SecProve
ProfessionalVendor-neutralCompTIA· issued from US

Net+

CompTIA Network+

CompTIA Network+

Practice Net+ questions — coming soonOfficial page at CompTIA↔ Compare with another cert
Exam fee
$358
Ongoing
$0/yr AMF · 17 CPE/yr
Study time
40–100 hrs
Delivery
Hybrid
Validity
3 yrs (renewal cycle)

› Quality score

29.5 / 40

Four-axis SecProve rubric, each 0–10. SecProve editorial assessment — each axis carries a written justification so you can push back on any single call without dismissing the whole score.

Blueprint rigor
How well-defined and rigorous the exam blueprint is.
CompTIA Network+ ECO is well-defined and provider-neutral.
7.5/10
Practical evidence
Hands-on labs / written reports vs pure MCQ.
Performance-based items with networking scenarios.
5.5/10
Currency & upkeep
How aggressively content is kept current with the field.
Three-year refresh cycle; current N10-009 reflects modern infra.
7.5/10
Market recognition
How often this signal actually moves a hiring decision.
Universally accepted entry-level networking credential. [Holders: 600k, 2024-12]
9.0/10

› Market signals

public, citable inputs to the recognition score
Holders worldwide
600,000
as of 2024-12 · source

› Exam format

Max. 90 questions (multiple-choice + performance-based), 90 minutes, proctored via Pearson VUE. Passing score: 720/900.

Passing score
720/900 (~80%)
Retake policy
Fee: $404 per attempt
Wait: 0d between attempts

First retake immediate; 14-day wait before each subsequent attempt. Retake fee equals the standard exam fee.

› Recertification

Valid for 3 years. Renewal via 30 CEUs or higher-level CompTIA cert (stacking) or re-exam.

› NICE Framework work roles

The NIST NICE work-role IDs this cert maps to. NICCS lookup.

DD-WRL-001DD-WRL-004DD-WRL-007IO-WRL-004IO-WRL-005IO-WRL-007PD-WRL-004
Recognition
Global
Exam languages
en

› Core domains covered

The 1 domain this cert is centrally about. Passing the exam demonstrates working knowledge of each.

A2Network Security

Firewalls, IDS/IPS, network segmentation, DNS security, SD-WAN, VPN, traffic analysis, wireless security.

› Prerequisites

Experience

No formal prerequisites. Recommended: A+ and 9–12 months networking experience.

› Progression

requiredrecommended

Where this cert fits in the typical learning path. Required edges are vendor-gated; recommended edges reflect de facto industry progression.

Required prereqs (0)

No vendor-gated prereqs.

Recommended priors (0)

No de facto priors typically expected.

Net+
CompTIA
Required by (0)

No certs require this one.

Recommended next (1)
Security+CompTIA

› Study materials

Curated starting points. Not exhaustive — vet each against your learning style and the current exam version.

Official guides
  • CompTIA Network+ (N10-008) Study Guide — Sybex / Pearson IT Certification
Training providers
Practice tests
  • Boson ExSim-Max for Network+ (N10-008)
  • Jason Dion Practice Exams (Udemy)

› Version & lifecycle

Current version
N10-008
Released
2021-09

N10-009 expected 2025.

› Salary signal

Junior network administrator, US, 1-3 years.

$60K–$95K
median $75K

Robert Half Salary Guide + Glassdoor 'Network Administrator' aggregations · 2024 · US base only · p25–p75 range

› How it compares

vs
CCNA

Network+ is vendor-neutral fundamentals; CCNA is Cisco-specific with more depth.

↔ Compare side-by-side
vs
Security+

Network+ → Security+ is the standard CompTIA progression for security analysts.

↔ Compare side-by-side

› Common exam traps to study

Cybersecurity cert exams reuse the same 25 distractor patterns over and over — category confusion, RTO vs RPO, IDS vs IPS, MD5 vs SHA-256, and more. Once you can name the trap, you stop falling for it. Each archetype page covers what it is, the specific pairs candidates confuse, and how to avoid it.

Browse all 25 cert-exam trapsStart with: BEST vs correct

See this cert’s domains highlighted on the interactive map, or compare it against the rest of the catalog.

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