technical ability in interviews. Companies that hire entirely on cert status tend to have rigid, slow-moving bureaucratic structures. Startups and fast-moving security teams weight hands-on skill above credentials. Know which environment you're targeting before you invest in exam prep.
Which CompTIA Certification Has the Best Salary ROI?
Purely on dollars-per-hour-of-study, Security+ is difficult to beat. The exam requires roughly 60–90 hours of focused preparation for someone coming from Network+ or equivalent experience, the exam voucher costs $404, and it unlocks roles paying $20,000–$40,000 more than A+/Network+ positions. That's a compressed payback period measured in weeks of employment, not years.
CySA+ has strong ROI for Security+ holders who want to move from Tier 1 SOC work into more senior roles. The preparation overlap with Security+ is high, study time is moderate (40–60 additional hours beyond Security+ knowledge), and the salary jump to $95,000+ in analyst roles is real.
A+ has the weakest standalone ROI but remains necessary as the foundation. If you're starting with no IT experience, skipping A+ to go straight to Network+ is possible but inadvisable—the foundational hardware and OS knowledge tested on A+ shows up constantly in day-to-day IT work.
Top Courses for CompTIA Certification Prep
The following courses have strong pass rates and current content aligned to active exam objectives. Exam objectives change on CompTIA's rotation schedule—always verify a course is aligned to the current exam version before purchasing.
CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701) Exam Prep 2026 - For Beginners
Structured for candidates with limited security background, this course covers all SY0-701 domains methodically and includes current practice questions aligned to the 2026 exam format. If Security+ is your first security cert, this is the most direct prep path available.
CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701) 1,000+ Practice Questions 2026
Volume practice matters more for Security+ than most certs because the exam uses performance-based questions alongside multiple choice. This question bank is large enough to expose weak domains before you sit the actual exam.
CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1201) Full Course & Practice Exam
Covers the hardware and networking fundamentals that underpin the entire CompTIA track. Worth working through even if you have some IT background—the exam tests specific knowledge that experienced technicians sometimes have gaps in.
CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1201) 6 Practice Tests [2026]
Six full-length timed practice exams that mirror the actual Core 1 format. Use these after completing a full course to gauge readiness before scheduling your exam date.
CompTIA SecAI+ Fundamentals: AI Cybersecurity Basics CY0-001
CompTIA's newest credential targets AI security—an area where job demand is outpacing available candidates. This course covers the CY0-001 objectives and is worth considering alongside Security+ for anyone positioning for cybersecurity roles in the next 2–3 years.
CompTIA SecurityX (CAS-005) 6 Practice Exams
The SecurityX exam is difficult and the question scenarios are complex. Six full-length practice exams give you adequate exposure to the exam's style—particularly the scenario-based items that differ significantly from associate-level CompTIA exams.
CompTIA Salary by Job Role
Certifications don't have salaries—job titles do. Here's how CompTIA credentials map to specific roles and what those roles pay nationally:
- Help Desk / IT Support Technician (A+): $38,000–$52,000
- Desktop Support Analyst (A+): $44,000–$58,000
- Network Administrator (Network+): $58,000–$78,000
- Systems Administrator (Network+/Security+): $65,000–$88,000
- SOC Analyst Tier 1 (Security+): $55,000–$75,000
- SOC Analyst Tier 2 (Security+/CySA+): $75,000–$100,000
- Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+): $85,000–$115,000
- Penetration Tester (PenTest+): $90,000–$125,000
- Security Architect / Engineer (SecurityX): $110,000–$145,000+
Federal and DoD contractor positions add a premium at every tier, particularly in Northern Virginia, Maryland, and the DC metro—roles that pay $70,000 in the private sector often pay $85,000–$95,000 in the federal space when clearances and compliance requirements are involved.
FAQ
What is the average CompTIA salary?
There's no single answer because CompTIA covers multiple tiers. A+ holders average around $45,000–$50,000. Security+ holders average around $80,000–$90,000. CySA+ and SecurityX holders average $95,000–$130,000+. The "average CompTIA salary" question only makes sense when you specify the certification.
Does CompTIA Security+ lead to a six-figure salary?
In many cases, yes—but not immediately. Security+ is a threshold credential, not a direct path to $100,000. Most Security+ holders reach six figures after 2–4 years of experience in SOC or security analyst roles. Federal positions and high cost-of-living markets can compress that timeline. Pairing Security+ with CySA+ and hands-on SOC experience is the most reliable path to $100,000+ within a few years.
How much does CompTIA A+ increase salary?
For someone with no IT credentials or experience, A+ can increase hiring probability significantly and move you into $40,000–$50,000 IT support roles from a baseline of no tech employment. For someone already working in IT, A+ alone rarely increases salary—it's primarily useful as a qualification gate for job postings, not as a lever for raises with your current employer.
Is CompTIA worth it for salary purposes compared to vendor certs?
CompTIA and vendor certs (Cisco, Microsoft, AWS) serve different purposes. CompTIA provides vendor-neutral foundational credentials that satisfy compliance requirements—especially DoD 8570/8140. Cisco's CCNA often pays better than Network+ for pure networking roles. AWS certifications often outperform CompTIA for cloud roles. The value of CompTIA is highest in regulated and government environments; in private tech, vendor certs often have a stronger direct salary impact.
What CompTIA certification pays the most?
SecurityX (CAS-005) is CompTIA's highest-paying credential, with aligned roles typically earning $110,000–$145,000+. However, SecurityX is designed for experienced professionals, not entry-level candidates. For the highest salary accessible to someone early in their career, Security+ followed by CySA+ is the most practical high-compensation track.
How long does it take to get a CompTIA certification that pays well?
Security+ is achievable in 60–90 study hours for someone with basic IT background. From zero IT experience, a realistic timeline to Security+ is 4–8 months (A+ first, then Security+). Getting to the $85,000+ range realistically requires Security+ plus 1–2 years of relevant work experience. The certification opens doors; the experience determines your position within the salary range.
Bottom Line
If your primary goal is salary, the CompTIA path that delivers the best return is: A+ to get into IT, Network+ if you're targeting federal or networking roles, then Security+ as quickly as practical. Security+ is where the compensation curve steepens, and it's achievable within a year of starting from scratch.
CySA+ is worth pursuing 12–18 months after Security+ if you're in a SOC or analyst role and want to move into senior positions. SecurityX makes sense if you're already earning $90,000+ and need the credential for architectural or senior engineering roles—especially in federal environments where it maps to specific pay grades.
Don't treat certification as a substitute for hands-on experience. The salary data for CompTIA certifications reflects people who have both the credential and working experience in aligned roles. The cert gets you the interview; the experience closes the offer.