Is CompTIA Network+ worth it?

Is CompTIA Network+ worth it for a US IT career?

Sometimes. Network+ appeared in 5.9% of the ads for US IT-support jobs, so most support ads do not name it. It is worth the $399 if the ads you apply to name it or if you need the networking knowledge; for network-engineer jobs it is a supporting credential. Both readings come from one month of US ads, October 2026, collected through Adzuna.

We count Network+ against two job titles. In the US, it appeared in 163 of the 2,745 IT-support ads and in 139 of the 9,475 network-engineer ads (Adzuna, October 2026). The two samples differ in size, so read each count against its own total, not against the other.

Two limits apply to every figure on this page. We search for the phrase comptia network, so an ad that writes only "Network+" or "Net+" is missed, and each count is a minimum. And a count does not separate required from preferred: an ad that lists Network+ as one of several options counts the same as one that demands it. Our methodology page explains how we collect the ads.

Our reading: in the US, a minority of support-desk ads name Network+, so it can set you apart where an ad asks for it, but it is not a baseline requirement. The IT-support role page shows which other credentials those ads name, and the network-engineer role page does the same for network jobs.

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Where CompTIA Network+ sits among IT support & networking certifications. Source: vendor requirements in our fact files, checked October 3, 2026.

Level	Certification	Experience	Named first
Entry	CertificationCCNP	Experienceno work experience required	Named first–
Entry	CertificationCCNA	Experienceno work experience required	Named first–
Entry	CertificationGoogle IT Support	Experienceno work experience required	Named first–
Associate	CertificationCompTIA Network+	Experiencerecommended: 9 months of work experience	Named first–
Associate	CertificationCompTIA A+	Experiencerecommended: 1 year of work experience	Named first–
Associate	CertificationCompTIA Linux+	Experiencerecommended: 1 year of work experience	Named firstCompTIA A+
Associate	CertificationGoogle IT Automation with Python	Experiencenamed after Google IT Support by the vendor	Named firstGoogle IT Support

Which jobs ask for Network+? Job opportunities by country

The answer changes with the country and the job title. In October 2026, Network+ appeared in 163 of the 2,745 US IT-support ads, 23 of the 658 UK network-engineer ads and 15 of the 259 Indian IT-support ads (Adzuna). For Brazil, Mexico and five European countries, each country has its own row, zeros included.

Source: Adzuna API, job ads collected in October 2026, searched by title in each country and then for the phrase comptia network. "Too few ads" marks a sample too small to report. Analysis: CertWorthIt.

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CompTIA Network+ in IT support job ads, by country. Share of job ads that name each item. Source: Adzuna job ads, October 2026.

Country	CompTIA Network+	Ads	Share of ads
United States	CompTIA Network+163	Ads2,745	Share of ads5.9%
India	CompTIA Network+15	Ads259	Share of ads6%
United Kingdom	CompTIA Network+10	Ads1,286	Share of ads10 of 1,286
Brazil	CompTIA Network+0	Ads1,764	Share of ads0 of 1,764
Mexico	CompTIA Network+0	Ads355	Share of ads0 of 355
Spain	CompTIA Network+0	Ads208	Share of ads0 of 208
France	CompTIA Network+0	Ads1,382	Share of ads0 of 1,382
Germany	CompTIA Network+0	Ads1,973	Share of ads0 of 1,973
Italy	CompTIA Network+0	Ads204	Share of ads0 of 204

United Kingdom: network-engineer ads

In the UK, Network+ appeared in 23 of the 658 network-engineer ads and in 10 of 1,286 IT-support ads in October 2026 (Adzuna). A UK network-engineer reader can treat Network+ as optional unless a specific ad names it. With 658 UK network-engineer ads in the sample, the figure can move by a few ads from one month to the next. A UK reader in support work should check whether the service-desk ads they are looking at name ITIL, which our ITIL page covers, before paying for a networking exam.

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CompTIA Network+ vs ITIL: share of IT support job ads naming each. Share of job ads that name each item. Source: Adzuna job ads, October 2026.

Country	CompTIA Network+	ITIL
India	CompTIA Network+6%	ITIL12%
United States	CompTIA Network+5.9%	ITIL7.5%
United Kingdom	CompTIA Network+10 of 1,286	ITIL7.4%
Germany	CompTIA Network+0 of 1,973	ITIL5.4%
France	CompTIA Network+0 of 1,382	ITIL4.3%
Brazil	CompTIA Network+0 of 1,764	ITIL4.0%
Italy	CompTIA Network+0 of 204	ITIL2%
Mexico	CompTIA Network+0 of 355	ITIL3 of 355
Spain	CompTIA Network+0 of 208	ITIL1 of 208

India: IT-support ads

Indian employers named Network+ in 15 of the 259 IT-support ads and in 6 of 775 network-engineer ads in October 2026 (Adzuna). With 259 Indian IT-support ads in the sample, treat the count as rough; it could shift next month.

Brazil, Mexico and continental Europe

We search each country under the job title its boards use. These are suporte técnico and analista de redes in Brazil, soporte técnico and ingeniero de redes in Mexico and Spain, and Netzwerkadministrator in Germany. In France they are technicien support and ingénieur réseau, in Italy help desk, and in Poland helpdesk and administrator sieci. The country table gives each count for October 2026. A zero means employers there rarely name Network+ in that job title; "Too few ads" means the sample was too small to report.

If the count for your country is zero or close to it, read 20 local ads for the job you want and see which credentials they name before you spend $399.

Can you get a Network+ job with no experience?

You can take the exam with no experience, but CompTIA itself assumes some. It recommends A+ plus 9 to 12 months in a junior network-administrator or network-support role, but does not require either.

Our count cannot tell you who gets hired, only which ads name the certificate. In the US, the IT-support ads that named Network+ in October 2026 are the closest thing to a "Network+ job" for a beginner. The IT-support role page lists the entry-level credentials that US IT-support ads name and what the jobs ask for.

One Reddit poster asked whether to skip A+ and Network+ and go straight to the CCNA and Security+ (r/ITCareerQuestions). That works on paper, since no exam blocks another, but CompTIA's recommendations assume the help-desk time that skipping them leaves out.

We give no salary for Network+ jobs that need no experience. Pay depends on the title, the city and the employer, and the sources we accept do not measure pay by certificate. Read the pay line in the ads for the exact job you want.

How hard is the CompTIA Network+ exam?

It is a 90-minute exam with up to 90 questions and a passing score of 720 on a scale of 100 to 900, according to CompTIA's Network+ page (checked October 5, 2026). The questions mix multiple-choice and performance-based items, so you also solve small hands-on tasks, not only recall facts. The CompTIA pages we read give no pass rate, so we cannot say how many people pass on the first try; CompTIA's retake policy shows what a failed attempt costs.

Source: CompTIA, Network+ certification page, checked October 5, 2026.

The exam has five domains: networking concepts, network implementation, network operations, network security and network troubleshooting. CompTIA's blog on N10-009 gives troubleshooting and networking concepts the largest weights, so practice a step-by-step fault-finding method and the networking basics first.

The objectives on CompTIA's Network+ page cover the OSI model, ports and protocols, IPv4 addressing and subnetting, routing and switching, wireless, cloud concepts, network security and a troubleshooting method. Passing shows that you know these concepts and can reason through a fault; it does not show that you have run a production network.

In one r/CompTIA thread asking for last-minute Network+ tips, several replies brought up the performance-based questions (PBQs). One commenter advised: "Skip and flag the PBQs at the beginning and come back to them at the end" (r/CompTIA). That is one person's tactic, not CompTIA advice.

If you fail, CompTIA's retake policy sets no waiting period between the first and second attempt. Before a third or later attempt, you must wait at least 14 calendar days, and each attempt costs the full exam price.

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CompTIA Network+ exam format at a glance. Source: comptia.org, checked October 3, 2026.

Item	CompTIA Network+
Questions	90 questions
Exam time	90 minutes (1 h 30 min)
Passing score	720 (scale 100–900)
Format	Multiple choice, performance-based tasks
Languages	5 languages

How much does Network+ cost?

The N10-009 exam voucher costs $399 at CompTIA's US store, checked in a browser on October 3, 2026. A voucher with Retake Assurance costs $519.

Source: CompTIA US store, Network+ voucher prices read October 3, 2026; CompTIA retake policy and CE fee pages, checked October 5, 2026.

We read only the US store; the price in pounds or rupees may differ, so check it at checkout in your country before you budget. Older CompTIA blog posts give a lower launch-era price; the store price we read on October 3, 2026, is $399. Training is optional and priced by each provider, so we give no figure for it. If you renew through CEUs rather than by passing a higher-level CompTIA exam, three years cost $399 to certify plus $150 to renew: $549 before any course costs.

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What the CompTIA Network+ certification costs to get and keep (USD). Source: comptia.org, checked October 3, 2026.

Item	Fee
Fees to get certified: Exam	$399
Fees to get certified: Renewal, every 3 years	$150

When does N10-009 retire?

CompTIA estimates that N10-009 will retire in 2027; its Network+ page says retirement is usually three years after launch, and gives no fixed date (checked October 5, 2026). If you pass N10-009 before then, your certification stays valid on its own three-year cycle. Before you commit to months of study or buy study material, check that page for a successor exam, since material for a new version will differ. The previous exam, N10-008, retired in English in December 2024, according to CompTIA's blog on the change.

How long is Network+ valid, and how do you renew it?

CompTIA Network+ is valid for three years. CompTIA gives two main routes to renew it: earn 30 continuing education units (CEUs) during the three-year cycle and pay the $150 CE fee, or complete one CertMaster CE course as a single renewal activity.

The CE fee is due only when you renew by CEUs, according to CompTIA's fee page. Note your certification date when you pass, because every activity has to fall inside that three-year cycle.

A higher-level CompTIA certification also renews Network+. CompTIA's renewal page says Security+ "fully renews" Network+ and A+, and the CE fee for the lower certification is waived when you renew it this way (checked October 5, 2026). For anyone taking Security+ within three years, that route can replace the CEUs and the fee.

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CompTIA Network+ certification path: requirements, exam, renewal cycle. Source: comptia.org, checked October 3, 2026.

Item
1. Exam	90 questions, 90 minutes
2. Certified	valid for 3 years
3. Renewal	30 CEUs every 3 years

Network+ vs CCNA: which should you take first?

For a network-engineer job, aim for the CCNA, which you can take without Network+; for a help-desk path, or if you are new to networking and want the basics first, taking Network+ first is a reasonable start. Cisco lists no prerequisite for the CCNA, and the CCNA costs $300 against $399 for Network+ in the US.

In October 2026, the CCNA appeared in 1,557 and Network+ in 139 of the 9,475 US network-engineer ads we counted (Adzuna). The two counts are not measured the same way: we search for the phrase comptia network but for the single word ccna, so Network+ is undercounted more than the CCNA. Read the gap as a direction, not a ratio.

A poster halfway through studying for the CCNA asked whether to switch to Network+ (r/ccna). Short answer: no, finish the CCNA; the switch would cost a new exam fee and the networking basics carry over. Our CCNA vs CompTIA Network+ comparison sets out the two exams side by side.

Is Network+ worth it before Security+ or for cyber security?

Before Security+, yes, if your networking is weak: CompTIA calls Network+ "an important and strongly recommended prerequisite" to Security+, though that is the view of the vendor that sells both exams. If a degree or job already taught you networking, you can skip it and save $399.

Security+ (exam SY0-701) costs $439 at CompTIA's US store. CompTIA recommends Network+ and two years in a security or systems-administrator role before it, and does not require either. Our Security+ page shows how often US security-analyst ads name it.

A poster with an information-systems degree asked exactly this: Security+ first, or Network+ first because of the overlap (r/CompTIA). If the degree covered TCP/IP, subnetting and routing, start with Security+ and use the five Network+ domains as a checklist for gaps. If it did not, the $399 for Network+ buys structure for that study.

Is Network+ certification worth it if you already have A+ or Security+?

With A+ and a support job, Network+ is the next CompTIA step and makes sense when your network tasks, or the ads for the jobs you want, call for it. With Security+ already, going back pays off only for the knowledge or for a specific ad that names Network+.

Two posters asked whether to go back. One had passed Security+ and asked whether completing A+ and Network+ was worth it (r/CompTIA); another, aiming for CySA+, felt their networking was weak (r/CompTIA). If the gap is knowledge, study the five Network+ domains without paying for the exam. If a target ad names Network+, the $399 buys a line on your resume that matches it. Our A+ page covers the first exam of the sequence.

What is the CompTIA Network+ salary? What we can and cannot say

We give no CompTIA Network+ salary figure on this page, for the US, the UK, India, South Africa or anywhere else. Pay figures online describe a job title or come from holders who report their own pay; neither shows what the certificate adds on top of experience.

What we measure is which ads name the certificate, not what holders earn. For pay, look up the job title, such as IT-support specialist or network engineer, in official wage statistics: the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the UK Office for National Statistics, or India's official labor statistics. South Africa is outside the ten countries we count, so we have neither ad counts nor salary figures for it.

Is Network+ worth it? What people on Reddit say

The Reddit posts we collected about Network+ ask about order, not value alone: Network+ or Security+ first, Network+ or the CCNA, and whether to go back for it after another certificate. Reddit posters are a self-selected group, so these are questions people have, not a survey.

One commenter in a CCNA-versus-Network+ thread wrote: "Outside of government jobs I rarely see it mentioned" (r/ccna). Our count partly agrees: in October 2026, Network+ appeared in 139 of the 9,475 US network-engineer ads and in 163 of the 2,745 US IT-support ads (Adzuna). It cannot show how many of those ads are government or defense roles.

A poster who had just passed Network+ asked which certificate to take next (r/CompTIA). The next section gives our answer. Posters also ask how people stay calm before the exam or get into study mode; we have no sourced answer to that, so read the threads.

What certification comes next after Network+?

Pick the next one by the job you want. For security, Security+ is CompTIA's next step. For network jobs, the CCNA and later the CCNP are Cisco's path, and our network-engineer page shows which credentials network-engineer ads name by country.

For service-desk and IT-operations work, ITIL 4 Foundation covers the process side of IT operations, such as incidents and changes. Whatever you choose, first read 20 job ads like the one you want and count which credentials they name; that small check is the same method we use at scale.

Does Network+ count for DoD 8140?

CompTIA lists Network+ as approved for three DoD work roles. Its alignment table for the DoD Cyber Workforce Framework, read on October 5, 2026, lists them as technical support specialist (411), network operations specialist (441) and system administrator (451).

CompTIA's launch press release for N10-009, dated June 20, 2024, describes the certification as approved for DoD 8140/8570.01-M. CompTIA's table does not say at which proficiency level each approval applies, and the DoD's own matrix sits behind a sign-in we could not read. The DoD's 8140.03 manual, signed in February 2023, is understood to have replaced 8570.01-M, but we could not verify that against DoD's own text. Check the exact requirement in the position description or contract. The Security+ page covers the wider DoD 8140 framework, where Security+ appears for 20 work roles.

How to get CompTIA Network+, step by step

1. Check the current exam version on CompTIA's Network+ page and list the five N10-009 domains as your study plan.
2. Study the domains with a course or book, and practice troubleshooting tasks in a lab or simulator.
3. Buy a voucher: $399 in the US, or $519 with Retake Assurance (CompTIA US store, October 3, 2026).
4. Book the exam in English, German, Japanese, Portuguese or Spanish.
5. Score 720 or more on the 90-minute exam.
6. Keep it active within three years: 30 CEUs plus the $150 CE fee, one CertMaster CE course, or a higher-level CompTIA certification such as Security+ (CompTIA CE pages, October 5, 2026).

Sources

• CompTIA, Network+ certification page: exam code, launch date, retirement estimate, questions, time, passing score, languages and recommended experience, checked October 5, 2026; US voucher prices ($399, $519 with Retake Assurance) read in the store on October 3, 2026.
• CompTIA, The new Network+ N10-009 exam: your questions answered: exam domains and the retirement of N10-008 in English, checked October 5, 2026.
• CompTIA, retake policy, checked October 5, 2026.
• CompTIA, earn continuing education units and CE renewal fees and renewing with a higher-level certification, checked October 5, 2026.
• CompTIA, certification alignment to work role frameworks (DoD 8140 work roles), checked October 5, 2026; CompTIA press release on N10-009, June 20, 2024, checked October 5, 2026.
• CompTIA, cybersecurity career pathway and how to choose a networking certification (vendor views), checked October 5, 2026.
• Adzuna job-ad counts: IT-support and network-engineer ads in ten countries, October 2026; analysis: CertWorthIt. How we count.
• Reddit posts and comments on r/CompTIA, r/ccna and r/ITCareerQuestions, linked in the text, read October 5, 2026.