About 60% of IT hiring managers say they require or strongly prefer CompTIA certifications when screening entry-level candidates — yet plenty of people spend months studying for the wrong exam and stall their job search as a result. This guide cuts through the noise: what CompTIA exams exist, which ones hiring teams actually care about, what it costs, and how to pass on the first try.
What CompTIA Exams Actually Test (and What They Don't)
CompTIA is a vendor-neutral certification body. That means its exams don't test Cisco IOS syntax or Microsoft Azure CLI flags — they test whether you understand the underlying concepts that apply regardless of which vendor's gear you're touching. That's the whole value proposition for employers: a Security+ holder can walk into a Palo Alto shop or a Fortinet shop and still know what "defense in depth" means in practice.
The exam format is a mix of multiple-choice and performance-based questions (PBQs). PBQs simulate real tasks — configuring a firewall rule, identifying a phishing indicator in a simulated inbox, troubleshooting a network topology. Most candidates find PBQs harder than the multiple-choice questions and spend too little time preparing for them.
Scores are reported on a scale of 100–900. Most CompTIA exams require a passing score of 750. There's no partial credit.
The Full CompTIA Exam Lineup: Which Tier Is Right for You
CompTIA organizes its certifications into three broad pathways: Core, Infrastructure, and Cybersecurity. There's also a newer AI/emerging tech track.
Core Certifications
- IT Fundamentals (ITF+) — Not a job cert. Pre-career orientation for people deciding if IT is right for them. Skip it unless you genuinely don't know if you want to enter the field.
- A+ (220-1101 / 220-1202) — Two-exam combo covering hardware, OS troubleshooting, networking basics, and security fundamentals. The standard entry point for help desk and desktop support roles. Required by many managed service providers before they'll hire level-1 technicians.
- Network+ — Networking infrastructure: TCP/IP, switching, routing, wireless, and cloud networking fundamentals. Often required before Security+ in structured career tracks (e.g., DoD 8570 jobs).
- Security+ — The most widely held CompTIA certification. Covers threat analysis, cryptography, identity management, and incident response. DoD 8570 baseline for most IA Technical Level II roles. If you only do one CompTIA exam, it's this one.
Cybersecurity Pathway
- CySA+ (CS0-003) — Analyst-level security: threat intelligence, vulnerability management, SIEM operations, and incident response workflows. Aimed at SOC analysts and threat hunters with 3-4 years of experience.
- PenTest+ — Penetration testing methodology, scoping, legal considerations, and reporting. Less recognized than OSCP in the offensive security community but more accessible as a starting credential.
- SecurityX (CAS-005) — Formerly CASP+. Enterprise security architecture, risk management, and advanced cryptographic implementations. The highest-level CompTIA cert; aimed at senior practitioners, not job seekers.
Infrastructure Pathway
- Server+ — Physical and virtual server administration, storage, disaster recovery.
- Cloud+ — Multi-cloud deployment, migration, security, and automation. Vendor-neutral alternative to AWS/Azure associate certs.
- Linux+ — Shell scripting, file systems, package management, permissions. More rigorous than it looks; respected by Linux-heavy employers.
Emerging Tech
- SecAI+ (CY0-001) — CompTIA's newest exam (launched 2025), covering AI-specific cybersecurity: model security, adversarial AI, AI governance, and defending AI-integrated systems. Growing fast in relevance as AI tooling enters enterprise environments.
- DataSys+ — Data management, governance, and analytics platforms.
CompTIA Exam Costs and Validity
Exam pricing is set by CompTIA and varies slightly by region. In the US:
- A+ (each voucher) — ~$253
- Network+ — ~$358
- Security+ — ~$404
- CySA+ — ~$404
- PenTest+ — ~$404
- SecurityX (CAS-005) — ~$509
- SecAI+ — ~$358
Every CompTIA certification expires after three years. You can renew by earning CEUs (continuing education units), passing a higher-level exam, or retaking the same exam. If you're letting a Security+ lapse, passing CySA+ will renew it automatically — no separate action needed.
CompTIA sells retake bundles and CertMaster packages that include practice tests and study materials. These are often worth it if you're paying out of pocket, since a failed exam still costs the full voucher price. Employers who sponsor certs frequently cover the first attempt only — another reason to take prep seriously.
How Long Does It Take to Prepare for CompTIA Exams?
Honest ranges based on what the community consistently reports:
- A+ (each part) — 6-10 weeks if you're new to IT. 3-4 weeks if you have hands-on helpdesk experience.
- Network+ — 6-8 weeks with no networking background. 3 weeks if you've done subnetting and routing in a real job.
- Security+ — 4-8 weeks. More vocabulary-heavy than skill-heavy; most people underestimate the breadth of topics.
- CySA+ — 6-10 weeks. Requires understanding SOC workflows and threat intelligence processes, not just definitions.
- SecurityX — 8-12 weeks minimum, and realistically only appropriate if you already have 5+ years of security experience.
- SecAI+ — 4-6 weeks for anyone already security-certified; the AI governance and adversarial AI concepts are the new ground.
The biggest prep mistake candidates make is spending all their time on video lectures and not enough on practice questions. CompTIA exams are scenario-heavy. If you can't answer "a user reports X, what do you do first?" under exam conditions, you'll lose points you should have gotten.
Top Courses to Prepare for CompTIA Exams
These are the highest-rated prep courses currently available. All are on Udemy, which means you can frequently find them on sale for $12-15 during promotions.
CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701) Exam Prep 2026 – For Beginners
Structured for candidates without prior security experience. Covers every SY0-701 domain with clear explanations of the "why" behind each concept, which is what you need when exam scenarios throw curveballs. Rated 9.5/10.
CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701) 1,000+ Practice Questions 2026
Pure practice-question bank — no lectures, just scenario-based questions with detailed answer explanations. Use this alongside a content course in the final two weeks before your exam date. Rated 9.5/10.
CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1201) Full Course & Practice Exam
Full-length A+ Core 1 prep with lab simulations and built-in practice exams. Better than watching YouTube videos because the practice tests mirror the actual exam's question style, including performance-based items. Rated 9.4/10.
CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1201) 6 Practice Tests [2026]
Six full-length timed practice exams for A+ Core 1. Use these to identify weak domains and track score improvement over time — most people need to see their score trend up across at least 3 attempts before they're ready for the real thing. Rated 9.4/10.
CompTIA SecAI+ Fundamentals: AI Cybersecurity Basics CY0-001
If you're already Security+-certified and want to add the most timely credential for 2026 hiring, SecAI+ is it. This course covers AI threat modeling and AI governance frameworks that are genuinely new territory even for experienced security professionals. Rated 9.6/10.
CompTIA SecurityX (CAS-005) 6 Practice Exams
Six full-length SecurityX practice exams for senior-level candidates. The CAS-005 questions are architectural and policy-heavy — these exams reflect that difficulty honestly, unlike some cheaper practice sets that feel like reworded Security+ questions. Rated 9/10.
CompTIA Exams FAQ
Which CompTIA exam should I take first?
Start with Security+ unless you have zero IT background, in which case start with A+. Security+ has the broadest employer recognition and opens the most doors — it's required for DoD contractors, accepted by most enterprise SOC teams, and treated as a hiring filter by MSPs. A+ is the right first step if you're aiming for help desk and don't yet have a basic mental model of how computers and networks work.
How hard are CompTIA exams compared to vendor certs like AWS or Cisco?
CompTIA exams are generally considered easier than their vendor equivalents at the same career stage — Security+ is easier than CISSP, Network+ is easier than CCNA. The trade-off is recognition: in specialized environments (Cisco shops, AWS-heavy orgs), the vendor cert often carries more weight. CompTIA's advantage is breadth and neutrality; vendor certs signal depth in a specific stack.
Can I take CompTIA exams online at home?
Yes. CompTIA uses Pearson VUE for both in-person testing centers and online proctored exams. Online proctoring has strict requirements: a quiet room, single monitor, webcam, and no notes. Many candidates prefer testing centers to avoid tech-related disqualifications (browser crashes, network drops) that can waste a voucher.
How many times can I retake a CompTIA exam if I fail?
There's no limit on retakes. However, if you fail the same exam three times within 12 months, there's a mandatory 14-day waiting period between each subsequent attempt. After your first failed attempt, there's no waiting period — you can retake immediately if you want, though most people benefit from at least a week of targeted review first.
Does Security+ expire, and what happens if I let it lapse?
Security+ is valid for three years. If it lapses, you have to retake the current version of the exam to reinstate it. There's no grace period or grandfathering. The easiest way to avoid lapsing is to pass CySA+ before your Security+ expiration — that automatically renews Security+ for another three years under CompTIA's CE program.
Are CompTIA certifications worth it without a degree?
For entry-level IT roles, yes — frequently more valuable than a degree. Many employers explicitly treat Security+ or A+ as equivalent to relevant coursework when screening non-degree candidates. At mid-level and above, the cert matters less and job history matters more. The sweet spot for CompTIA ROI is the first 2-3 years of an IT career, when credentials help compensate for limited work history.
Bottom Line: Which CompTIA Exam to Take Next
If you're new to IT: start with A+, then Network+, then Security+. That sequence builds genuine conceptual understanding rather than cert-hopping.
If you're already in IT support with 1-2 years of experience: skip to Security+ and take it within 90 days. Every week you're on a help desk without it is a week you're competing for the same roles against people who have it.
If you're in a SOC or security analyst role: CySA+ is the logical next cert, and it will renew your Security+ in the process.
If you're watching where the industry is heading in 2026: SecAI+ is worth adding alongside Security+. AI tooling is entering enterprise security stacks faster than most teams are prepared for, and having the cert signals awareness of that shift to hiring managers who are building AI-aware security practices.
Pick one exam, set a date 6-8 weeks out, and commit to it. The biggest predictor of passing CompTIA exams isn't the course you buy — it's whether you practiced enough scenario questions to think through problems rather than just recognize definitions.