The Honest Answer Most Guides Will Not Give You
The internet is full of vague advice saying it depends and both are great. That is not useful when you are trying to choose where to invest 3-4 months of your life.
The clear answer: A+ first, in almost every case. Network+ assumes knowledge that A+ builds. Candidates who skip A+ and attempt Network+ directly consistently report struggling with physical layer questions, troubleshooting methodology, and the hardware context behind networking concepts.
Here is exactly why, and when the answer changes.
What CompTIA A+ Actually Tests
The A+ certification requires passing two exams: Core 1 (220-1101) and Core 2 (220-1102). Each exam has up to 90 questions, a 90-minute limit, and a passing score of 675-700/900.
Core 1 (220-1101) domain breakdown:
- Hardware: 25% -- motherboard components, CPU types, RAM specifications, storage interfaces (SATA, NVMe, M.2), power connectors
- Networking: 20% -- cable types (Cat5e vs Cat6 vs fiber), IP addressing basics, wireless standards, common ports and protocols
- Hardware and Network Troubleshooting: 29% -- systematic troubleshooting methodology applied to real scenarios
- Mobile Devices: 15% -- smartphone and tablet hardware, connectivity troubleshooting
- Virtualization and Cloud Computing: 11% -- hypervisor types, cloud deployment models
Core 2 (220-1102) domain breakdown:
- Operating Systems: 31% -- Windows installation and configuration, command line tools, macOS and Linux basics
- Security: 25% -- malware types and removal, BitLocker, social engineering, physical security
- Software Troubleshooting: 22% -- Windows diagnostic tools, application crashes, browser issues
- Operational Procedures: 22% -- documentation, change management, data destruction methods, environmental safety
What A+ holders actually do: Level 1 and Level 2 IT support, help desk analyst, desktop support technician, field service technician, end-user computing specialist. These roles put you in front of real problems with real hardware and software immediately.
Government IT and financial services roles start higher; managed service providers often start lower with faster promotion paths and broader exposure.
What CompTIA Network+ Actually Tests
Network+ is a single exam: N10-009. Maximum 90 questions, 90-minute limit, passing score of 720/900.
Domain breakdown:
- Networking Concepts: 23% -- OSI model (all 7 layers and what operates at each), network topologies, routing concepts
- Network Implementation: 19% -- configuring switches (VLANs, STP, port security), wireless standards (802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax characteristics), cable installation
- Network Operations: 17% -- network monitoring, documentation, disaster recovery, change management
- Network Security: 22% -- firewall types, IDS vs IPS, VPN protocols, AAA (authentication, authorization, accounting)
- Network Troubleshooting: 19% -- systematic diagnosis of connectivity failures using commands (ping, traceroute, nslookup, ipconfig, netstat)
Network+ goes substantially deeper than A+ on everything network-related. Subnetting (calculating CIDR notation, host ranges, and network addresses), routing protocols (OSPF, BGP, EIGRP), switching concepts (VLAN configuration logic, Spanning Tree Protocol purpose), and network security architecture (DMZ design, firewall placement, IDS vs IPS positioning) all require genuine mastery.
The Performance-Based Questions (PBQs) on Network+ are meaningfully harder than A+ PBQs. Expect simulated network diagrams where you must identify misconfigured routing tables, incorrect VLAN assignments, or wrong subnet masks causing connectivity failures.
What Network+ holders actually do: Network administrator, NOC (Network Operations Center) technician, junior network engineer, help desk tier 2 or 3 with networking focus, systems administrator with networking responsibilities.
Enterprise organizations (healthcare, finance, government) start higher. ISP and MSP roles often have lower starting salaries but faster skill accumulation.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Factor | A+ (Core 1 + Core 2) | Network+ (N10-009) |
|---|---|---|
| Difficulty | Beginner | Intermediate |
| Number of exams | 2 | 1 |
| Passing score | 675-700 / 900 | 720 / 900 |
| Study time from zero | 3-4 months | 6-8 weeks after A+ (or 3-4 months from zero) |
| Recommended experience | None | A+ or 9-12 months IT experience |
| Renewal | Every 3 years via CEUs | Every 3 years via CEUs |
| Jobs unlocked | Help desk, desktop support | Network admin, NOC, systems admin |
| Natural next step | Network+, then Security+ | Security+ or CCNA |
| Market demand | Very high (every organization has IT support) | High (mid to large organizations) |
Why A+ Comes First: The Real Argument
Network+ assumes you understand what carries network traffic at the physical and data link layer. Candidates who cannot identify the difference between a patch panel and a switch, who do not know why cable category matters, and who have not troubleshot connectivity issues using a layered approach consistently struggle with Network+ scenarios.
A+ builds the vocabulary Network+ applies. More practically: A+ gets you employed immediately.
Help desk roles are available in every metro area. The salary is lower, but the career capital -- ticket volume, diverse problem types, direct customer interaction, documentation practice -- is what makes you more valuable for Network+ and what makes your Network+ study relevant. Studying subnetting in the abstract is harder than studying subnetting while configuring something you touched yesterday.
When Skipping A+ Makes Sense
There are legitimate cases where going directly to Network+ is the right choice:
Skip A+ if you:
- Already work in IT (12+ months hands-on experience, even informal)
- Have completed a degree program with networking and hardware coursework
- Are specifically targeting network administration, not general IT support
- Have relevant IT experience from the military or a vocational program
Skip both and start with CCNA if:
- Your clear goal is enterprise networking at a Cisco-heavy organization
- You can get employer sponsorship for CCNA study
- You have relevant networking experience already
The Cisco CCNA has its own learning path independent of CompTIA. For pure networking careers at enterprise organizations, CCNA carries more market weight than Network+ in many hiring decisions. If that is your specific target, the CompTIA path may be a detour.
The Career Path That Consistently Works
For someone starting with no IT experience:
- CompTIA A+ (3-4 months, 2 exams) -- Get hired at help desk or desktop support
- CompTIA Network+ (6-8 weeks, 1 exam) -- Study during employment; qualify for Tier 2 or network-focused roles
- CompTIA Security+ (8-10 weeks, 1 exam) -- Unlocks DoD positions, security analyst roles, significant salary increase
- Branch based on specialization:
- Network engineering: CCNA, then CCNP
- Cloud: AWS Solutions Architect or Azure Administrator
- Security: CySA+, CASP+, then CISSP when experience qualifies
The critical insight: do not wait to be employed to study for the next certification. Candidates who earn A+, get hired, and start studying Network+ while working consistently reach Network+ within 6 months of employment.
Most employers have tuition assistance programs. Security+ and CCNA are the certifications most commonly reimbursed. Use your employer to fund the later stages.
The certification that gets you hired beats the certification that looks more impressive on paper. Network+ may be more technically substantial, but A+ is what gets you in the room where you gain the experience that eventually makes you worth significantly more.