The entry-level IT certifications that appear most in junior job postings — A+, Network+, AZ-900 and more — and which roles each one unlocks.
Open ten junior IT job postings and read only the requirements lines. A pattern appears fast: the same handful of credential names recur — "CompTIA A+ preferred", "A+/Network+ or equivalent", "Microsooft fundamentals certification a plus" — while dozens of other beginner certificates never get a mention. That gap between what learners study and what postings actually name is the whole story of choosing a first certification, so this article ranks entry-level options by how they show up in real junior job advertisements and which roles each one unlocks.
Short answer: CompTIA A+ is the entry-level certification most tied to junior job postings — CompTIA itself states it "appears in more tech support job listings than any other IT credential." Around it sit four strong companions, each unlocking a different first role: Network+ (junior network support), Microsoft AZ-900 (cloud-adjacent junior roles), ISC2's CC (junior security), and Tech+ (pre-career grounding when A+ still feels too far).
One scope note before the list: this is a comparison by hiring signal and role fit, not by how easy each exam is or what is trending this year — those questions belong to our guide to the best IT certifications for beginners in 2026.
Unlocks: helpdesk technician, IT support analyst, desktop support, field service technician.
A+ earns the top spot for one blunt reason: it is the credential employers actually type into support-role requirements. It is vendor-neutral and practical — hardware, operating systems, troubleshooting, and, in the current version, more cloud, virtualisation and remote-troubleshooting content.
The commitment is bigger than most starters expect, because A+ is two exams: Core 1 (220-1201) and Core 2 (220-1202), the V15 series launched in March 2025. Each runs up to 90 questions in 90 minutes with performance-based items, and the passing scores differ — 675/900 for Core 1, 700/900 for Core 2. You can take them in either order but both must be the same version. US retail pricing stood at $274 per exam ($548 for both) as listed by CompTIA's authorised resellers in June 2026; prices vary by country and legitimate discounted vouchers exist. No prerequisites — CompTIA merely recommends about twelve months of hands-on support exposure. The credential lasts three years and renews via CompTIA's Continuing Education programme (20 CEUs).
If your CV is otherwise empty, pair the exam plan with the tactics in best IT certifications without experience — the credential opens the door wider when the rest of the application shows something hands-on too.
Unlocks: junior network administrator, NOC technician, network support specialist.
Where postings mention networking duties — even helpdesk roles at network-heavy employers — Network+ (N10-009, current since June 2024) is the name that appears next to or instead of A+. One exam: up to 90 questions, 90 minutes, pass at 720/900, US retail $399 per June 2026 reseller listings. No enforced prerequisites; CompTIA suggests A+ plus nine to twelve months in a junior network role, but plenty of candidates take Network+ first when their target postings are network-flavoured.
The honest positioning: A+ gets you shortlisted for more postings; Network+ gets you shortlisted for better-paying junior infrastructure postings. If you can only afford one and your local job market skews towards general support, take A+.
Unlocks: junior roles at Microsoft-shop employers — service desk with M365/Azure exposure, junior cloud support, sales-adjacent technical roles.
Azure Fundamentals is the cheapest meaningful way to answer the "cloud experience?" question that now appears even in desktop-support postings. The exam covers cloud concepts, Azure architecture and services, and management and governance, runs 45 minutes, has no prerequisites, and — usefully for beginners — Microsoft publishes a free official Practice Assessment and an exam sandbox so you can see the interface before booking. Pricing is set per country, so check Microsoft's page rather than trusting a quoted dollar figure. If you fail, you can rebook after 24 hours.
Because it is a fundamentals exam, treat AZ-900 as a complement: A+ or Network+ proves you can do the job, AZ-900 proves you will not be lost in the employer's cloud tooling. When you are ready to gauge the question style, work through AZ-900 Azure Fundamentals practice questions — reviewing which topics you miss tells you where the free Microsoft Learn material needs a second pass. Employers with data- or security-leaning junior roles also recognise the sibling fundamentals exams, DP-900 and SC-900, which follow the same pattern.
Unlocks: junior SOC and security-operations postings that list "security certification a plus"; strengthens support applications at security-conscious employers.
Security job postings rarely say "entry level" and mean it, but where a junior posting does invite a starter credential, ISC2's CC is purpose-built: no experience requirement, no endorsement, $199, delivered as an adaptive exam of 100–125 items in up to two hours. Be aware of two 2026 changes: the free-entry programme that made CC famous closed to new participants on 20 May 2026, and a new exam outline takes effect on 1 September 2026 — check ISC2's outline page before booking. Holding CC also starts the clock on an ISC2 relationship that pays off years later on the security ladder; where a posting names Security+ instead, that comparison belongs to our cybersecurity certifications guide.
Unlocks: not jobs directly — readiness. Tech+ (FC0-U71) replaced IT Fundamentals+ (ITF+), which retired in July 2025, so ignore any list still recommending ITF+. It is a single 70-question, 60-minute exam passing at 650/900, US retail $129 per June 2026 reseller listings, with genuinely zero assumed background.
Tech+ appears in almost no job postings, and that is fine — its job is to tell you whether IT is your field before you spend $548 on A+. Take it if you are switching from a non-technical career and want a low-stakes first win; skip it if you already fix the family's computers.
Course-completion certificates from online platforms occupy a different category from the proctored exams above: they teach well and signal initiative, but they are not proctored professional certifications, and employers weigh the two differently. How hiring managers treat online certificates versus certifications is a question we unpack separately in are online certifications worth it; if your target postings explicitly name such a programme, check the current details on the provider's own pages.
A realistic sketch: a retail worker moving into IT tallies her local postings, finds A+ named in seven of ten and "Microsoft environment" in five, and plans A+ over four months followed by AZ-900 in one. That two-credential CV now mirrors the language of the majority of her target postings — which is precisely what an entry-level certification is for.
No. None of the certifications here enforces prerequisites; CompTIA's recommended-experience lines are guidance only. Order them by what your target postings name most.
CompTIA A+ and Network+ run on three-year cycles renewable through the CE programme. ISC2's CC uses a three-year cycle with 45 CPEs and a $50 annual fee. For AZ-900 and Tech+ validity specifics, check the providers' pages — Tech+ unusually comes in two variants with different renewal treatment.
Generally yes — CompTIA exams are delivered through Pearson VUE, including OnVUE online proctoring with strict room-scan and clear-desk rules, and Microsoft exams are proctored online or in centres. Programme rules differ, so read the online-testing policy for your exam before booking.
No — 675/900 or 720/900 are scaled scores that equate different exam forms, not percentages of questions answered correctly.
Rank by postings, not by popularity contests: A+ if your target roles say "support", Network+ if they say "network", AZ-900 as the low-cost cloud complement, CC where security appears, and Tech+ only as a confidence-builder. Whichever you pick, study against the official objectives, then use ExamPractice's free sample questions to test yourself domain by domain — a weak-domain list a month before exam day is worth more than any ranking article, this one included.
Exam facts in this guide were checked against official certification-provider pages on . Fees, exam codes and policies change — confirm on the provider’s own site before you book.
Put it into practice
Reading about an exam only takes you so far. Work through practice questions for your certification and find the gaps before exam day does.
·10 min read
A five-step decision process for choosing a professional certification: goals, market demand, true cost, prerequisites and renewal — with a comparison worksheet.
Continue reading·12 min read
The strongest professional certifications for 2026, ranked on demand, recognition and cost of ownership — with the year's retirements and AI-driven changes factored in.
Continue reading·8 min read
How certifications actually influence recruiters when you change employers, which types move offers upward, and how to time one around a job search.
Continue reading
