The Question That Trips Up Most New IT Candidates
A hiring manager at a regional managed service provider recently described reviewing 40 resumes for a junior network administrator role. Twelve candidates held Network+ but could not explain the OSI model past layer 4 during a phone screen. Several admitted they had skipped A+ and gone straight to Network+ because it "paid better." They passed the exam. They could not do the job. The certification sequence matters, and not just for resume optics.
CompTIA A+ or Network+ first is the most common sequencing question in entry-level IT, and the answer depends on one thing: what you already know. Get the sequence right and you build on solid ground. Get it wrong and you spend weeks memorizing concepts that have no mental scaffolding to attach to.
What Each Exam Actually Tests
Understanding the content scope is the first step to making a smart decision.
CompTIA A+ (Core 1: 220-1101 and Core 2: 220-1102)
A+ is two separate exams, and together they cover a wide surface area deliberately. Core 1 addresses mobile devices, networking basics, hardware, virtualization, cloud computing fundamentals, and hardware troubleshooting. Core 2 covers operating systems (Windows primarily, with macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android), security practices, software troubleshooting, and operational procedures.
The breadth is the point. A+ is designed to certify that a candidate can walk into a helpdesk or desktop support role and handle the full range of issues an end user brings to them: a laptop that won't boot, a printer that won't connect, a Windows profile that's corrupted, a phone that needs to be enrolled in MDM. It does not assume prior knowledge. It builds the vocabulary and the mental model from the ground up.
CompTIA Network+ (N10-009)
Network+ is narrower and goes considerably deeper. The exam covers network architecture, the OSI and TCP/IP models, routing and switching, IP addressing and subnetting, wireless networking standards, cloud networking concepts, network security, and systematic troubleshooting methodology. You will need to subnet in your head. You will need to understand what happens at each layer when a packet traverses a network. You will need to know the difference between a managed and unmanaged switch and why it matters.
Critically, Network+ does not re-explain what a NIC is, what RAM does, or how an operating system boots. It assumes you already know. If you do not, the conceptual load of Network+ becomes much heavier than it needs to be.
Difficulty: It Is Not What Most Candidates Expect
Most candidates find Network+ harder than A+, and the reason surprises people: it is not harder because the material is more obscure. It is harder because the exam tests applied understanding, not recall. A Network+ question might describe a scenario where a user on VLAN 10 cannot reach a server on VLAN 20, give you a partial network diagram, and ask you to identify the most likely cause. That requires you to reason through the problem, not retrieve a definition.
A+ difficulty is primarily about breadth and volume. There is a lot of material, CompTIA updates the objectives regularly, and Core 2 in particular tests Windows administration, security practices, and troubleshooting methodology with some rigor. But most of the A+ questions are more straightforward: identify the component, name the protocol, select the correct tool for the task.
If you sit Network+ without the foundational context A+ provides, you are not just learning networking. You are also trying to absorb computing fundamentals on the fly, which slows everything down and increases the chance you pass the exam without actually internalizing the material.
Career Outcomes: Where Each Certification Takes You
The certifications open different doors, and the salary ranges reflect the difference in role complexity.
Roles that A+ targets
- IT helpdesk technician: $38,000 to $55,000
- Desktop support analyst: $42,000 to $60,000
- Technical support specialist: $40,000 to $58,000
- Field service technician: $40,000 to $58,000
These are the roles where you are resolving end-user issues, deploying and imaging equipment, troubleshooting endpoint problems, and maintaining the devices people use every day. For most people, this is where an IT career begins, and the experience you accumulate here is exactly what makes Network+ concepts concrete rather than abstract.
Roles that Network+ targets
- Junior network administrator: $50,000 to $68,000
- Network support specialist: $48,000 to $65,000
- Junior systems administrator: $50,000 to $68,000
- Cloud infrastructure technician: $55,000 to $72,000
Network+ moves you toward infrastructure roles: managing switches, configuring VLANs, troubleshooting connectivity between systems, supporting cloud networking environments. These roles expect you to understand the network, not just use it.
Exam Cost and Realistic Study Time
Cost is a real factor for candidates who are self-funding their certification path.
A+ total cost: approximately $500 for both exam vouchers (roughly $250 each). Study time for someone with no prior IT experience: 8 to 16 weeks studying part-time at 10 to 15 hours per week. Professor Messer's free study guide and video course remain the most-recommended free resource. Jason Dion's Udemy course (typically $15 to $20 on sale) is thorough and includes practice exams that closely match the question style.
Network+ cost: approximately $370 for a single exam voucher. Study time: 6 to 10 weeks part-time for a candidate who already holds A+ or has equivalent experience. Professor Messer covers Network+ as well. Mike Meyers' All-in-One book is a strong reference. For hands-on practice, Cisco Packet Tracer (free) lets you build and test network topologies without physical hardware. GNS3 is more complex but supports a wider range of device emulation.
One practical note on hands-on practice: reading about subnetting and actually subnetting are different skills. Candidates who only read the material consistently report that Network+ questions feel harder than expected. Build the habit of working through problems at the command line, not just reviewing answer explanations.
CompTIA's Official Recommendation and Why It Exists
CompTIA recommends 9 to 12 months of hands-on IT experience, or CompTIA A+, before attempting Network+. This is not a marketing suggestion. It reflects the actual content dependency. Network+ questions reference operating system behavior, hardware components, and troubleshooting frameworks that A+ covers explicitly. Without that foundation, you are filling in background knowledge while also learning new material, which is a less efficient path and a higher exam failure risk.
The Exception: Candidates with a Technical Background
The A+-first recommendation is not universal. If you have been building and maintaining home networks for years, if you came from a telecommunications background, if you have worked in a role that exposed you regularly to network configuration and troubleshooting, you likely already have the implicit knowledge A+ makes explicit. In that case, going straight to Network+ is reasonable.
A useful self-test: can you explain the difference between a hub, a switch, and a router without looking it up? Can you describe what DHCP does and where the lease comes from? Can you explain why a device might have a 169.254.x.x address? If those questions are straightforward, you probably have enough foundation to start Network+ directly.
The Case for Getting Both
Candidates who hold both A+ and Network+ are meaningfully more competitive for mid-level IT roles than candidates who hold either cert alone. A+ demonstrates broad competency across endpoints and operating systems. Network+ demonstrates that you understand the infrastructure those endpoints connect to. Together, they signal a complete picture of foundational IT knowledge.
Many candidates who complete both then move directly to CompTIA Security+, forming the trifecta that enterprise IT departments and government contractors specifically look for when hiring for roles that touch PCI DSS or HIPAA-regulated environments. The progression is logical: endpoints, then networks, then securing both.
Identify Your Skill Gaps Before You Choose
The most efficient way to decide where to start is to find out where your actual skills sit right now, before you spend money on a voucher or weeks on a study guide. OpsTicket, a terminal-based skills assessment platform built by IT Custom Solution, lets you work through real helpdesk and networking scenarios in a live terminal environment. Scores are based on a deterministic rubric, not an algorithm's opinion, so the result tells you specifically what you can and cannot do.
If your helpdesk score is strong and your networking score shows clear gaps, start with Network+. If both scores show gaps, start with A+. That 30-minute assessment can save you from studying for a certification that covers material you already know, and point your study time exactly where it will have the most impact.
The sequence is not complicated once you know where you stand. Know your gaps, fill them in order, and build on something solid.