Is CompTIA A+ Worth It for Breaking Into IT? An Honest Entry-Level Read

Is CompTIA A+ worth it? For someone with no degree and no IT experience trying to land a first help desk or support role, usually yes, because it is the credential that clears HR filters for entry-level jobs. For someone who already has IT experience or a clear path into cybersecurity, often no, and skipping straight to Network+ or Security+ can make more sense. The honest answer depends entirely on where you are starting.

What the A+ is not is a magic ticket. It gets your resume past automated filters and proves foundational knowledge. It does not replace hands-on skill, a decent interview, or the projects that actually get you hired. Here is the straight version of the cost, the payoff, and who should get it.

Quick takeaways

• The A+ is worth it mainly for career changers and beginners with no degree or IT experience. It is the standard entry-level filter for help desk and support roles.
• It is two exams: Core 1 (220-1201) and Core 2 (220-1202). You buy two vouchers and pass both to certify.
• Budget roughly $250 per exam voucher, so around $500 for both, per CompTIA's store. Confirm the current price at checkout, and check student and bundle discounts.
• Real employers that recognize or require it include Dell, Intel, HP, and the U.S. Department of Defense, per CompTIA.
• If you already have IT experience or want cybersecurity specifically, skipping A+ for Network+ or Security+ can be the better move.
• PrepClubs is independent prep material and is not affiliated with or endorsed by CompTIA.

What the A+ actually costs in 2026

A lot of the "is it worth it" math online quotes the wrong numbers, and even Google's own AI summaries still cite the retired 220-1101 and 220-1102 codes and an older $246-per-exam price. The current A+ is 220-1201 and 220-1202, and the pricing has moved, so here is the up-to-date picture.

The two-exam structure is the part people underestimate. The A+ is not one purchase, it is two, and if you fail a core you buy another voucher to retake it. That makes passing on the first attempt the single biggest cost lever, which is where realistic practice pays for itself.

What employers actually do with an A+

The value of any certification is whether it helps you get hired. For the A+, the answer is grounded in real recognition, not marketing.

CompTIA reports that employers including Dell, Intel, HP, and the U.S. Department of Defense recognize or require the A+ for foundational tech roles. The DoD point matters if you want government or defense-contractor work, where the A+ appears on approved-baseline lists for certain roles. Beyond named employers, the A+ is widely used as an HR screening filter: for help desk, desktop support, and field technician postings, it is often the credential that moves a no-degree resume from "auto-reject" to "reviewed."

CompTIA also notes that roughly 1.2 million A+ certifications have been issued, which is why hiring managers recognize it on sight. That recognition is the real product. The A+ does not teach you anything a hiring manager could not test for directly, but it packages foundational knowledge into a signal they already trust.

The A+ jobs and salary picture

Search volume backs up the interest: terms like "comptia a+ jobs" draw well over a thousand monthly U.S. searches, which tells you people are actively mapping the cert to roles. The honest framing on pay is that the A+ is an entry-level credential, so it maps to entry-level compensation: help desk, desktop support, and junior technician roles. It is a door-opener, not a raise on its own.

We are not going to invent a salary figure here, because entry-level IT pay varies widely by city, employer, and your other skills, and a made-up national average would mislead you. The useful mental model: the A+ helps you get the first job, and the first job plus one to two years of experience is what actually moves your pay. Stacking Network+ and then Security+ on top of real experience is where the compensation curve bends upward.

Who should get it, and who should skip it

This is where the "worth it" question actually gets answered, and it is not the same for everyone.

Get the A+ if you:

• Are changing careers into IT with no degree and no prior tech job.
• Need to clear HR filters for help desk or support roles.
• Want a government or defense-adjacent role where the A+ is on a baseline list.
• Learn better with a structured objective list to work through.

Consider skipping it if you:

• Already have a year or more of hands-on IT support experience. Many hiring managers will take experience over the A+.
• Are aiming squarely at cybersecurity and can commit to Security+, which carries more weight for security roles.
• Already hold a relevant degree that covers the same foundational ground.

If you are in the "skip" camp, the common next step is going straight to Network+ or Security+. That is a legitimate path, and it saves the two-exam A+ cost, but be honest with yourself about whether you can pass a harder exam without the A+ foundation first.

FAQ

Is CompTIA A+ worth it in 2026?

For beginners and career changers without a degree or IT experience, generally yes, because it clears entry-level HR filters for help desk and support roles. For people with existing experience or a cybersecurity focus, it is often skippable in favor of Network+ or Security+.

How much does the CompTIA A+ cost?

Budget around $250 per exam voucher, so roughly $500 for both Core 1 and Core 2, per CompTIA's store. Confirm the current price at checkout. Eligible U.S. students can get 35 to 55 percent off, and bundles often cost less than buying items separately.

Does A+ get you a job?

It helps, but it is not a guarantee. The A+ clears resume filters and proves foundational knowledge for entry-level roles. Getting hired still depends on your interview, any hands-on projects, and how many other candidates are competing for the same posting.

What jobs can you get with an A+?

Typically entry-level roles: help desk technician, desktop or technical support specialist, and junior field technician. It is a door-opener into IT, after which experience drives further roles and pay.

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

If you already have IT experience or are certain about cybersecurity, that path is defensible and saves the two-exam A+ cost. If you are a true beginner, the A+ foundation makes the harder Security+ material easier to absorb, so weigh your starting point honestly.

Which employers recognize the CompTIA A+?

CompTIA lists employers including Dell, Intel, HP, and the U.S. Department of Defense as recognizing or requiring the A+ for foundational tech roles. More broadly, it is widely used across the industry as an entry-level hiring filter.

Related on PrepClubs

• CompTIA A+ practice test: how to drill both cores to a pass once you decide to go for it.
• CompTIA A+ exam objectives: what Core 1 and Core 2 actually cover.
• Is Security+ worth it?: the honest read on the security cert, if you are weighing skipping A+.
• The CompTIA Trifecta: how A+, Network+, and Security+ stack into a career path.

If you decide it is worth it, pass on the first try

The A+ is worth it for the right person, and the fastest way to make it worth it is to pass both cores on the first attempt, since a failed core means buying another voucher. That is the entire case for practicing properly first. PrepClubs' A+ track gives you full-length Core 1 (220-1201) and Core 2 (220-1202) practice tests with PBQ-style tasks and written rationales, plus a free diagnostic so you can see your real starting point before spending a cent on vouchers. It is a one-time purchase 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 A+ diagnostic.