CompTIA Network+ Certification: Exam, Cost and Jobs

What the CompTIA Network+ Certification Covers

The CompTIA Network+ certification tests whether you understand how networks work and can keep one running. That means IP addressing, routing and switching, wireless networking, network security basics, cloud and virtual networks, and the troubleshooting steps that connect them. It is vendor-neutral, so the exam is not built around one manufacturer’s equipment.

It is a good bridge credential. It is harder than CompTIA A+ and easier than Cisco CCNA, and it gives you vocabulary you use every day in network roles. Our certifications overview shows where it fits on the networking path.

Network+ Exam Facts

Network+ is one exam, which keeps the logistics simple. CompTIA estimates this version retires in 2027, so check the exam code before you buy study material.

Network+ is one exam. The current exam code is N10-009. It has a maximum of 90 questions, mixing multiple choice with performance-based questions, and a time limit of 90 minutes. The passing score is 720 on a scale of 100 to 900.

The US retail price for the exam is $369. That is the full price, and you can reduce it. CompTIA sells bundles that include study material and a retake, and eligible students get a discount. Ask your school or employer about a voucher before paying retail, because some degree programs include one. The ranking of online IT degrees with certifications flags programs that build exam prep into the coursework.

CompTIA recommends that you hold CompTIA A+ and have 9 to 12 months of hands-on experience as a junior network administrator or network support technician. You can take the exam without either, but the recommendation tells you the level the exam writers aim at.

Network+ Exam Domains

Troubleshooting and core concepts together make up close to half of the Network+ score. Security is the smallest domain, which is one reason Security+ exists as its own exam.

Networking concepts (23%). The vocabulary of the field: OSI layers, routers, firewalls and load balancers, common ports and protocols, cabling and connectors, topologies, and IPv4 addressing with subnetting. Cloud network concepts sit here too.

Network implementation (20%). Putting a network in place. That means static and dynamic routing, NAT, VLANs and spanning tree, wireless channels and authentication, and physical installation concerns such as power and environment.

Network operations (19%). Keeping a network running and written down: diagrams and inventory, change and configuration management, monitoring with SNMP and flow data, disaster recovery terms, and services such as DHCP and DNS.

Network security (14%). The smallest domain. It covers encryption, identity and access basics, common attacks such as ARP poisoning and rogue devices, segmentation, and hardening features including ACLs and screened subnets.

Network troubleshooting (24%). The largest domain. You follow a set troubleshooting method, then diagnose cable and interface faults, switching and routing errors, address exhaustion, and performance problems such as latency and packet loss.

Is the CompTIA Network+ Certification Hard?

It is harder than A+ mostly because of the subnetting and the troubleshooting scenarios. You will convert addresses, work out which subnet a host belongs to, and read short descriptions of a failing network to decide the likely cause. People who have never configured a router or a switch tend to find these questions slippery.

The cure is practice, not more reading. Use a free network simulator, or build a small home lab with a router and a spare switch. Spend a week on subnetting alone until you can do it without a calculator. Then use practice exams to check your timing, because 90 minutes for up to 90 questions leaves little room to linger, especially on the performance-based questions at the start.

CompTIA Network+ Renewal and Continuing Education

A CompTIA Network+ certification lasts three years. To keep it, you renew through CompTIA’s continuing education program.

The standard route is earning 30 continuing education units and paying a $150 CE fee for the cycle. Units come from training, work experience, webinars, conferences and other approved activities, and other certifications can contribute too. People who work in networking all day often gather most of their units without any special effort.

There are also shortcuts. Completing a CertMaster CE course renews the certification. Passing the newest version of the exam renews it. And CompTIA says that renewing your highest-level certification renews the lower ones, so if you later earn a higher CompTIA certification, you may not need to pay to renew Network+ at all.

Jobs That Use Network+

Network+ fits the jobs that keep networks running day to day. The third row, network architects, is a longer reach and usually asks for years of experience as well.

Pay: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Outlook: BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35. Job titles are matched to the closest BLS occupation.

The CompTIA Network+ certification leads to two BLS occupations. The first is Computer Network Support Specialists (SOC 15-1231), who analyze and fix network problems. The median pay is $76,220 a year, with the bottom 10% at $47,120 and the top 10% at $127,780. The BLS lists associate's degree as the typical entry education, and about 9,000 openings a year are expected.

The second is Network and Computer Systems Administrators (SOC 15-1244), who manage the networks and systems an organization runs on. The median pay is $99,130, the bottom 10% earn $62,640 and the top 10% earn $155,050. This one BLS code covers both network administrators and systems administrators. The BLS lists bachelor's degree as typical entry education, so Network+ alone is more of a first step than a finish line for this one.

Be honest about the projections. The BLS expects employment in the administrator occupation to change by -4.1% over 2025 to 2035, though it still expects about 13,400 openings a year. Plan for a competitive market and build skills beyond the basics. See the network administrator career page and the network administrator salary page for more.

Where Network+ Fits

Network+ is where the two paths divide. Stay vendor-neutral and head for security, or go deeper on routing and switching with Cisco.

What to Take After CompTIA Network+

The standard next step is Cisco CCNA, which takes the same ideas deeper using Cisco equipment and adds automation and IP services. If you took Network+ to head toward security, the next move is a security certification, and our online cybersecurity degrees ranking shows programs for the degree route.

If you came to Network+ from CompTIA A+, you now have the pairing most employers recognize for entry-level network and systems support. Add a few months of real experience and the combination carries real weight on a resume.

CompTIA Network+ vs a Networking Degree

A networking degree and the CompTIA Network+ certification are not substitutes. The certification proves you can pass a specific exam. A degree covers networking in more depth, along with security, scripting, systems and the general education employers expect for administrator and engineer roles.

If you want to get hired quickly into network support, the certification plus a little experience often works. If you want to become a network administrator or engineer, a degree plus Network+ and CCNA is the stronger combination. Compare programs in our ranking of online network administration degrees.

How to Prepare for the CompTIA Network+ Exam

Start with the official exam objectives for N10-009 and use them as your checklist. Pick one main study resource, whether a video series or a book, and finish it. Do not bounce between five.

Build a lab. Even a free simulator teaches you more than reading, because you configure and break things. Practice subnetting daily in short sessions, and learn the common port numbers and protocols until they are automatic. In the last week, take timed practice exams and review every question you missed.

Book your exam date early. A deadline keeps your study honest, and you can reschedule if you need more time. On the day, flag hard questions and come back to them, since every question counts the same and you have 90 minutes to spend across all of them.

Degrees That Build Network+ In

Each degree below names Network+ on its own program page. Read the label on the card, since a course that lines up with the exam is a different promise from a paid voucher. 21 programs in our online IT degrees with certifications ranking name Network+, and the top 8 are shown here.

• MerrimackMaster of Science in Information TechnologyCoursework lines up with the examRanked #2 · $24,000 published tuition
• University of MaryCybersecurity, BSCoursework lines up with the examRanked #3
• CCHTBachelor of Science in Computer NetworkingCoursework lines up with the examRanked #5
• Western MichiganBachelor of Science in CybersecurityCoursework lines up with the examRanked #6
• MyComputerCareerIT Network Administration and Security, AASCoursework lines up with the examRanked #8
• WUSTBachelor of Science in Information TechnologyCoursework lines up with the examRanked #10
• MTI CollegeInformation Technology, ASExam voucher includedRanked #13
• AtlantisMaster of Information TechnologyCoursework lines up with the examRanked #15

Those programs also appear on these rankings: Best Online IT Degrees with Built-In Certifications (21), Best Online IT Bachelor's Degrees (8), Best Online IT Degrees at NSA-Designated Schools (8), Best Online IT Associate Degrees (7), Best Online Networking and Network Administration Degrees (6), Cheapest Online IT Degrees (5), Best Online Cybersecurity Degrees (4), Best Online Master's in Information Technology (2), Most Affordable Online Master's in IT (1), Best ABET-Accredited Online IT Degrees (1).

Network+ Cost vs a College Course

One exam makes Network+ a simple sum. Set against a single college course, the exam fee is small, though the continuing education fee is double the A+ fee.

CompTIA Network+ costs $369 in exam fees, which is 30% of one 3-credit course at the median undergraduate rate in our programs. The $150 continuing education fee covers each three-year cycle. We leave study materials out of this comparison because their cost depends on what you buy.

The median covers 83 associate and bachelor's programs in our rankings with a published per-credit rate, using the out-of-state rate where a school charges two. Quarter-credit programs are excluded.

Is the CompTIA Network+ Certification Worth It?

For most people entering network support, yes, and the reason is practical. The CompTIA Network+ certification gives a hiring manager a quick way to confirm you know the basics, and it gives you a structured study path through topics you would otherwise pick up unevenly on the job. It costs $369 for the exam, plus study materials and the $150 renewal fee later, which is small next to a degree.

It is worth less if you already hold a Cisco certification or have years of network experience, because those say the same thing louder. It is also worth less as a standalone credential for administrator jobs, where the BLS lists bachelor's degree as typical entry education. Think of Network+ as the part of your resume that proves current, tested knowledge, and let a degree, experience or the CCNA carry the rest.

Employers also use it as a filter. Some postings, especially in government and contracting, list it by name, and the certification can help you clear an automated screen before a person reads your application. That alone justifies the exam for many job seekers.