Which CompTIA Certification to Get First: A+, Network+, or Security+

Which CompTIA Certification Should You Get First?

Pick the CompTIA certification that matches your career goal. Choose A+ if you want IT support or help-desk work, Network+ if you are aiming for networking roles, and Security+ if cybersecurity is the target. CompTIA's own recommended order stacks them A+ then Network+ then Security+, though none has a hard prerequisite.

For most people starting from scratch, A+ is the right first exam: it validates the broad hardware, operating-system, networking, and troubleshooting basics that entry-level IT support jobs expect. If you already have that grounding and know your goal, you can start directly at Network+ or Security+ instead. The sections below map each certification to a career path, compare exam codes and costs, and explain how the recommended sequence actually works.

• •IT support or help desk: start with CompTIA A+ (Core 1 220-1201 and Core 2 220-1202).
• •Networking roles: CompTIA Network+ (N10-009), ideally after A+.
• •Cybersecurity roles: CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701), ideally after Network+.

How Do CompTIA A+, Network+, and Security+ Compare?

All three certifications are open-enrollment, so there is no exam you must legally pass before another. What differs is scope and difficulty, which climb as you move from A+ to Network+ to Security+. A+ is the broadest and most foundational, covering hardware through basic security across two exams. Network+ narrows to networking. Security+ layers cybersecurity concepts on top, and CompTIA recommends you reach it with networking experience already behind you.

The table below lines up the exam codes, formats, passing scores, and the hands-on experience CompTIA recommends for each. Every exam uses the same 90-minute, up-to-90-question format that mixes multiple-choice with performance-based questions (PBQs) that place you in a simulated environment. The passing scores are scaled out of 900 and rise with each step: 675 and 700 for A+, 720 for Network+, and 750 for Security+. All of these details come from CompTIA's official certification pages.

Which CompTIA Certification Is Right for IT Support Roles?

If your goal is a help-desk, desktop-support, or IT-support-specialist role, CompTIA A+ is the certification to get first. It is CompTIA's designated entry point and the credential most junior IT job postings name by default. A+ requires passing two separate exams - Core 1 (220-1201) and Core 2 (220-1202) from the V15 series launched in March 2025 - and you must pass both to earn the certification.

Each exam runs up to 90 questions in 90 minutes and mixes multiple-choice with performance-based questions. Core 1 has a passing score of 675 out of 900 and Core 2 needs 700. The two exams span hardware, mobile devices, networking basics, virtualization and cloud, troubleshooting, Windows, macOS, Linux and mobile operating systems, security, and operational procedures. CompTIA recommends roughly 12 months of hands-on IT support experience before sitting, though many candidates prepare through labs and structured study instead.

On its own, A+ points toward help-desk and IT support specialist roles. Treat it as the foundation you build Network+ and Security+ on rather than a finish line. Review the A+ exam page for the full objectives before you register.

Which CompTIA Certification Should You Get for Networking?

If you are targeting networking work - network technician, network administrator, or a networking track that later leads to Cisco's CCNA - CompTIA Network+ is the certification to prioritize. Unlike A+, Network+ is a single exam, code N10-009, which launched in June 2024. It runs up to 90 questions in 90 minutes, mixes multiple-choice with performance-based questions, and has a passing score of 720 out of 900.

Network+ covers networking concepts, implementations, operations, security, and troubleshooting - essentially how to build, run, and fix networks. CompTIA recommends you come in with A+ plus about 9 to 12 months of junior network-support experience, because the exam assumes you already understand the fundamentals A+ teaches. That is why the recommended order puts Network+ second rather than first.

Networking roles pay meaningfully more than entry help-desk work. ZipRecruiter reports an average network administrator salary of 73,938 USD as of July 4, 2026, with most roles between 52,000 and 91,000 USD. If networking leads you toward Cisco, the CCNA guide and the CCNA vs CCNP comparison map that next step.

Which CompTIA Certification Do You Need for Cybersecurity?

For a cybersecurity career - security analyst, SOC analyst, or a security-focused systems role - CompTIA Security+ is the certification to aim for. It is a single exam, SY0-701, released in November 2023. Like the others it is up to 90 questions in 90 minutes with multiple-choice and performance-based questions, but it carries the highest passing score of the three at 750 out of 900.

The SY0-701 exam is organized into five domains: General Security Concepts (12%), Threats, Vulnerabilities and Mitigations (22%), Security Architecture (18%), Security Operations (28%), and Security Program Management and Oversight (20%). CompTIA recommends candidates hold Network+ and have around two years of security-focused systems administration experience first, which is why Security+ sits at the top of the recommended stack.

Security+ is widely cited as a baseline certification for U.S. Department of Defense roles under DoD 8140/8570 at IAT Level II, which drives much of its demand - verify current status against the DoD Cyber Workforce qualification matrix before relying on it. For pay, ZipRecruiter lists an entry-level Security+ average of 71,689 USD as of June 30, 2026, with most roles between 50,500 and 89,000 USD; experienced-holder figures run higher. The Security+ exam page and study guide go deeper.

Do You Have to Take CompTIA A+ Before Network+ or Security+?

No. CompTIA exams are open-enrollment, so there is no certification you are required to hold before registering for another. You could sit Security+ first if you wanted to. The A+ then Network+ then Security+ order is CompTIA's recommendation based on how the material builds, not a locked gate you have to clear in sequence.

That flexibility matters for career-changers and people already working in IT. If you have hands-on support experience, you might skip A+ and start at Network+. If you already understand networking, Security+ can be a sensible first certification. The recommended experience levels - about 12 months for A+, A+ plus 9 to 12 months for Network+, and Network+ plus roughly 2 years for Security+ - are guidance about readiness, not enrollment barriers.

The practical rule: start where your knowledge and goal actually sit. Absolute beginners get the most from A+ because it prevents gaps that make Network+ and Security+ harder later. People with real experience can enter higher up the stack and save time and exam fees. Match the certification to what you already know and where you want to end up.

What Do CompTIA Certifications Cost, and What Can You Earn?

CompTIA does not publish voucher prices on its certification pages, so exact costs come from third-party trackers rather than an official price list. As of 2026, multiple pricing trackers report a single A+ exam around 274 USD (about 548 USD for both), Network+ around 399 USD, and Security+ around 439 USD. Those same trackers say CompTIA raised prices on June 1, 2026; the increase is reported consistently but was not confirmed against an official CompTIA price page, so verify at the CompTIA store before you pay.

You can often lower the cost. CompTIA's academic store offers up to roughly 50% off for eligible students, and authorized partner vouchers typically save 10 to 15%. On the earnings side, remember that a certification does not pay a salary - the job role does. The figures below are role averages tied to each certification's typical career path, each attributed to its source and date.

Read the pay figures as directional, especially for A+, whose salary sourcing is the softest - job-board aggregates rather than a single authoritative survey. The Network+ and Security+ figures come from ZipRecruiter and are dated to early summer 2026. Job title, location, and experience move all of these numbers significantly, so use them for comparison, not as a promise.

How Should You Choose and Prepare for Your First CompTIA Exam?

Start from your goal, not the exam list. Decide whether you want IT support, networking, or security work, then pick the matching certification: A+, Network+, or Security+. If you are a true beginner, A+ is almost always the right first step because it builds the base the other two assume. If you already work in IT, honestly assess your experience against CompTIA's recommendations and enter the stack where you fit.

Then plan the exam itself. Budget for the current voucher price, check for academic or partner discounts, and give yourself lab time for the performance-based questions, which trip up candidates who only study multiple-choice. Book the exam once your practice scores clear the passing threshold - 675 and 700 for A+, 720 for Network+, or 750 for Security+ - with margin to spare, not the moment a deadline forces you.

If a deadline is real and you need help getting over the line, Exam Assist supports CompTIA candidates on pay-after-pass terms - you pay after you hit your target result, not upfront for hours of tutoring. Reach out with your target certification and timeline to talk through options confidentially. Exam Assist is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by CompTIA.