How Many Questions Are on the Security+ Exam, and How Is It Scored?
The Security+ SY0-701 exam is a maximum of 90 questions in 90 minutes, passing at 750 on a 100-to-900 scale. Here is the format, the scoring, and why you may see fewer than 90.
The Security+ SY0-701 exam is a maximum of 90 questions in 90 minutes, and you pass at 750 on a 100-to-900 scale, per CompTIA. That is the short answer. The longer answer, which most pages skip, is why you might sit down and see only 75 questions, why 750 is not the same as "83 percent correct," and why nobody can tell you exactly how many you can afford to miss.
If you are prepping for this exam, those three details change how you should practice. Here is the full format and scoring picture, sourced from CompTIA, with the parts the quick answers leave out.
Quick takeaways
- The SY0-701 exam has a maximum of 90 questions and a 90-minute time limit, per CompTIA. You may see fewer than 90; 90 is the ceiling.
- The passing score is 750 on a scale of 100 to 900. It is a scaled score, not a raw percentage, so there is no official "you need X out of 90."
- Questions are a mix of multiple-choice and performance-based questions (PBQs). The PBQs are interactive and come first.
- Because scoring is scaled, "how many can I miss?" has no clean published answer. Practicing to a comfortable margin above passing is the reliable signal.
- PrepClubs' Security+ track uses full-length, 90-question timed practice tests so you experience the real format and clock before test day.
- PrepClubs is independent prep material and is not affiliated with or endorsed by CompTIA.
The exact format, per CompTIA
Here is what CompTIA publishes for the current exam.
| Attribute | SY0-701 |
|---|---|
| Maximum questions | 90 |
| Time limit | 90 minutes |
| Question types | Multiple-choice and performance-based (PBQs) |
| Passing score | 750 (on a 100-to-900 scale) |
| Number of domains | 5 |
That is the entire official format in one table. The nuance is in how each row behaves in the real exam.
Why you might see fewer than 90 questions
Candidates often report finishing with 75, 80, or 82 questions rather than a full 90, then worry they got a broken exam. They did not. The "maximum of 90" wording is deliberate. CompTIA can include unscored trial items and adjust the count, and not every delivery serves the full 90. The number you see does not tell you anything about how you are doing. Do not try to read your performance from the question count. It is noise.
The practical takeaway: prepare for the full 90 in 90 minutes. If you build the stamina and pacing for the maximum, a shorter exam is a bonus, never a surprise you were not ready for.
How the 750 passing score really works
This is where most explanations go wrong. They see 750 out of 900 and translate it to "about 83 percent," then tell you to aim for 83 percent on practice tests. That is not how it works.
The 100-to-900 range is a scaled score. CompTIA converts your raw performance into that scale using a model that accounts for the relative difficulty of the items you saw. Two candidates who answer the same number of questions correctly can end up with different scaled scores if they saw items of different difficulty. Because CompTIA does not publish the per-item weighting or a question-by-question key, there is no honest way to say "you need exactly 60 of 90 correct."
So what do you aim for? On full-length practice tests scored as a straight percentage, treat a consistent 85 percent or higher as your green light. That builds a margin above the passing standard that survives the scaling and a few unlucky items on the day. Chasing exactly 83 percent on practice tests leaves no room for error and gives you a false sense of where you stand.
How many questions can you miss?
The honest answer is that there is no fixed number, and any page that gives you a precise one is guessing. Because the score is scaled and the harder items effectively count for more, missing five easy questions is not the same as missing five hard ones. What you can do is stop thinking in "questions I can miss" and start thinking in margin: sit full-length timed tests, and get comfortably and repeatedly above passing before you book. That margin, not a magic miss-count, is what carries you through test day.
The question types, and why the mix matters
Two formats share the exam.
- Multiple-choice questions are the familiar pick-one (or pick-the-best) items. Most of the exam is these.
- Performance-based questions (PBQs) are interactive tasks: configure a firewall rule, drag items into a network topology, match attacks to mitigations, order incident-response steps. There are usually a handful of them, and they tend to appear at the very start.
The PBQs matter out of proportion to their count because they eat time. Under-prepared candidates sink 20 minutes into the first PBQ and then race the clock through the multiple-choice items. A common, sane strategy is to skim the PBQs first, do the ones you can quickly, flag the rest, clear the multiple-choice questions to bank time, then return to the flagged PBQs. You can only run that play if you have practiced the format, which pure flashcard prep never gives you.
FAQ
How many questions are on the Security+ exam?
A maximum of 90, delivered in 90 minutes, per CompTIA. You may see fewer than 90 in a given delivery; 90 is the ceiling, not a guarantee.
What is the passing score for Security+?
750 on a scale of 100 to 900, per CompTIA. It is a scaled score, not a raw percentage, so there is no published number of questions you must get right.
Is 750 out of 900 the same as 83 percent?
No. The 100-to-900 range is a scaled score that accounts for item difficulty, not a straight percentage of questions correct. Aim for a comfortable margin above passing on full-length practice tests, ideally 85 percent or higher scored as a percentage, rather than trying to hit exactly 83.
How many questions can I miss and still pass?
There is no fixed, published number, because harder items effectively carry more weight under the scaled model. Instead of counting misses, practice to a repeatable margin above passing on timed full-length tests.
How long is the Security+ exam?
90 minutes for a maximum of 90 questions, per CompTIA. The performance-based questions at the start are the most likely to eat that time, so pace them deliberately.
Why did I get fewer than 90 questions?
CompTIA delivers up to 90 and can include unscored items and vary the count. A shorter exam is normal and tells you nothing about your score. Prepare for the full 90 so a shorter one is only ever easier.
Related on PrepClubs
- Security+ exam objectives (SY0-701): the five domains and their weightings, in full.
- Security+ performance-based questions: what the PBQs are and how to practice the format.
- Security+ practice test (SY0-701): how to use a full-length bank to build the margin above passing.
- How to study for Security+ in 30 days: an objective-weighted plan.
Practice the real format, not just the facts
Knowing it is 90 questions and 750 to pass is the easy part. Building the pacing to clear 90 items in 90 minutes, PBQs and all, is what actually gets you certified, and you only get it from full-length practice under the clock. That is how PrepClubs' Security+ track is built. You start with a free 25-question diagnostic to see your real level, then unlock 10 full-length timed practice tests (900 original SY0-701 questions), each with a written rationale, for a one-time $69. It is a one-time payment with 30 days of access, not a subscription. If you prepare with PrepClubs and do not pass your real test, we extend your access at no extra cost. No fine print. PrepClubs has helped more than 1,600 students prepare for cognitive and certification assessments. Start with the free Security+ diagnostic.
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