Introduction
CompTIA A+ requires passing two exams, costs several hundred dollars in vouchers alone, and takes most beginners months of study. Before committing that time and money, it is fair to ask whether the certification actually pays off.
The honest answer is that it depends on where you are starting from. For some people A+ is the single most useful credential they can earn this year. For others it is a detour that delays the certification they actually need. This guide lays out what A+ certifies, the jobs it realistically leads to, what the official salary data says, the full cost, and a plain framework for deciding which group you are in.
What CompTIA A+ Actually Certifies
A+ is a vendor-neutral, entry-level IT certification. To earn it you must pass two separate exams: Core 1 (exam code 220-1201) and Core 2 (exam code 220-1202). According to CompTIA, each exam has a maximum of 90 questions, runs 90 minutes, and includes multiple-choice, drag-and-drop, and performance-based questions. Core 1 requires a passing score of 675 on a 900-point scale, and Core 2 requires 700. Both passes must come from the same exam series.
A quick note on versions, because you will see older exam codes all over the internet: the 220-1201/220-1202 series (V15) launched in March 2025, and the previous 220-1101/220-1102 exams retired for English-language testing in September 2025. If a study resource only mentions the 1100-series codes, check that its content has been updated.
Between the two exams, A+ covers hardware, operating systems (Windows, macOS, Linux, and mobile), networking fundamentals, cloud and virtualisation basics, security fundamentals, and structured troubleshooting. We cover the split between the two exams in detail in our Core 1 vs Core 2 guide.
It is worth being equally clear about what A+ is not:
- It is not a job guarantee. It gets your CV past filters and into interviews, and the interview is still yours to pass.
- It is not a specialist credential. Networking and security each get their own certification later in the CompTIA pathway.
- It is not a substitute for hands-on experience. CompTIA itself recommends 12 months of hands-on experience in an IT support role before sitting the exams, although there is no formal prerequisite and many candidates pass without it.
The Jobs A+ Realistically Maps To
A+ targets the first rung of the IT career ladder. The roles it maps to most directly are:
- Help desk technician / service desk analyst. Answering tickets, resetting passwords, triaging user problems, and escalating what you cannot fix. This is the classic first IT job, and A+ appears in a large share of these job listings as a required or preferred qualification.
- Desktop support technician. Similar work with more hands-on hardware: imaging machines, replacing components, and supporting office deployments.
- Field service technician. Travelling between sites to install, maintain, and repair equipment. The hardware-heavy Core 1 content is directly relevant here.
- Junior IT support at a managed service provider (MSP). MSPs support many client environments at once, and they hire a steady stream of entry-level technicians. Many use A+ as a baseline hiring filter.
What the official salary data says
We will not invent salary ranges, so here is what the primary source actually reports. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, the median annual wage for computer user support specialists (the occupation that covers help desk and desktop support work) was $60,340 in May 2024. For computer network support specialists, a role people commonly move into after a support job, the median was $73,340.
Two caveats matter when reading those numbers. First, a median includes experienced workers, and genuinely entry-level positions typically pay below it. Second, the BLS measures the occupation, and holding an A+ certificate does not by itself put you at the median. Treat the figures as a picture of where the career track leads rather than a starting-salary promise.
The honest job-market picture
The same BLS handbook projects that overall employment of computer support specialists will decline 3 percent from 2024 to 2034. That is worth knowing before you invest in the certification. It is also worth reading correctly: despite the projected decline, the BLS expects about 50,500 openings for computer support specialists each year on average over the decade, almost all from workers moving to other occupations or leaving the workforce.
In practice that means the entry rung still hires continuously, and it is competitive. A recognised certification is one of the few ways a candidate without experience can stand out in that competition, which is a point in A+'s favour rather than against it. It also means treating support work as a stepping stone (towards networking, security, or systems administration) is a sensible plan, and it is exactly what the rest of the CompTIA pathway is designed for.
The Honest Costs
Exam vouchers. A+ requires two exams and each needs its own voucher. CompTIA raised voucher prices in mid-2025, and its authorised training partners currently list A+ vouchers at $265 per exam in the US, or $530 for both. Prices change and vary by region, so check the official CompTIA store before budgeting. Retakes cost the same as a first attempt, which is a strong argument for not sitting an exam until your practice scores are consistently above the pass threshold.
Study time. For a complete beginner studying part-time, a common pattern is two to four months per exam. If you already work with computers daily you may move considerably faster. Study materials range from free video courses to paid books and labs, so the money cost of studying can be close to zero if the time cost is not.
Renewal. A+ is valid for three years from the date you certify. According to CompTIA's continuing education policy, you renew by earning 20 continuing education units (CEUs) within your three-year cycle, by completing CompTIA's CertMaster CE course, or by passing a newer version of the exam. Renewal is a recurring cost worth factoring into the decision.
Who Gets the Most Value from A+
Career changers with no IT background. If your CV says retail, hospitality, logistics, or anything else non-technical, A+ is the fastest recognised way to signal baseline IT competence. You have no degree, work history, or references that speak to IT skills, and the certification fills that gap directly.
People without a degree. Plenty of IT support roles do not require a degree, and a certification plus demonstrable skills is a common entry route. A+ carries weight here precisely because employers know it tests broad fundamentals.
Veterans and military leavers. A+ is well recognised in US federal and defence-adjacent hiring, and it pairs naturally with the later certifications (particularly Security+) that government IT roles require.
Anyone targeting help desk or MSP work specifically. If the job listings you are actually applying for say "A+ required" or "A+ preferred", the value question answers itself.
Who Should Skip A+
You have a computer science or IT degree. Your degree already signals the fundamentals A+ tests. Employers hiring graduates rarely ask for A+, and your time is better spent on Network+, Security+, or a specialisation aligned with the roles you want.
You already work in IT. If you spend your days troubleshooting hardware, supporting Windows, and resetting passwords, you have the experience A+ certifies. Studying for months to prove what your CV already shows is an inefficient use of time. Get the certification you do not have.
Your target is cybersecurity and the job listing names Security+. For US Department of Defense and federal roles in particular, Security+ is frequently the named requirement. Going directly to it, and budgeting extra study time for networking fundamentals, is a legitimate path.
You have several years of self-taught, hands-on skill and can prove it. A homelab, real troubleshooting experience, and a portfolio can substitute for A+ in some hiring processes, although the certification remains the more universally legible signal.
If you recognise yourself in this list, our A+ vs Network+ vs Security+ comparison walks through which certification to start with instead.
The Verdict Framework
A+ is worth it if:
- you have no IT experience and no technical degree, and you want your first IT job
- the job listings you are applying to name A+ as required or preferred
- you want a structured syllabus that forces you to cover fundamentals you would otherwise skip
- you are building towards Network+ and Security+ and want the foundation layer done properly
A+ is probably not worth it if:
- you have a CS or IT degree and are applying for graduate roles
- you already do IT support work professionally
- a specific role you are targeting names a different certification
- you would be spending money you cannot spare to certify knowledge you can already demonstrate
Neither list involves hype in either direction. A+ is a well-recognised entry credential for a competitive but continuously hiring field, and its value depends almost entirely on whether you need what it signals.
Try the Exam Content Before You Decide
One practical way to settle the question is to look at the actual exam content. If you work through a set of A+ questions and find them trivial, that is real evidence you can skip ahead. If they expose gaps, you have found your syllabus.
Our A+ Core 1 practice questions are free, with no card required, covering every Core 1 domain from hardware and networking to virtualisation and troubleshooting. You can also browse what each exam covers on the A+ module page, with topic-by-topic breakdowns for Core 1 and Core 2.
A+ is a meaningful investment of time and money. Make the call with real information: the BLS data on where the jobs are, the full cost including both vouchers and renewal, and a first-hand look at whether the exam content is something you still need to learn.