CompTIA Certifications: Which One Should You Start With?

Confused by the CompTIA line-up? Compare Tech+, A+, Network+ and Security+ and use a simple decision framework to pick your first exam with confidence.

Liam Anderson12 May 2026 · 9 min read

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Flowchart showing four candidate types matched to different first CompTIA certifications

If you have no IT experience at all, start with CompTIA A+ — or Tech+ if you want a gentler, cheaper first step. If you already work in IT support and understand hardware basics, Network+ is usually the better first exam. And if you have solid networking knowledge and your goal is a security role, you can go straight to Security+, because CompTIA enforces no prerequisites on any of these exams.

That is the short version. The rest of this article explains how the CompTIA portfolio fits together and gives you a decision framework for choosing based on your background, budget and target job — so you spend your first exam fee on the certification that actually moves you forward. Deep coverage of each individual exam lives in our dedicated guides; this page is about choosing between them.

How the CompTIA certification path is organised

CompTIA is a vendor-neutral certification body, which means its exams test concepts that apply across manufacturers and platforms rather than one company's products. Its certifications are commonly grouped into tiers:

Pre-career: CompTIA Tech+ (exam FC0-U71) — a fundamentals exam for people testing whether IT is for them. Tech+ replaced the older IT Fundamentals+ (ITF+) certification, which retired in July 2025, so ignore any advice that points you at ITF+ today.
Core: CompTIA A+ (two exams: Core 1, 220-1201, and Core 2, 220-1202), Network+ (N10-009) and Security+ (SY0-701). These three form the classic "CompTIA certification path" most people mean when they ask about order.
Infrastructure and specialist: Linux+ (XK0-006), Cloud+ (CV0-004), Server+ (SK0-005), Data+ and Project+ — certifications you typically add after a core exam, once you know which direction your career is heading.
Cybersecurity: CySA+ and PenTest+ for analysts and penetration testers, and SecurityX (formerly CASP+) at the advanced end.

One point beginners often miss: the tiers are recommendations, not rules. CompTIA does not require you to hold A+ before sitting Network+, or Network+ before Security+. Every exam on this list can legally be your first. The question is not "which exam am I allowed to take?" but "which exam can I realistically pass, and which one do employers in my target role actually ask for?"

Do you need A+ before Network+ or Security+?

No. There are no enforced prerequisites anywhere in the CompTIA line-up — the "path" is a recommended sequence based on how the knowledge stacks. A+ material (hardware, operating systems, troubleshooting) makes Network+ easier to absorb, and Network+ material (ports, protocols, network architecture) is assumed knowledge on the Security+ exam. Skipping ahead is allowed; it simply means covering that assumed knowledge during your study rather than in a previous exam.

CompTIA's own recommendations give you a sense of the intended experience level for each:

A+: around 12 months of hands-on experience in an IT support role.
Network+: A+ plus 9–12 months in a junior network admin or network support role.
Security+: Network+ plus two years in a security or systems administration role.

Nobody checks these. But if you are two levels below the recommendation, expect the study effort to grow accordingly, because the exam will assume vocabulary and mental models you have not built yet.

The four realistic first exams, compared

For a first certification, the practical shortlist is Tech+, A+, Network+ or Security+. Specialist exams like Cloud+, Server+ or CySA+ assume years of hands-on experience and make poor first exams for a beginner — if one of those is your eventual target, get there via a core exam first. Here is how the four starters compare on the factors that matter for the decision:

Factor	Tech+ (FC0-U71)	A+ (220-1201 + 220-1202)	Network+ (N10-009)	Security+ (SY0-701)
Difficulty for a beginner	Lowest	Moderate (broad, two exams)	Moderate–hard	Hard without networking basics
Exams required	1	2 (Core 1 and Core 2)	1	1
Format	Up to 70 questions, 60 min	Up to 90 questions, 90 min each	Up to 90 questions, 90 min	Up to 90 questions, 90 min
Passing score (scale 100–900)	650	675 (Core 1) / 700 (Core 2)	720	750
US retail cost (June 2026, via authorised resellers' price lists)	$129	$274 per exam ($548 total)	$399	$439
Best for	Testing interest in IT	Helpdesk / desktop support roles	Network and infrastructure roles	Security-adjacent and DoD-related roles
Career signal	"I know the basics"	"I can do frontline support"	"I understand how networks work"	"I understand security fundamentals"
Renewal	FC0-U71 has no expiry (a separate CE variant exists)	3 years via CE	3 years via CE	3 years via CE

Prices vary by country and are lower through authorised voucher resellers, so confirm the current fee for your region on CompTIA's site before budgeting. Note the A+ quirk in that table: it is two separate exams with two separate fees and two different passing scores, which makes it the most expensive of the four despite being the "entry" cert.

A decision framework: match the exam to your starting point

Work down this list and stop at the first description that fits you.

1. You have never worked in IT and are not sure it's for you

Start with Tech+. At $129 it is the cheapest way to find out whether the material holds your interest before you commit to the roughly $548 A+ investment. It is not an exam employers demand, so treat it as a structured on-ramp rather than a job ticket — if you already know you want an IT career, you can skip it and go straight to A+.

2. You want your first IT job and have little or no professional experience

Start with A+. It is the credential most closely tied to helpdesk and desktop support hiring — CompTIA states that A+ appears in more tech support job listings than any other IT credential (their claim, but consistent with what you will see scanning entry-level adverts). The two-exam structure also works in your favour as a beginner: you can pass Core 1, bank the win, then prepare for Core 2. Both cores must come from the same exam version (currently 220-1201 and 220-1202 — the older 220-1101/1102 pair retired in September 2025). If you are weighing whether A+ still justifies its cost for your situation, our verdict on whether CompTIA A+ is still worth it tackles exactly that.

3. You already do support work, or you're technically confident and aiming at infrastructure

Start with Network+. If you can already build a PC, reinstall Windows and troubleshoot everyday user problems, A+ will mostly certify what you know rather than teach you anything — whereas Network+ (subnetting, routing, wireless, network troubleshooting) adds genuinely new capability and opens junior network roles. The full trade-off between the two entry points is settled in our A+ vs Network+ comparison, so we will not re-argue it here.

4. Your goal is a security role and you have real networking knowledge

Start with Security+. It is the most recognised of the four with employers, and it is widely used to meet workforce requirements for U.S. Department of Defense-related roles, which is why some candidates need it specifically. But be honest about the foundation it assumes: the SY0-701 exam expects Network+-level knowledge plus around two years of admin experience. Going straight to Security+ from zero is possible, yet it usually means quietly studying most of the Network+ syllabus anyway. If you are torn between the two, the Security+ vs Network+ decision has its own dedicated article.

5. You're drawn to a specialism — Linux, cloud, servers, data or projects

Still start with a core exam, then add the specialist cert second. Linux+ recommends 12 months of hands-on Linux server experience; Cloud+ recommends 2–3 years as a sysadmin or cloud engineer; Server+ recommends A+ plus two years in a server environment. These are add-ons to a foundation, not substitutes for one.

Three realistic scenarios

The career changer. A retail manager with no IT background wants a tech career within a year. Best sequence: Tech+ optional, then A+ Core 1 and Core 2, then apply for helpdesk roles while starting Network+ study. Jumping straight to Security+ would likely mean months of extra study and no credential to show for it in the meantime.

The self-taught tinkerer. Someone who has run a home lab for two years, hosts their own services and is comfortable in a command line applies rule 3: skip A+, sit Network+, and treat Security+ as exam number two. Their practical skills exceed the A+ syllabus already; the paper that proves it adds little.

The aspiring SOC analyst. A university graduate targeting security operations wants CySA+ eventually. The sensible order is Security+ first (after self-studying networking fundamentals), then experience, then CySA+ — CompTIA pitches CySA+ at people with around four years of analyst-type experience, so it is not a first exam.

Common first-exam mistakes to avoid

Buying the wrong exam version. Study materials and vouchers are version-specific. As of 2026 the current codes are 220-1201/220-1202 (A+), N10-009 (Network+) and SY0-701 (Security+). Check comptia.org before you buy anything, because versions retire on a rolling cycle.
Collecting certifications instead of getting hired. One core cert plus job applications beats three certs and no experience. Each CompTIA cert renews on a 3-year continuing-education cycle (renewing a higher cert automatically renews lower ones), so a stack of credentials also carries an ongoing maintenance obligation.
Treating recommended experience as a hard barrier. The experience lines are calibration, not gatekeeping. Adjust your study time to the gap rather than ruling an exam out.
Booking before benchmarking. Retakes cost full price (there is no waiting period before a second attempt, but a 14-day wait applies from the third attempt onward). Before spending $274–439 on a sitting, test yourself honestly against the exam objectives — working through free CompTIA sample questions by domain is a cheap way to find out whether you are actually ready or just familiar.

Frequently asked questions

Can I take CompTIA exams in any order?

Yes. No CompTIA certification on this list has enforced prerequisites, so you may sit them in any order — including taking A+ Core 2 before Core 1. The recommended order (Tech+ → A+ → Network+ → Security+) exists because each exam assumes knowledge from the one before it, not because CompTIA checks.

Which CompTIA certification is most respected by employers?

Among the entry tiers, Security+ carries the most weight in job adverts, partly because of its role in U.S. government-related hiring. But "most respected" is not the same as "right first exam" — a certification you cannot yet pass, or that targets a role you do not want, is worth less to you than one matched to your level.

How much should I budget for my first certification?

As of June 2026, US retail prices listed by CompTIA's authorised resellers are $129 for Tech+, $274 per A+ exam, $399 for Network+ and $439 for Security+ — plus study materials, and plus a full-price retake if you fail. Prices differ by country and discounted vouchers from authorised resellers are legitimate, so check current pricing for your region before you plan.

Do CompTIA certifications expire?

A+, Network+ and Security+ are valid for three years and renew through CompTIA's continuing education programme (CEUs, a CertMaster CE course, or passing a newer or higher exam). The standard Tech+ (FC0-U71) does not expire, though a CE variant exists.

Choosing in one sitting

You do not need weeks to make this call. Identify your target job, be honest about your current knowledge, and the framework above points to one exam: Tech+ to test the waters, A+ to get hired into support, Network+ if support-level skills are already yours, Security+ if security is the goal and networking is solid. Then commit — pull the official objectives for that one exam, plan your study around them, and use practice questions to confirm the choice was right before you book. Browse the CompTIA exam pages on ExamPractice to see sample questions for whichever exam you land on.

Exam facts in this guide were checked against official certification-provider pages on 30 August 2026. Fees, exam codes and policies change — confirm on the provider’s own site before you book.