CompTIA Network+ (Plus) is a vendor-neutral certification that validates the necessary networking knowledge and skills to pursue a career in IT infrastructure. According to CompTIA, Network+ is ideal because it “forms the foundation you need before specializing in a vendor solution.” It is also the only certification that addresses wireless and wired networks.
Who Should Earn Their CompTIA Network+ (Plus) Certification?
The CompTIA Network+ is ideal for those currently employed or seeking employment in the following roles:
- Junior Network Administrator
- Computer Technician
- Network Field Technician
- Help Desk Technician
- Junior System Engineer
- System Engineer
- IS Consultant
- Network Support Specialist
- Network Field Engineer
- Network Analyst
What Organizations Hire Network+ Certified Professionals?
Due to its vendor-neutral stance, the Network+ certification is recognized by a number of private organizations and government agencies that need IT professionals with core skills and the capacity to learn their unique systems. Specifically, the following organizations trust Network+ as identifying critical skills needed for employment in this field:
- Apple
- BlueCross BlueShield
- Canon
- Dell
- HP
- Intel
- Rioch
- Verizon
It is also an IAT Level I 8570.01-M approved baseline certification and it returned over 5,000 job postings on LinkedIn at the time this article was published.
We Prepare Students To Pass Their CompTIA Network+ Exam.
What Is The Salary For A Network+ Certification?
Payscale reports the average salary for Network+ certified professionals to be $66,311 annually. This is based off of a wide-range of experience levels and job roles such as:
- Systems Administrator – $63,000
- IT Manager – $76,000
- Network Engineer – $71,000
- Network Administrator – $59,000
- IT Specialist – $54,000
What Does The CompTIA Network+ (Plus) Certification Exam Cover?
The Network+ certification exam focuses on the following domain areas:
- Networking Concepts
- Infrastructure
- Network Operations
- Network Security
- Network Troubleshooting and Tools
The exam is a combination of job role based multiple choice (single and multi response), drag and drops and performance-based questions.
How Does CompTIA Network+ Compare to Cisco CCNA?
As stated earlier, the CompTIA Network+ is the only vendor-neutral certification with wide industry acceptance. This is the standout difference between Network+ and CCNA. Both certifications:
- Are job role based
- Include performance based questions
- Recommend some networking experience
The primary difference is that the knowledge and skills certified by the CompTIA Network+ certification can apply to networking technologies leveraged across all vendors & solutions whereas the CCNA only applies to Cisco products and solutions.
How Do I Maintain My CompTIA Network+ Certification?
The CompTIA Network+ certification needs to be renewed every three years. During this time, certificate holders need to earn and submit a total of 30 continuing education units (CEUs). Below are several activities that can be completed to renew your CompTIA Network+ Certification:
| Continuing Education Activity | Estimated CEUs Earned |
| Earn the CySA+ Certification | 30 (Fully Renews Network+) |
| Earn the PenTest+ Certification | 30 (Fully Renews Network+) |
| Earn the CASP+ Certification | 30 (Fully Renews Network+) |
| Earn a Non-CompTIA Certification (CEH, CISSP, CCNA Routing and Switching, CCNA Security, a full list can be found here) | 30 (Fully Renews Network+) |
| Pass a newer version of the CompTIA Network+ exam (if your current certification is the N10-007, you can take the new exam when that is released) | 30 (Fully Renews Network+) |
| Attend a live webinar where at least 50% of the content relates back to the Network+ exam objectives | 1 CEU for each hour you attend (Can apply a max of 6 CEUs toward Network+) |
| Attend a conference where at least 50% of the conference session relates back to the Network+ exam objectives | 1 CEU for each hour you attend (Can apply a max of 6 CEUs toward Network+) |
| Complete a college or ACE course where at least 50% of the course content relates back to the Network+ exam objectives | 10 CEUs for each 3-4 credit course (Can apply a max of 30 CEUs toward Network+) |
| Teach or mentor where at least 50% of the content relates back to the Network+ exam objectives. You can only submit teaching content once. | 1 CEU for each hour you teach or mentor (Can apply a max of 15 CEUs toward Network+) |
| Create instructional materials where at least 50% of the content relates back to the Network+ exam objectives. | 2 CEUs for each hour of materials creation (Can apply a max of 15 CEUs toward Network+) |
| Participate as a subject matter expert in a corresponding CompTIA Exam Development Workshop | 1 CEU for each workshop hour (Can apply a max of 30 CEUs toward Network+) |
| Publish an article or whitepaper where at least 50% of the content relates back to the Network+ exam objectives. | 4 CEUs for an article or whitepaper of a minimum of 4 pages in length (Can apply a max of 12 CEUs toward Network+) |
| Publish a blog post where at least 50% of the content relates back to the Network+ exam objectives. | 1 CEU for each blog post with a minimum of 500 words (Can apply a max of 12 CEUs toward Network+) |
| Publish a book where at least 50% of the content relates back to the Network+ exam objectives. | 40 CEUs per book (Can apply a max of 20 CEUs toward Network+) |
| Work experience where at least 50% of the work you are performing relates back to the Network+ exam objectives. | 3 CEUs per year of work (Can apply a max of 9 CEUs toward Network+) |
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