Is CompTIA A+ Worth It in 2026? Cost, Jobs, Pros and Cons, and What to Do Next

Is CompTIA A+ worth it? For most people trying to land a first help desk or IT support role with no IT background, yes. It costs real money. It expires in three years. And it won't get you hired on its own.

But it's still the credential that shows up most in tech support listings, and it hands you a clear study path when "learn IT" feels way too big to start.

Below: what A+ is in 2026, what it costs after CompTIA's latest price change, the jobs it leads to, how it stacks up against Google IT Support, Network+ and Security+, and who should skip it. It's part of our series on whether popular certificates pay off, which starts with whether Google Career Certificates are worth it.

TL;DR

• CompTIA A+ is worth it in 2026 if you want a help desk or IT support role and have no IT background. It costs $548 for two exams (as of October 2026) and appears in more tech support listings than any other IT credential, per CompTIA.

• A+ is two 90-minute exams, 220-1201 and 220-1202, and the certification is valid for three years.

• It leads to help desk, IT support specialist and desktop support roles. BLS projects computer support employment to shrink 3% from 2025 to 2035, with about 48,700 openings a year anyway.

• Skip it if you already work in IT or want to go straight into security, where Security+ or real projects may serve you better.

• After you pass, build a home lab and finish one real project, so you can show what you've done instead of only what you studied.

Externships are short, remote professional experience programs where you work on real projects for real companies, with guidance from people in the field. Extern doesn't run an IT help desk Externship, so we won't pretend it does. If A+ is your first step toward security, the Hydroficient IoT Cyber Defense Externship is a realistic next one. Explore all Externships.

Is CompTIA A+ Worth It in 2026?

Short version: worth it for beginners aiming at IT support. For almost everyone else, less so. The certificate proves you studied, while employers still want to see that you've used those skills on something real.

The Short Answer

CompTIA A+ is worth it if you're a student or career switcher with no IT history who wants a help desk, desktop support or IT support specialist role. It gives you vocabulary, a structured syllabus and a name recruiters know. It's a weaker buy if you already work in IT, if you're aiming straight at cybersecurity, or if your target field is data or AI, where A+ barely shows up.

What Do Employers Look For?

From the recruiting side, a certification gets you past a filter. It rarely wins the interview. Recruiters hiring for support roles want to hear what you've actually fixed: a laptop reimaged, a printer back on the network, a locked-out user helped in five minutes flat.

And our own data points the same way. In the skill tags of 861 internship and entry-level postings Extern tracked from July to October 2026, zero tags named a CompTIA certificate, while Microsoft Office appeared 128 times and Linux 15.

Is that proof certificates don't matter? No. It's a narrow sample, and these are parsed skill tags, not full job descriptions, so certifications may still sit in the description text. What it does suggest is that employers list the tools you'll use, not the badge that says you studied them.

What Is CompTIA A+?

CompTIA A+ is the entry-level IT certification most help desk hiring managers recognize. Here's what you're signing up for.

Definition

CompTIA A+ is a vendor-neutral certification from CompTIA, a nonprofit IT trade association, that tests the basics of IT support: hardware, networking, mobile devices, operating systems, security and troubleshooting. Vendor-neutral means it isn't tied to Microsoft, Apple or Cisco. According to CompTIA's A+ page, A+ appears in more tech support job listings than any other IT credential.

The Two Exams: 220-1201 and 220-1202

To earn A+, you pass two exams, Core 1 and Core 2, in either order. Current version? V15. Both exams launched on March 25, 2025, and the older 220-1101 and 220-1102 exams retired on September 25, 2025 (Professor Messer). CompTIA estimates V15 will retire in 2028, and you have to take both cores from the same version.

Source: CompTIA A+ Core 1 and Core 2 (V15) exam pages, checked October 2026.

How Much Does CompTIA A+ Cost in 2026?

Plan on about $548 for the two exams at list price, plus whatever you spend on study materials.

Exam Vouchers

According to Total Seminars, an authorized CompTIA training partner, CompTIA raised the A+ voucher from $265 to $274 per exam on May 29, 2026 (Total Seminars, May 2026). You need two vouchers, so A+ costs $548 at list price as of October 2026. The same change put Network+ at $399 and Security+ at $439.

You can often pay less. Authorized resellers sell vouchers below list, and CompTIA offers student pricing if you have a school email.

But a failed attempt means buying another voucher. Don't book the exam until your practice scores are steady for a week or two.

Study Costs and Cheaper Paths

You don't need an expensive bootcamp. Professor Messer's A+ video course is free, and plenty of people pass with that, a set of practice exams and an old laptop they're allowed to take apart.

Want more hand-holding? The Google IT Support Certificate costs $49 a month after a 7-day trial in the U.S., and Google says many learners finish in three to six months. Its page also says graduates who pass the A+ exams earn a dual credential from CompTIA and Google.

So the cheapest structured route is usually Google's course to learn, then the A+ exams to certify. Total cost depends almost entirely on how fast you move through the course.

How Long Does CompTIA A+ Last, and How Do You Renew It?

A+ lasts three years. Then you renew it or it expires.

The Three-Year Renewal Cycle

CompTIA's continuing education overview says certifications in its CE program expire three years from the date you earn them and must be renewed before that date. For A+, renewal means earning 20 continuing education units, according to CompTIA's CEU requirements table, and paying CompTIA's CE fees.

There's a shortcut. Earn a higher-level CompTIA certification like Network+ or Security+, and renewing that one can renew A+ along with it. That's why people who stay in IT tend to treat A+ as step one of a stack rather than a one-time purchase.

Yet if you pass A+ and then drift away from IT, it just lapses.

What Does CompTIA A+ Cover?

A+ is broad by design. It covers a little of everything a support tech touches in a week, which is great for beginners and a bit shallow for anyone with experience.

Core 1 (220-1201): Hardware and Networking

Core 1 tests the physical side of IT. According to CompTIA's Core 1 page, the domains are hardware and network troubleshooting (28%), hardware (25%), networking (23%), mobile devices (13%), and virtualization and cloud computing (11%). Expect questions on RAM, storage, cables, Wi-Fi bands, printers and setting up phones for work. The V15 update added newer topics like the 6 GHz Wi-Fi band, eSIM and containers.

Core 2 (220-1202): Operating Systems and Security

Core 2 is the software and people side. CompTIA's Core 2 page lists operating systems and security at 28% each, software troubleshooting at 23%, and operational procedures at 21%. That covers Windows, macOS and Linux basics, malware removal, account permissions, backups, documentation and how to talk to frustrated users.

Both exams include performance-based questions, where you complete a task in a simulated environment instead of picking an answer.

That's the part people underestimate.

What Jobs Can You Get With CompTIA A+?

A+ points at first-line support roles. Those roles are real and plentiful, though the field isn't growing.

Roles A+ Is Built For

CompTIA says A+ prepares you for IT support specialist and help desk technician roles. Common titles include:

1. Help desk technician: answers tickets, resets passwords, walks users through fixes by phone or chat.

2. IT support specialist: handles a wider range of hardware and software problems, often on site.

3. Desktop support technician: sets up, repairs and replaces laptops, desktops and peripherals.

4. Field service technician: travels to client sites to install or repair equipment.

A+ is also approved for several U.S. Department of Defense 8140 work roles, including technical support specialist and system administrator, which matters if you want IT work with a defense contractor. If your long game is security, our guide to entry-level cyber security jobs with no experience shows where support roles fit on that path.

Pay and Job Outlook

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median pay for computer support specialists was $62,890 in May 2025. Computer user support specialists earned a median of $61,860, and computer network support specialists $76,220.

Now the less fun part. BLS projects overall employment of computer support specialists to decline 3% from 2025 to 2035.

But it still expects about 48,700 openings each year, mostly to replace people who move up or leave the field. Why the shrink? BLS doesn't spell out a single cause, and we'd be guessing if we pinned it all on chatbots and self-service portals, though those probably play a part. For the wider tech picture, see our computer science job market 2026 guide.

Can You Get a Job With CompTIA A+ Alone?

Sometimes, but it's the harder way in. A certification opens the door, and proof of real work is what gets you through it.

The evidence points the same way:

• BLS says candidates for user support roles "may qualify with a high school diploma plus relevant information technology (IT) certifications," so A+ can stand in for a degree in some hiring.

• CompTIA itself recommends 12 months of hands-on IT support experience before taking either exam, which tells you the exam assumes practice, not just reading.

• Extern's skill-tag data from earlier in this guide points at named tools rather than certificates.

So yes, people do get hired with A+ and nothing else. We'd guess it happens most through staffing agencies and in local markets short on techs, though we don't have hard numbers on that. Your odds go up a lot when you pair it with something you can show. Our guide on how to get a job with no experience covers the rest of that playbook.

How Does A+ Compare to Google IT Support, Network+ and Security+?

These four get compared constantly, even though they're built for different points in a career. A+ and Google IT Support are starting points, while Network+ and Security+ assume you already know what A+ covers.

Side-by-Side Comparison

The Google IT Support Certificate is a course, while A+ is a proctored exam. Network+ (exam N10-009) goes deeper on networking, and Security+ is the common baseline for security roles. Security+ is mid-transition: CompTIA lists the current V7 exam (SY0-701) as retiring in English on June 11, 2027, with V8 expected around November 17, 2026. If security is your target, read our Google Cybersecurity Certificate review too.

Sources: CompTIA exam pages; Total Seminars price table (May 2026); grow.google IT Support page. Checked October 2026.

Bottom line: if you're starting from zero, Google's course plus A+ is a sensible combo. If you already handle IT basics, start at Network+ or Security+.

What Are the Pros and Cons of CompTIA A+?

A+ does one thing well: it proves you know the fundamentals of IT support to a hiring filter. Here's the full ledger.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Recognized: CompTIA says it appears in more tech support listings than any other IT credential.

• Vendor-neutral: what you learn applies to Windows, Mac, Linux and mixed offices.

• Structured: the published exam objectives tell you exactly what to study.

• DoD approved: it counts toward several Department of Defense 8140 work roles.

• Stackable: pairs with Google's course for a dual credential, and Network+ or Security+ renew it.

Cons

• Cost: $548 at list price, plus retakes and CE fees.

• Expires: you renew every three years or it lapses.

• Shallow: broad coverage means little depth in any one area.

• Not experience: CompTIA recommends 12 months of practice on the job, and employers know the difference.

• Shrinking field: BLS projects a 3% decline in computer support employment through 2035.

Verdict: For a true beginner targeting help desk, the pros win. For anyone else, A+ is optional.

Well, mostly optional. If you're aiming at IT work tied to a defense contract, the DoD 8140 approval can make A+ (or a higher CompTIA cert) close to a requirement, so check the posting before you skip it.

Who Should Take CompTIA A+, and Who Should Skip It?

It comes down to where you're starting and where you want to end up. Over seven years of one-on-one sessions with thousands of students, one pattern keeps showing up for us: the people who got the most out of a certificate knew which role it was for before they paid.

Decision Guide

Find your situation in the table and go with the recommendation, then adjust for your local job market.

If security is the long-term goal, browse the cybersecurity internships for summer 2027 to see what those postings ask for.

What Should You Do After Getting CompTIA A+?

Passing is the start. What gets you hired is proof you can do the work, and that part's on you.

Next Steps That Turn a Cert Into Interviews

1. Build a home lab. Set up a couple of virtual machines with free tools, install a Windows Server trial and a Linux distribution, and practice creating users and joining a domain.

2. Keep a fix log. Write down every problem you solve, for friends, family or a campus club, with what broke and how you fixed it.

3. Finish one real project. Image a batch of donated laptops, set up a small office network, or harden a home router. Document it with screenshots.

4. Update your resume. List A+ in a certifications section, but lead with the lab and project. Our student portfolio examples show how to present work like this.

5. Pick the next cert. Network+ if you like infrastructure, Security+ if you want security.

The Next Step Toward Security

We'll be upfront here. There's no IT help desk Externship on our platform, so we can't offer a program that mirrors A+ work.

So what can we offer? A next step for A+ holders heading toward security.

In the Hydroficient IoT Cyber Defense Externship, externs spend eight weeks securing IoT data pipelines for a smart water management company. You simulate attacks like spoofing and replay, add defenses like TLS and device identity checks, build an anomaly detection prototype in Python, and finish with a Security Improvement Report you can walk through in an interview. It's a step up in difficulty from A+, honestly, since you'll be writing Python, not just configuring settings. Students who finish our programs tend to recommend them: Extern's Net Promoter Score is +51 (n=1,001, post-program survey, 2026). If you want to compare options first, see all open Externships.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is CompTIA A+ worth it with no experience?

Yes, that's who it helps most. A+ gives you a structured base and a credential recruiters recognize for help desk roles. But CompTIA itself recommends about 12 months of hands-on work, so pair the exams with a home lab or volunteer IT work you can describe in an interview.

How much does CompTIA A+ cost in 2026?

About $548 at list price, as of October 2026. You need two vouchers, one for Core 1 and one for Core 2, and each was raised to $274 in May 2026. Authorized resellers and student discounts can lower that, and failed attempts need a new voucher.

What jobs can I get with CompTIA A+?

Mostly first-line support roles: help desk technician, IT support specialist, desktop support technician and field service technician. BLS put the May 2025 median wage for computer user support specialists at $61,860. With experience, many people move into network administration or security.

Is CompTIA A+ hard to pass?

It's broad more than deep. Each exam has up to 90 questions in 90 minutes, including performance-based tasks, and you need 675 on Core 1 and 700 on Core 2 on a scale of 900. Hands-on practice matters more than memorizing.

Should I get CompTIA A+ or the Google IT Support Certificate?

They do different jobs. Google's certificate is a self-paced course at $49 a month, while A+ is a proctored exam that employers and the U.S. Department of Defense recognize. Many people take Google's course to learn, then pass A+ to earn the dual credential.

Can I skip A+ and go straight to Security+?

Yes, A+ isn't a formal prerequisite for Security+. CompTIA recommends Network+ and two years of security or systems admin experience before Security+, though. If you already know hardware, operating systems and basic networking, skipping A+ saves money. If not, A+ fills the gaps.

Does CompTIA A+ expire?

Yes. A+ is valid for three years from the date you pass. To renew, earn 20 continuing education units and pay CompTIA's CE fees, or pass a higher-level CompTIA exam such as Network+ or Security+, which can renew A+ along with it. Plan for it early, because an expired cert stops counting as active on your resume.