What CompTIA Certifications Pay Worldwide and How to Earn Them in 2025

TLDR

Below, you’ll find the average global salary associated with each CompTIA certification, according to findings from the IT Skills and Salary survey:

1. A+ earns professionals on average $83,798.
2. CASP+ earns professionals on average $127,451.
3. Cloud+ earns professionals on average $105,143.
4. CySA+ earns professionals on average $97,147.
5. Data+ earns professionals on average $154,719.
6. Linux+ earns professionals on average $110,589.
7. Network+ earns professionals on average $90,793.
8. PenTest+ earns professionals on average $110,540.
9. Project+ earns professionals on average $118,471.
10. Security+ earns professionals on average $91,350.
11. Server+ earns professionals on average $109,389.

CompTIA certifications are among the most popular choices for professionals who plan to build their careers in IT — and for good reason.

CompTIA, or the Computing Technology Industry Association, is a globally recognized, vendor-neutral organization that offers professionals trusted credentials to validate their career experience and build a versatile skillset.

Several of CompTIA’s certifications serve as job requirements, including for technical roles at the U.S. Department of Defense, fulfilling its 8140.03M requirements. 

These certifications are a popular choice for professionals at every level of their careers, whether they’re just starting out or advancing to senior or leadership roles. 

Why? 

They earn professionals more respect and credibility among their peers. They also earn professionals higher wages, improve job security, and more. 

Skillsoft's IT Skills and Salary survey garnered responses from over 5,100 tech professionals worldwide. It collected information on their current jobs, experiences, certifications, and salaries. Globally, 1,905 survey respondents — 1,180 were U.S. residents — reported having earned at least one CompTIA certification. 

Here, we show the average earnings of individuals who reported having at least one CompTIA certification. You can see our methodology for this list at the end of the post.

Is it worth the money? Definitely. 

The cost to earn a CompTIA certification would include at least training and the exam. Exam fees range from $138 USD to $509 USD, depending on which credential you're pursuing. Training has a wider range in terms of cost. Instructor-led courses and bootcamps can run a few thousand dollars, while on-demand training may cost less than $100. However, many employers will either cover the cost of this training or may have it available already.

But, let's say, you're shelling it out of your own pocket and spend $5,000. That figure may include the cost of a live, instructor-led course (say ~$3,000), which does not include the exam voucher — although many do. Add the exam voucher at $500 and another $1,500 for supplemental resources, like on-demand courses, books, and so on. 

What you get from training and earning the certification pays off many times over.

Those who reported having CompTIA certifications make about 16% more on average than those who have no certifications ($71,279), the Skillsoft survey found. 

But consider these results from the report too: 

IT decision-makers in the report quantified the annual economic impact of certified staff. The highest percentage of this group (22%) say certified staff, versus non-certified staff, help the business save $30,000 or more. 

So, when it comes time to hire someone new, who is more likely to get the job? Probably the person who's certified.

Then, when you're in the role, those who’ve earned a certification say it boosts productivity, reduces their troubleshooting time, and closes skill gaps. The latter causes a slew of issues on IT teams, notably higher levels of stress and productivity loss. Furthermore, one in five professionals say they received a raise as a result of earning a certification, while others reported getting a promotion or a new job. 

So, is it worth it? 

I’ll answer your question with another question: Who doesn’t want to be better and faster at their job — and get paid more?

Numerous factors may affect a professional’s compensation and job prospects, including the certifications they have. However, many other factors are at play too, like whether they’ve managed a team before, their soft skills, and work history. The list goes on. 

While certifications are an excellent investment in one’s abilities, it helps to understand that a single certification isn’t always responsible for a professional’s earning potential or their ability to land a job. 

Bearing this in mind, consider what the average CompTIA certification holder reported in the IT Skills and Salary survey:

CompTIA offers many certifications, but which is right for you… right now? Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned expert, CompTIA’s credentials can validate your skills.

The best certification for you right now will depend on your skill level — again, beginner or expert? — and where you want to take your career. For an IT or technical professional just starting out, CompTIA offers foundational certifications like IT Fundamentals+ and A+. However, as time goes on, the roles you pursue will also determine which credentials are best at the time. Interested in a role in cybersecurity? Security+ is essential. Interested in the cloud? Cloud Essentials+ and Cloud+. 

Learn more about CompTIA's certifications and how to earn them below.

CompTIA’s A+ is the entry point to a professional career in IT — making it one of the most popular certifications, according to Skillsoft research. 

Being a foundational certification, A+ validates a broad knowledge set: managing hardware and software; understanding the types of networks; baseline cybersecurity knowledge; troubleshooting, professionalism and more. 

Those seeking this certification must pass two certifications: Core 1 and Core 2. They cost $253 USD each. Coming spring 2025, CompTIA will roll out new versions of the exams, which have been updated to remain relevant to what professionals will experience on the job.

It’s recommended candidates have about a year of professional experience before sitting the exams. After earning this certification, many go on to pursue Network+ and Security+.

Resources to help you earn this certification:

• Skillsoft’s on-demand CompTIA Core 1 and Core 2 Training

Cybersecurity remains both a key concern and top area of investment for many in leadership. Often, this domain is among the toughest to hire for, leaving a talent gap. Given the continuous demand for cybersecurity skills, CompTIA’s Advance Security Practitioner (CASP+) certification is ideal for professionals who aspire to more senior roles on their teams, holding titles like security engineer or architect, risk analyst, among others. The certification was renamed to SecurityX in December 2024 with the launch of the new exam (CAS-005).

Earning this certification means a professional can determine an organization’s cybersecurity readiness when faced with an attack and implement solutions to strengthen its posture. This includes analyzing the organization’s architecture and operations; governance, risk and compliance; and more. 

This certification is recommended for cybersecurity professionals with at least 10 years of experience, including 5 years of hands-on experience. The exam features up to 90 multiple-choice and performance-based questions. It costs $509 USD. 

Resources to help you earn this certification:

• Skillsoft’s on-demand CompTIA CASP+ training
• Skillsoft’s Global Knowledge live, instructor-led CASP+ prep course

Cloud computing is a top investment area for IT decision-makers this year, according to Skillsoft’s survey. Part of the reason has to do with the benefits of the cloud: efficiency, scale, convenience, price flexibility. As organizations continue investing in this area, they also need skilled professionals to lead and implement the work.

CompTIA’s Cloud+ certification validates many skill areas that network administrators, cloud engineers and similar professionals must have to be successful on the job. Areas include: cloud architecture, deployment and security. The certification is mapped to NICE/DCWF job roles.  

Before sitting the exam, CompTIA recommends candidates have at least 5 years of experience, with up to three in a relevant role. If you’re earlier in your career, consider the Cloud Essentials+ certification. The exam spans 90 questions and costs $369 USD.

Resources to help you earn this certification:

• Skillsoft’s on-demand CompTIA Cloud+ training
• Skillsoft’s Global Knowledge live, instructor-led Cloud+ prep course

The CySA+ is a great choice for aspiring incident response analysts, threat hunters, cybersecurity engineers and similar roles. Those who pursue this certification will learn skills that help organizations improve their security operations and identify vulnerabilities. Certified cybersecurity analysts are adept at mitigating and detecting threats and responding swiftly. 

Before sitting this exam, candidates should have at least four years of relevant experience, in addition to their Network+, Security+ or a comparable certification. Then, to pass the exam, candidates have 165 minutes to answer 85 multiple-choice and performance-based questions. It costs $404 USD. 

Resources to help you earn this certification:

• Skillsoft’s on-demand CompTIA CySA+ training
• Skillsoft’s Global Knowledge live, instructor-led CySA+ prep course

Organizations collect, store, and use incredible amounts of data. To work with it meaningfully and compliantly, organizations need professionals who know their way around databases and analytics tools. 

That’s what CompTIA’s Data+ validates. This certification proves that a professional knows how to work with data to support business decision-making. The exam focuses on these skill areas in particular: data concepts and environments, data mining, data analysis, visualization, and data governance, quality, and controls. 

Before sitting the exam, CompTIA recommends candidates have roughly two years of experience in a relevant role. They must pass a 90-question exam that costs $253 USD.  

Resources to help you earn this certification:

• Skillsoft’s on-demand CompTIA Data+ training

Linux is more or less the de facto standard for running highly available, reliable, and critical workloads. As a result, a vast number of enterprises use Linux in cloud, cybersecurity, mobile and web applications. That means, there’s demand for IT professionals who can navigate the ins and outs of this powerful and versatile operating system.

CompTIA’s Linux+ is made for the job, meaning it helps validate the skills professionals must have while supporting systems running Linux. The current exam focuses on systems management, security, scripting, containers and automation, and troubleshooting. 

Those considering the exam are recommended to have completed either the CompTIA A+, Network+, or Server+ certification. Additionally, CompTIA recommends candidates have at least 12 months of hands-on experience working with Linux servers in a junior support role. The exam spans up to 90 questions and costs $369 USD.

Resources to help you earn this certification:

• Skillsoft’s on-demand CompTIA Linux+ training

One of the main reasons why Network+ helps candidates thrive at work is due to the vendor-neutral nature of the certification.

For those who plan to work as administrators or engineers, studying for Network+ helps prepare you to build networks — regardless of vendor or technology — that are resilient and available. Earning this certification proves your knowledge of the essentials, but also network security, troubleshooting and operations. Further, it’s often a prerequisite for more specialized certifications, like those in a specific domain (e.g., cybersecurity) or related to a specific vendor (e.g., Cisco).

Before sitting the exam, candidates should have about a year of experience in a network-focused role. CompTIA also recommends having your A+ certification as well. Candidates have 90 minutes to complete 90 questions. The exam costs $369 USD. 

Resources to help you earn this certification:

• Skillsoft’s on-demand CompTIA Network+ Training
• Skillsoft’s Global Knowledge live, instructor-led Network+ prep course

CompTIA’s PenTest+ is an intermediate-level certification for those who currently work as penetration testers or cybersecurity consultants. It’s similar to other certifications offered by CompTIA, requiring candidates to demonstrate their skills and apply their knowledge to pass the exam. 

The exam covers these domains: engagement management, reconnaissance and enumeration, vulnerability discovery and analysis, attacks and exploits, and post-exploitation and lateral movement. 

Candidates who pursue this certification should have their Network+ or Security+ first, and roughly four years of professional experience as a pen tester. The exam spans 90 questions and costs $404 USD. 

Resources to help you earn this certification:

• Skillsoft’s on-demand CompTIA PenTest+ training
• Skillsoft’s Global Knowledge live, instructor-led PenTest+ prep course

CompTIA’s Project+ is a great addition for those seeking to bolster their project management skills, ascend to leadership positions, and generally take the lead on their teams. Candidates who pursue this certification will build basic project management skills and learn about Agile methodologies. It’s also “good for life,” according to CompTIA, meaning once obtained, certification holders don’t need to renew it.  

Training for this certification helps professionals build these skills without being confined to one framework or methodology, making it versatile and widely applicable. The latest version (PK0-005) is available. 

It’s recommended that candidates have at least six to 12 months of hands-on experience managing projects in an IT environment. The exam spans 90 questions and costs $369 USD.

Resources to help you earn this certification:

• Skillsoft’s on-demand CompTIA Project+ training

Those who aspire to a career in cybersecurity often start with CompTIA’s Security+ certification. Of the CompTIA certifications listed here, the Skillsoft survey found Security+ is the most popular, followed by A+ and Network+. If you’re charting your certification path, the latter two often serve as steppingstones to Security+ — so, A+ then Network+ then Security+. All three are approved for DoD 8140.03M requirements.

This certification proves a professional has the knowledge and skill to carry out the duties that many analysts, pen testers, and architects face day to day. CompTIA recommends candidates earn their Network+ first and have at least two years of experience in a security-focused role. 

To earn the certification, candidates must pass the 90-question exam, which features multiple-choice and performance-based questions. It costs $404 USD.

Resources to help you earn this certification:

• Skillsoft’s on-demand CompTIA Security+ training
• Skillsoft’s Global Knowledge live, instructor-led Security + prep course

CompTIA Server+ is an entry-level, broad scope certification that validates the skills of IT professionals who installs, manages, and troubleshoots physical and virtualized servers in data centers, while reflecting the industry’s adoption of cloud-based solutions. Skills tested: server hardware installation and management, server administration, security and disaster recovery, and troubleshooting.

Before sitting the exam, CompTIA recommends earning the A+ certification first and having at least two years of experience on the job. The exam presents up to 90 questions and costs $369 USD. 

Resources to help you earn this certification:

• Skillsoft’s on-demand CompTIA Server+ training
• Skillsoft’s Global Knowledge live, instructor-led Server+ prep course

Skillsoft’s IT Skills and Salary Report shares the results of an international survey of 5,100 tech professionals. It shares detailed findings of which certifications pay the most, which skill areas are the toughest to hire for, and far more. 

This list of CompTIA certifications is based on survey responses from Skillsoft’s IT Skills and Salary survey conducted from May to September 2024. The survey is distributed to IT professionals around the world by technology providers, certification bodies (including CompTIA), and Skillsoft. It asks respondents about their current jobs and experience, certifications and salaries, and more. Respondents encounter multiple-choice and multi-select, open-ended, rank-choice, and other types of questions while taking the survey.

The focus of this list is on the 1,905 respondents worldwide, who reported having at least one CompTIA certification. When reporting salary figures, Skillsoft looks for at least 50 survey responses before considering relevance, demand, and other factors. Salaries are not normalized for cost of living or location.

*Fewer than 50 respondents; data is presented for continuity but lacks statistical relevance.