CompTIA certification path

Level 0: Pre-Entry

Certification: CompTIA Tech+ FC0-U71

Tech+ launched July 2024 as the direct replacement for ITF+ (FC0-U61, which retires July 31, 2026). It covers computing fundamentals, software, networking basics, data concepts, and security awareness — designed for non-IT professionals and career changers with no prior background.

What you learn:

• Computing device types and operating system fundamentals (Windows, macOS, Linux, mobile)
• Basic networking concepts: IP addressing, Wi-Fi, DNS, DHCP
• Cloud computing models: IaaS, PaaS, SaaS
• Data concepts: databases, data types, storage
• Security basics: authentication, encryption, social engineering awareness

Recommended study materials:

Career outcomes:

• Tech+ does not directly open job roles. It is a confidence and knowledge foundation before A+.
• Natural next cert: A+ (220-1201/1202)

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Level 1: Entry

Certifications at this level: CompTIA A+ 220-1201/1202

A+ is the industry's foundational IT support cert. The current series (220-1201 Core 1 + 220-1202 Core 2) launched March 25, 2025. Two exams required — both must be passed. Validity: 3 years. Source: CompTIA A+ ↗

What you learn:

• Hardware: CPUs, RAM, storage, motherboards, BIOS/UEFI, peripherals
• Operating systems: Windows 10/11 (install, configure, troubleshoot), macOS basics, Linux basics
• Networking: IP addressing, DNS, DHCP, VPNs, Wi-Fi, Ethernet troubleshooting
• Security: authentication, malware removal, secure practices, encryption fundamentals
• Operational procedures: backup and restore, documentation, asset management, change control

Recommended study materials:

Career outcomes:

• Entry role on first pass: Help Desk / IT Support Technician — $40K–$55K USD / R180K–R250K ZAR — source: BLS ↗
• After 12 months experience: Desktop Support Analyst or IT Support Specialist — $50K–$65K USD
• Natural next cert: Network+ (N10-009)

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Level 2: Professional

Certifications at this level (Infrastructure Track): Network+ N10-009 · Server+ SK0-005 · Linux+ XK0-006 · Cloud+ CV0-004

Certifications at this level (Security Track): Security+ SY0-701

Network+ (N10-009)

Launched June 20, 2024. Vendor-neutral entry networking cert covering OSI/TCP-IP, switching, routing, wireless, network services, and troubleshooting. DoD 8140 approved. Validity: 3 years. Source: CompTIA Network+ ↗

What you learn:

• OSI model and TCP/IP stack; IP addressing (IPv4/IPv6); subnetting
• Switching (VLANs, STP), routing protocols, WAN/cloud connectivity
• Wireless 802.11 standards, SSID, WPA3
• Network services: DNS, DHCP, NTP, SNMP, syslog
• SD-WAN, zero-trust/SASE concepts (updated June 2024)
• Network troubleshooting methodology; packet analysis basics

Career outcomes:

• After N+: Network Technician / NOC Analyst — $55K–$70K USD / R350K–R450K ZAR — Glassdoor ↗
• After N+ + 1–2 years experience: Junior Network Admin — $68K–$85K USD / R430K–R560K ZAR

Security+ (SY0-701)

Launched November 2023; updated April 21, 2026 to add AI threat risk, CMMC 2.0, and supply-chain security. DoD 8140 IAT II approved. The most in-demand CompTIA cert. Validity: 3 years. Source: CompTIA Security+ ↗

What you learn:

• General security concepts: cryptography, PKI, identity and access control, zero-trust
• Threats, vulnerabilities, mitigations: threat actors, STRIDE, ransomware, social engineering
• Security architecture: firewalls, IDS/IPS, VPN, cloud IAM, network segmentation
• Security operations: incident response (NIST 800-61), SIEM, threat hunting, vulnerability management
• Security program management: GRC, risk frameworks (NIST, ISO 27001), CMMC 2.0, HIPAA, PCI-DSS

Career outcomes:

• On certification: SOC Analyst Tier 1 — $65K–$95K USD / R380K–R550K ZAR — Glassdoor ↗
• After Sec+ + 1 year SOC: Security Analyst — $85K–$110K USD / R500K–R640K ZAR — Robert Half 2026 ↗
• DoD contractors: mandatory credential for IAT II positions — DoD 8140 ↗

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Level 3: Advanced

Certifications at this level: CySA+ CS0-003 · PenTest+ PT0-003

CySA+ (CS0-003)

Launched June 2023; CS0-002 retired December 5, 2023. Security operations, threat detection, vulnerability management, and incident response. DoD 8140 approved for CSSP Analyst, Incident Responder, and Auditor roles. Validity: 3 years. Source: CompTIA CySA+ ↗

What you learn:

• SIEM management: Splunk, Microsoft Sentinel, IBM QRadar — alert triage and tuning
• Vulnerability management lifecycle: scanning (Nessus, Qualys), CVSS prioritisation, remediation
• Incident response: NIST SP 800-61 framework, containment, eradication, recovery
• Threat hunting with MITRE ATT&CK; threat intelligence (STIX/TAXII)
• Executive-level security reporting and metrics communication

Career outcomes:

• On certification: SOC Analyst Tier 2 / Threat Analyst — $90K–$115K USD / R600K–R800K ZAR — Glassdoor ↗
• After CySA+ + 2 years: Incident Response Manager or Detection Engineering Lead — $115K–$130K USD / R800K–R950K ZAR

PenTest+ (PT0-003)

Launched December 17, 2024; PT0-002 retired June 17, 2025. Offensive security — structured penetration testing methodology, cloud exploitation, API security, AI/ML attack surface. DoD 8140 approved. Validity: 3 years. Source: CompTIA PenTest+ ↗

What you learn:

• Penetration testing methodology and rules of engagement (ROE)
• Reconnaissance: OSINT, Nmap, Shodan, DNS enumeration
• Exploitation: Metasploit, payload delivery, cloud IAM misconfiguration attacks (AWS/Azure/GCP)
• API security testing: REST/GraphQL fuzzing, authentication bypass
• AI/ML attack surface: adversarial inputs, prompt injection (added PT0-003)
• Post-exploitation: privilege escalation (Windows/Linux), lateral movement, evidence clean-up

Career outcomes:

• On certification: Vulnerability Analyst / Jr Penetration Tester — $100K–$120K USD / R700K–R850K ZAR — Glassdoor ↗
• After PenTest+ + 2 years: Senior Pentester / Red Team Lead — $130K–$155K USD / R920K–R1,100K ZAR

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Level 4: Expert

Certification: CompTIA SecurityX CAS-005

Rebranded from CASP+ (CAS-004) and launched December 17, 2024; CAS-004 retired June 17, 2025. Enterprise security architecture, GRC, and engineering at scale. DoD 8140 IAT III / IAM III approved. Pass/fail exam (no scaled score). Validity: 3 years. Source: CompTIA SecurityX ↗

What you learn:

• Governance, Risk, Compliance (GRC): policy frameworks, third-party risk, NIST, ISO 27001, PCI-DSS, SOC 2
• Security architecture: enterprise design, zero-trust, hybrid cloud, cryptographic solutions
• Security engineering: DevSecOps, automation/orchestration, advanced threat protection
• Security operations at scale: SIEM, threat hunting, forensics, BCP/DR at enterprise level

Career outcomes:

• On certification: Senior Security Engineer / Security Architect — $125K–$155K USD / R900K–R1,200K ZAR — Robert Half 2026 ↗
• After SecurityX + 3 years: CISO or Principal Architect — $155K–$190K+ USD / R1,200K–R1,500K+ ZAR

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Path 1: IT Support to Infrastructure Professional

Total timeline: 14–18 months Total cost: $1,418–$2,668 USD (R25,524–R48,024 ZAR) Salary progression: $40K → $65K → $80K → $95K

Job outcomes:

• Start (pre-cert): Entry IT / Help Desk — $35K–$45K USD / R180K–R230K ZAR — BLS ↗
• After A+: Help Desk Technician — $40K–$55K USD / R200K–R280K ZAR — Robert Half 2026 ↗
• After Network+: IT Support Specialist / Jr Network Admin — $60K–$75K USD / R360K–R480K ZAR — Glassdoor ↗
• After Server+ or Linux+: Sysadmin / IT Engineer — $75K–$95K USD / R480K–R650K ZAR — Robert Half 2026 ↗

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Path 2: Entry to SOC Analyst (Cybersecurity Track)

Total timeline: 18–24 months Total cost: $1,707–$3,407 USD (R30,726–R61,326 ZAR) Salary progression: $40K → $65K → $89K → $104K

Job outcomes:

• Start (pre-cert): IT Support — $35K–$45K USD / R180K–R230K ZAR — BLS ↗
• After A+ + N+: Help Desk / IT Support — $45K–$60K USD / R250K–R360K ZAR
• After Security+: SOC Analyst Tier 1 / Jr Security Analyst — $65K–$96K USD / R380K–R550K ZAR — Glassdoor ↗
• After CySA+: SOC Analyst Tier 2 / Threat Analyst — $90K–$115K USD / R600K–R800K ZAR — Robert Half 2026 ↗

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Path 3: Entry to Penetration Tester

Total timeline: 26–36 months (including experience gap) Total cost: $2,111–$4,411 USD (R38,000–R79,400 ZAR) Salary progression: $45K → $89K → $118K → $145K

Job outcomes:

• After A+ + N+: IT Support — $45K–$60K USD / R250K–R360K ZAR
• After Security+: SOC Analyst Tier 1 — $65K–$89K USD / R380K–R520K ZAR — Payscale ↗
• After PenTest+ + 2yr experience: Penetration Tester — $100K–$130K USD / R700K–R900K ZAR — Glassdoor ↗
• After SecurityX: Senior Security Architect — $130K–$155K USD / R950K–R1,200K ZAR — Robert Half 2026 ↗

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Path 4: Cloud Infrastructure Track

Total timeline: 16–22 months Total cost: $1,572–$2,972 USD (R28,296–R53,496 ZAR) Salary progression: $40K → $72K → $95K → $115K

Job outcomes:

• After A+ + N+: IT Support / Cloud Technician — $45K–$62K USD / R250K–R380K ZAR
• After Cloud+: Cloud Support Technician / Cloud Admin Associate — $72K–$95K USD / R450K–R620K ZAR — Glassdoor — Cloud Administrator ↗
• After Security+ + Cloud+: Cloud Security Engineer — $95K–$125K USD / R640K–R850K ZAR — Robert Half 2026 ↗
• Natural next step: AWS SAA-C03, Azure AZ-104, or GCP ACE for vendor-specific depth

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Path 5: Data and AI Track (Standalone)

Total timeline: 6–10 months Total cost: $519–$1,119 USD (R9,342–R20,142 ZAR) Salary progression: $55K → $80K → $105K

Job outcomes:

• After Data+: Junior Data Analyst — $55K–$70K USD / R330K–R450K ZAR — BLS — Database Administrators ↗
• After DataX: Data Analyst / BI Analyst — $75K–$100K USD / R500K–R700K ZAR
• AI Essentials+ is supplementary; not a direct job-entry credential but demonstrates AI literacy for hiring purposes

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Sequencing notes:

• A+ → Network+ builds subnetting, VLANs, and routing fundamentals that appear on Security+, Cloud+, and CySA+. Skipping A+ is viable with 1+ year hands-on IT but reduces exam confidence.
• Security+ is the practical gateway to all CompTIA security specialisations. CySA+ and PenTest+ expect this knowledge as a baseline even though it is not formally enforced.
• SecurityX (CAS-005) uses pass/fail scoring specifically because CompTIA wants the experience requirement enforced by exam difficulty rather than paper prereqs. Candidates with fewer than 5 years hands-on security have a very low pass rate.
• Data+, Project+, AI Essentials+, and DataX are independent of the infrastructure/security ladder. Professionals from non-IT backgrounds (business analysts, project managers) commonly hold Data+ or Project+ without any other CompTIA credentials.

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Infrastructure Branch — Systems, Network, and Cloud Administration

• Timeline: 4–8 months after Network+; add one or more of Server+, Linux+, Cloud+
• Target roles: System Administrator, Linux Administrator, Cloud Platform Engineer, IT Engineer
• Salary (USD): $70K–$105K · Salary (ZAR): R450K–R750K
• Source: Robert Half 2026 — Sysadmin / Cloud Engineer ↗

Security Operations Branch — SOC, Threat Detection, Incident Response

• Timeline: 3–4 months to CySA+ after Security+; SecurityX adds 3–4 months after CySA+
• Target roles: SOC Analyst Tier 2, Threat Intelligence Analyst, Detection Engineer, Security Architect
• Salary (USD): $90K–$190K (range across CySA+ to SecurityX) · Salary (ZAR): R600K–R1,500K
• Source: Glassdoor — SOC Analyst ↗ · Robert Half 2026 ↗

Offensive Security Branch — Penetration Testing and Red Teaming

• Timeline: 3–4 months to PenTest+ after Security+ (requires 3+ years experience to pass confidently)
• Target roles: Penetration Tester, Red Team Operator, Bug Bounty Hunter, Security Researcher
• Salary (USD): $100K–$155K · Salary (ZAR): R700K–R1,100K
• Source: Glassdoor — Penetration Tester ↗

Data and AI Branch — Analytics, BI, and AI Literacy

• Timeline: 2–4 months for Data+ from scratch; DataX adds 2–3 months
• Target roles: Data Analyst, BI Analyst, AI/Data Governance Specialist
• Salary (USD): $60K–$110K · Salary (ZAR): R380K–R750K
• Source: BLS — Database Administrators and Architects ↗

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ZAR conversion baseline: R18 per $1 USD (April 2026). Source: SA Reserve Bank ↗

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Key insight: Security+ is the single highest-volume CompTIA cert in active job postings. Companies are actively struggling to hire Security+-certified SOC analysts — it is the bottleneck credential for cybersecurity hiring. Cloud+ is the fastest-growing infrastructure cert year-on-year.

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USD sources: Robert Half 2026 Technology Salary Guide · Glassdoor · PayScale CompTIA Security+ page ZAR at R18/$1 USD baseline (April 2026). SA sources: Payscale ZAR · Heidrick & Struggles 2026 SA IT Salary Survey Path 2 milestones: Yr 1 = Help Desk pre-cert · Yr 2 = A+ + N+ in workforce · Yr 3 = Security+ · Yr 5 = CySA+ + 2yr SOC · Yr 7 = Senior Analyst · Yr 10 = Principal/Manager

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Q: Do I need all three — A+, Network+, and Security+ — or can I start with just Security+? A: CompTIA does not formally require A+ or Network+ before Security+. However, Security+ tests subnetting, TCP/IP, and network protocol knowledge that is covered by Network+. Candidates without Network+ background report higher first-attempt failure rates. If you have 2+ years of hands-on networking and security work, you can sit Security+ directly. If you are new to IT, take A+ first, then Network+, then Security+. Source: CompTIA recommended learning path ↗

Q: Is Server+ worth doing in 2026? A: Yes if you work with physical infrastructure. Server+ (SK0-005) is a lifetime certification — no renewal required — making it the best-ROI CompTIA cert for sysadmins. It is not cloud-native, so if your environment is 100% cloud, focus on Cloud+ instead. Source: CompTIA Server+ ↗

Q: How long does it realistically take to go from zero to Security+? A: Working full-time (5–8 hours study per week): approximately 9–14 months (A+ → N+ → Sec+). Full-time student (30–40 hours per week): approximately 4–6 months. Previous IT experience cuts this. Source: community data from r/CompTIA and CompTIA's own time estimates.

Q: What is the ROI of CompTIA certifications? A: The core trifecta (A+, N+, Sec+) costs $1,303–$2,400 and produces a median salary lift of $20K–$35K annually over an entry-level role. At a $25K lift, the full investment pays back in 2–4 months. SecurityX ($509 exam) at the expert level correlates with $50K+ salary difference vs. non-credentialed peers at similar experience levels. Source: Robert Half 2026 ↗ · PayScale — CompTIA Security+ ↗

Q: How do I renew CompTIA certifications? A: All CompTIA certs (except Server+, which is lifetime) must be renewed every 3 years. Options: (a) earn 30–75 CE credits (varies by cert level) via approved activities including courses, conferences, webinars, and higher CompTIA certs; (b) retake and pass the current exam version; (c) pass a higher-level CompTIA cert (e.g., passing CySA+ renews Security+). CE credits cost $150/year or $450/3-year cycle. Source: CompTIA Continuing Education ↗

Q: Are CompTIA certs recognised by South African employers? A: Yes. CompTIA certifications are recognised and required by major South African banks (Standard Bank, Nedbank, FNB, Absa), telcos (Vodacom, MTN, Telkom), state-owned enterprises (Transnet, Eskom, SITA-contracted firms), and international companies with SA operations (IBM, Accenture, Dimension Data/NTT). Security+ and Network+ appear consistently in South African IT job postings. Local ATPs (Mecer Inter-Ed, New Horizons SA, Bytes Technology Group) offer authorised CompTIA training. Source: CompTIA Authorised Training Partners SA ↗ · SITA procurement requirements ↗

Q: Can I skip CySA+ and go straight to SecurityX from Security+? A: CompTIA does not formally require CySA+ before SecurityX. However, SecurityX (CAS-005) uses pass/fail scoring and is designed for candidates with 10 years IT / 5 years security experience. The PBQs (performance-based questions) test hands-on enterprise-level decision-making that CySA+ experience provides. Most candidates who attempt SecurityX without CySA+ or equivalent SOC experience fail. Do CySA+ first. Source: CompTIA SecurityX exam overview ↗

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CompTIA Certification Pages:

• CompTIA certifications overview ↗
• CompTIA A+ 220-1201/1202 ↗
• CompTIA Network+ N10-009 ↗
• CompTIA Security+ SY0-701 ↗
• CompTIA CySA+ CS0-003 ↗
• CompTIA PenTest+ PT0-003 ↗
• CompTIA SecurityX CAS-005 ↗
• CompTIA Server+ SK0-005 ↗
• CompTIA Linux+ XK0-006 ↗
• CompTIA Cloud+ CV0-004 ↗
• CompTIA Data+ DA0-002 ↗
• CompTIA Tech+ FC0-U71 ↗
• CompTIA Stackable Certifications ↗
• CompTIA Continuing Education ↗
• Which CompTIA cert is right for you? ↗

Salary Databases:

• Robert Half 2026 Technology Salary Guide ↗
• Glassdoor — SOC Analyst salary ↗
• Glassdoor — Penetration Tester salary ↗
• Glassdoor — Network Administrator salary ↗
• PayScale — CompTIA Security+ certified salary ↗

Job Market Data:

• LinkedIn Jobs — Security+ ↗
• LinkedIn Jobs — Network+ ↗
• LinkedIn Jobs — CySA+ ↗
• BLS — Computer Support Specialists ↗
• BLS — Information Security Analysts ↗
• BLS — Network and Computer Systems Administrators ↗

Compliance and Recognition:

• DoD 8140.01 Cyberspace Workforce Management ↗
• CompTIA Authorised Training Partners ↗

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