› Certifications · compare

Compare certifications

Pick up to 3 certifications and compare them side-by-side on cost, exam format, recertification, salary signal, quality, and domain coverage.

CompTIA · professional
A+
CompTIA A+

CompTIA A+

Official page

Cost

Exam fee
A+$246
Annual maintenance fee
A+
3-year cost of ownership
A+$246

Exam mechanics

Pass mark
A+Core 1: 675/900; Core 2: 700/900
Retake policy
A+$404 fee · 0d wait
Study time
A+60–150 hrs
Validity
A+3 yrs
CPE / yr
A+17 CPEs
Delivery
A+mixed

Salary signal (US base)

Range
A+$45K – $70K
Median
A+$55,000
Premium %
A+
Role context
A+Help desk / IT support, US, 0-2 years.

Quality (4-axis rubric · 0–10)

Schema quality
A+7.5
Practice evidence
A+5.5
Maintenance
A+7.5
Market recognition
A+9.5
Average
A+7.5

Recognition & lifecycle

Recognition
A+Global
ISO 17024 accredited
A+
DoD 8140 baseline
A+
Holders worldwide
A+1,200,000
Current version
A+220-1101 + 220-1102 (2022-04)

Domain coverage

A2Network Security
A+● core

Browse the full catalog or open any one of these on its detail page for full study materials, peer comparisons, and lifecycle notes.