Network+ Exam Cost and Passing Score: What N10-009 Actually Requires

The CompTIA Network+ (N10-009) exam voucher costs roughly $369 to $399 in the United States for a single attempt, and you pass by scoring 720 out of 900. That voucher is the required fee to sit the exam at a Pearson VUE test center or through online proctoring. The exact figure moves over time (CompTIA raised list prices in 2026), so treat the number on CompTIA's own store as the source of truth, per CompTIA. Everything else you might spend, study materials, a retake voucher, optional training, sits on top of that one required fee.

The cost question and the passing-score question are really the same planning question: what does it take to walk out certified on the first try, without paying twice. This guide breaks down the real numbers so you can budget once and pass once.

The voucher is the only required cost; a retake is the expensive part you can avoid

Quick takeaways

• The N10-009 voucher runs about $369 to $399 in the US as a single required fee. Check CompTIA's store for the current figure, since list prices change, per CompTIA.
• You pass at 720 on a 100 to 900 scale, on a maximum of 90 questions in 90 minutes, per CompTIA.
• There is no free retake. If you fail, you buy a new voucher, so the real cost of underpreparing is a second full fee.
• Students with a .edu email can often save 35 percent or more through CompTIA's academic store, per CompTIA.
• The certification is good for three years and renews through continuing education or a higher CompTIA cert, not another full exam fee.
• A one-time PrepClubs Network+ pack costs a fraction of a retake voucher and comes with a 30-day Pass Guarantee, so a weak first attempt does not cost you the exam fee twice.

What the Network+ voucher actually costs

The single number most people want is the exam voucher price. In the US, the N10-009 voucher has recently sat in the $369 to $399 range for one attempt, purchased directly from CompTIA and redeemed at Pearson VUE. Resellers and university career-training programs sometimes quote slightly different figures ($358 appears on several older pages), and CompTIA adjusts list prices periodically, so the safest move is to confirm the live price on CompTIA's certification page before you buy, per CompTIA.

Here is how the pieces stack up.

The takeaway from that table: the voucher is the only line item you cannot avoid, and the retake is the one you most want to avoid. Everything in the "optional" rows is a choice about how you prepare, not a gate you have to pay through.

The passing score: 720 out of 900

You pass N10-009 by scoring at least 720 on a scale that runs from 100 to 900, per CompTIA. That is a scaled score, not a raw percentage, so it does not map cleanly to "get 80 percent of questions right." The exam has a maximum of 90 questions and gives you 90 minutes, and it mixes standard multiple-choice questions with performance-based questions (PBQs) that ask you to configure or troubleshoot in a simulated interface.

Because the score is scaled, harder questions are weighted differently than easy ones, and you do not need a perfect run to clear 720. What you do need is steady coverage across every domain, because the exam pulls from all five and the performance-based questions cluster around the heavier-weighted areas.

The five N10-009 domains and where the questions are

Budgeting your money is half the job. Budgeting your attention is the other half, because a failed attempt is the single most expensive outcome. The N10-009 exam splits into five domains with published weightings, and those weightings tell you exactly where the questions concentrate, per CompTIA:

Troubleshooting is the single heaviest domain at 24 percent, followed closely by networking concepts at 23 percent. If your study time is split evenly across topics, you are under-investing in the two areas that carry nearly half the exam. That is the difference between a 700 and a 720.

Discounts that actually lower the price

The voucher price is not fixed for everyone. A few legitimate paths bring it down:

• Student and academic pricing. If you have a valid .edu email address, CompTIA's academic store frequently discounts vouchers by 35 percent or more, per CompTIA. This is the single biggest saving for eligible candidates.
• Bundles with a retake. CompTIA sells bundles that pair a voucher with official study tools and a second-attempt voucher. These cost more up front but hedge the retake risk if you are unsure of your readiness.
• Employer or workforce programs. Many employers and some state workforce or veterans programs reimburse or cover certification vouchers. Ask before you pay out of pocket.

None of these change the exam itself. They change what you pay to sit it once.

The retake math: why the first attempt is the one that matters

There is no free retake for Network+. If you do not pass, CompTIA requires you to purchase another voucher for the next attempt. You can retake immediately after a first fail, but from the third attempt onward there is a 14-day wait between tries, per CompTIA. In plain budget terms, failing once roughly doubles your exam cost.

That is where preparation stops being a "nice to have" and becomes the cheapest insurance you can buy. A focused set of full-length practice exams and topical drills costs a small fraction of a second voucher. On PrepClubs, the Network+ practice pack is a one-time payment (not a subscription), you keep access for 30 days, and it is backed by a 30-day Pass Guarantee: if you prepare with it and do not pass your real test, we extend your access at no extra cost. No fine print, no cash-back hedge. The point of the guarantee is exactly this cost problem: it removes the risk that a weak first attempt makes you pay the exam fee twice.

Renewal: what it costs to keep the cert

Network+ certification is valid for three years from the date you pass. Renewing does not mean paying another full exam fee. CompTIA lets you renew through its continuing education program by earning continuing education units, by earning a higher-level CompTIA certification, or through a modest renewal fee tied to the continuing education program, per CompTIA. For most people, earning Security+ within the three-year window renews Network+ automatically, which folds the renewal cost into the next step of a normal career path.

Real example: budgeting a first-time pass

Consider a candidate deciding what to spend. The honest, first-try budget looks like this: one voucher (about $369 to $399, or roughly 35 percent less with a student discount), a set of practice exams and drills to make sure the 720 is comfortable rather than a coin flip, and nothing else required. The failure budget looks like this: the same voucher, then a second voucher after a fail, then the practice materials they should have bought the first time. The gap between those two budgets is the entire argument for preparing properly. The voucher fee is fixed. Whether you pay it once or twice is not.

Related on PrepClubs

• CompTIA Network+ N10-009 exam objectives, domain by domain
• Network+ practice tests and drills
• Network+ pack pricing and the 30-day Pass Guarantee

FAQ

How much does the CompTIA Network+ exam cost in 2026?

The N10-009 voucher runs roughly $369 to $399 in the US for a single attempt, purchased from CompTIA and redeemed at Pearson VUE. CompTIA adjusts list prices periodically, so confirm the current figure on CompTIA's certification page before buying, per CompTIA. Students with a .edu email can often save 35 percent or more.

What is the passing score for Network+ N10-009?

You pass by scoring at least 720 on a scale of 100 to 900, per CompTIA. It is a scaled score, not a raw percentage, and the exam has a maximum of 90 questions in 90 minutes.

Is there a free retake if I fail Network+?

No. CompTIA requires a new voucher for each attempt. You can retake immediately after a first fail, but a 14-day wait applies from the third attempt onward. Failing once roughly doubles your total exam cost, which is why preparation is the cheapest insurance.

How many questions are on the Network+ exam?

The N10-009 exam has a maximum of 90 questions in 90 minutes, mixing multiple-choice with performance-based questions that simulate real network configuration and troubleshooting, per CompTIA.

How long is the Network+ certification valid?

Three years from the date you pass. You renew through continuing education units, by earning a higher CompTIA certification such as Security+, or through the continuing education renewal fee, not by paying another full exam fee, per CompTIA.

Are there discounts on the Network+ voucher?

Yes. The most common is CompTIA's academic pricing for holders of a valid .edu email, which frequently discounts the voucher by 35 percent or more. Employer reimbursement and workforce or veterans programs can also cover the cost, per CompTIA.

Note: PrepClubs is an independent practice-test provider and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by CompTIA. CompTIA, Network+, and N10-009 are trademarks of CompTIA. Exam pricing, format, and passing scores are set by CompTIA and cited to CompTIA's official pages; always confirm the current figures with CompTIA before you buy.