CompTIA Certification Cost: What You Need to Budget in 2026

How Much Do CompTIA Certifications Cost (Latest Guide)

Planning your certification journey starts with understanding the CompTIA certification cost. These credentials are among the most respected in IT and cybersecurity, and the right one can accelerate your career, boost your earning potential, and open doors to new opportunities.

But with so many certifications available (and plenty of outdated or confusing information online), it can be hard to get a clear picture of what each one actually costs.

This guide breaks it all down for you. We cover the price of every CompTIA exam, how long each certification remains valid, and what you can expect to pay for renewals.

Let’s get started.

What Is CompTIA?

The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is an internationally recognized organization based in the USA for certifying, educating, and connecting people in IT. Through its training programs, it helps people to navigate tech careers and organizations to train and hire IT professionals.

CompTIA is well known for different certifications. It offers credentials on infrastructure, cyber security, data analytics, and much more.

If you’re starting from scratch in IT or cyber security, begin with the Core Skills exams. This article explains CompTIA’s stackable certifications (exams that build upon one another) so that you save time and get the most bang for your buck, as higher CompTIA certifications can renew lower ones. For example, Security+ renews A+ automatically.

CompTIA's Core Skills Certifications Cost

Here, we list the costs and exam descriptions of basic IT and cyber security certifications offered by CompTIA. These certifications can help you land an entry-level position in IT, networking, and cyber security or transition into such roles if you’ve already got your foot in the door of the IT industry.

CompTIA Tech+

Exam Cost: $125 USD

Expiry: None; has lifetime validity

CEUs: Not applicable

Renewal Fee: None

Official Page: CCompTIA Tech+ Certification | CompTIA IT Certifications

About The Exam:

  • CompTIA Tech+ is an ideal starting certification for new tech professionals, providing practical foundational skills to understand core technologies and troubleshoot common technical issues confidently.
  • The exam validates essential knowledge across computing basics, operating systems, hardware, networking, and security, providing a strong foundation for future IT learning and career growth.

Career Opportunities:

  • IT Support Specialist
  • Help Desk TechnicianΒ 
  • Desktop Support Technician
  • Junior IT Technician
  • Field Service Technician
CompTIA A+

Exam Cost: $265 USD per exam (2 exams total)

Expiry: 3 years, starting from exam day

CEUs: 20

Renewal Fee: $25 (per year), $75 (total over three years) USD

Official Page: CompTIA A+

About The Exam:

  • The CompTIA A+ certification is a foundational certification for those aiming to enter the IT industry, usually through the entry-level technical support role.
  • The two exams of A+ include the latest core technologies, such as cloud infrastructure, IoT device security, data management, and command-line scripting with applications like automation.

Career Opportunities:

  • Help Desk Technician (Tier 1 or Tier 2)
  • Desktop Support Technician
  • IT Support Specialist
  • Field Service Technician
  • Computer Repair Technician
CompTIA Network+

Exam Cost: $390 USD

Expiry: 3 years, starting from exam day

CEUs: 30

Renewal Fee: $50 (per year), $150 (total over three years) USD

Official Page: Network+ (Plus) Certification | CompTIA IT Certifications

About The Exam:

  • The CompTIA Network+ certification tests your fundamental skills in essential computer networking functions. It covers troubleshooting, configuring, and managing networks.
  • It’s ideal if your long-term goal involves fields like cyber security, cloud, or IT consulting, where networking knowledge is essential but deep configuration skills aren’t the primary focus.

Career Opportunities:

  • Help Desk TechnicianΒ 
  • Network Field Technician
  • Network Analyst
  • Network AdministratorΒ 
  • Network Engineer
CompTIA Security+

Exam Cost: $425 USD

Expiry: 3 years, starting from exam day

CEUs: 50

Renewal Fee: $50 (per year), $150 (total over three years) USD

Official Page: Security+ (Plus) Certification | CompTIA IT Certifications

About The Exam:

  • The CompTIA Security+ certification assesses your aptitude in up-to-date best practices for risk management and risk mitigation of digital assets.
  • It emphasizes the practical aspects of identifying and addressing security threats, attacks, and vulnerabilities.

Career Opportunities:

  • Assistant Systems Administrator
  • Security Administrator
  • Junior Penetration Tester
  • Network Administrator
  • IT Helpdesk Assistant
  • Trainee Security Engineer

CompTIA's Infrastructure Certifications Cost

There are many open positions requiring expertise in IT infrastructure: the hardware and software that support the flow, storage, manipulation, and analysis of data in a system or organization.

The following list details the costs and exam descriptions of basic IT infrastructure certifications administered by CompTIA. These certifications can give you a solid foundation in cloud computing, Linux administration, and server management.

CompTIA Cloud+

Exam Cost: $390 USD

Expiry: 3 years, starting from exam day

CEUs: 50

Renewal Fee: $50 (per year), $150 (total over three years) USD

Official Page: Cloud+ (Plus) Certification | CompTIA IT Certifications

About The Exam:

  • The CompTIA Cloud+ certification validates the skills needed to deploy and automate secure cloud environments so that business systems and data can remain highly available to end users.
  • Whether you're working with AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, or other platforms, Cloud+ equips you with the knowledge to excel in cloud-centric roles.

Career Opportunities:

  • Cloud Administrator
  • Systems Administrator
  • Cloud Support Associate
  • Network Administrator
  • Cloud Specialist
  • Cloud Project Manager
CompTIA Linux+

Exam Cost: $390 USD

Expiry: 3 years, starting from exam day

CEUs: 50

Renewal Fee: $50 (per year), $150 (total over three years) USD

Official Page: Linux+ (Plus) Certification | CompTIA IT Certifications

About The Exam:

  • The CompTIA Linux+ certification tests you on competencies required of an early career systems administrator supporting Linux systems.
  • It focuses on how Linux powers the cloud.

Career Opportunities:

  • Linux Administrator
  • Systems Administrator
  • Linux Engineer
  • Cloud and development roles
  • Cloud Engineer
  • DevOps Engineer
  • Database Administrator
CompTIA Server+

Exam Cost: $312 USD

Expiry: None; has lifetime validity

CEUs: Not applicable

Renewal Fee: None

Official Page: Server+ (Plus) Certification | CompTIA IT Certifications

About The Exam:

  • The CompTIA Server+ certification validates the hands-on skills of IT professionals who install, manage, and troubleshoot servers in on-premises and hybrid environments, including data centers.
  • The exam covers server installation, configuration, troubleshooting, maintenance, security issues, disaster recovery, and risk management.

Career Opportunities:

  • Server Administrator
  • Systems Administrator
  • Network Administrator
  • Data Center Technician
  • IT Support Specialist
  • Field Service Technician

CompTIA's Cyber Security Certifications Cost

This category is for cyber security professionals with some years of experience under their belt. Here, we list the costs and exam descriptions of intermediate to advanced-level cyber security certifications offered by CompTIA. These certifications can fast-track your career, leading to substantial salary increases.

CompTIA CySA+

Exam Cost: $425 USD

Expiry: 3 years, starting from exam day

CEUs: 60

Renewal Fee: $50 (per year), $150 (total over three years) USD

Official Page: Cybersecurity Analyst+ - CompTIA CySA+

About The Exam:

  • The CompTIA CySA+ certification tests cyber security professionals on incident detection, prevention, and response through continuous security monitoring.
  • It assesses how well you detect and analyze indicators of malicious activity, understand threat intelligence and threat management, respond to attacks and vulnerabilities, perform incident response, and report and communicate related activity.

Career Opportunities:

  • IT Security Analyst
  • Security Operations Center (SOC) Analyst
  • Vulnerability Analyst
  • Threat Intelligence Analyst
  • Security Engineer
CompTIA PenTest+

Exam Cost: $425 USD

Expiry: 3 years, starting from exam day

CEUs: 60

Renewal Fee: $50 (per year), $150 (total over three years) USD

Official Page: PenTest+ (Plus) Certification | CompTIA IT Certifications

About The Exam:

  • The CompTIA PenTest+ certification tests cyber security professionals on planning and scoping a penetration testing engagement.
  • The exam includes vulnerability scanning, understanding legal and compliance requirements, analyzing results, and producing documentation containing remediation techniques.

Career Opportunities:

  • Penetration TesterΒ 
  • Security ConsultantΒ 
  • Threat Intelligence Analyst
  • Auditor
  • Network Security Operations
  • Vulnerability TesterΒ 
  • Security Analyst (II)
  • Vulnerability Assessment Analyst
  • Application Security Vulnerability Analyst
CompTIA SecurityX

Exam Cost: $529 USD

Expiry: 3 years, starting from exam day

CEUs: 60

Renewal Fee: $50 (per year), $150 (total over three years) USD

Official Page: CompTIA SecurityX CertificationΒ  | CompTIA IT Certifications

About The Exam:

  • SecurityX validates advanced cyber security expertise needed to architect, implement, and maintain secure enterprise solutions across complex environments.
  • Demonstrates your ability to align security design with governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) requirements while supporting long-term organizational resilience.

Career Opportunities:

  • Security Operations Center (SOC) ManagerΒ 
  • Security AnalystΒ 
  • IT Cyber Security Specialist/Infosec SpecialistΒ 
  • Cyber Risk AnalystΒ 
  • Security ArchitectΒ 
  • Technical Lead AnalystΒ 
  • Senior Security EngineerΒ 
  • Applications Security EngineerΒ 
  • Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)

CompTIA's Data and Analytics Certifications Cost

Below, we list the costs and exam descriptions of basic data-related certifications offered by CompTIA. These certifications can help you take up or improve in job roles such as data analysts, scientists, and engineers.

CompTIA Data+

Exam Cost: $255 USD

Expiry: 3 years, starting from exam day

CEUs: 20

Renewal Fee: $25 (per year), $75 (total over three years) USD

Official Page: Data+ (Plus) V2 Certification | CompTIA IT Certifications

About The Exam:

  • CompTIA Data+ confirms your ability to analyze, interpret, and translate raw data into clear, actionable insights that support real business decisions.
  • Demonstrates foundational data analytics skills that help you communicate findings effectively and stand out to employers early in your data career.

Career Opportunities:

  • Business Analyst
  • Data Analyst
  • Systems Administrator
  • Business Intelligence (BI) Specialist
  • Security AnalystΒ 
  • Database Administrator (DBA)
  • ICT TechnicianΒ 
  • Business Intelligence Analyst
  • Operations Analyst
  • IT Project Manager
CompTIA DataSys+

Exam Cost: $390 USD

Expiry: 3 years, starting from exam day

CEUs: 30

Renewal Fee: $50 (per year), $150 (total over three years) USD

Official Page: DataSys+ (Plus) Certification | CompTIA IT Certifications

About The Exam:

  • The CompTIA DataSys+ certification tests your competence in building, managing, and securing growing data systems.
  • It covers what database administrators need to deploy, manage, and maintain high-availability systems, including employing the fundamentals of scripting and programming in a relational database environment while using security and business continuity best practices.

Career Opportunities:

  • Database Administrator (DBA)
  • System Database Administrator
  • Data Support Technician
  • Data Platform Specialist
  • Data Administration/Management Positions
  • Business Continuity Analyst

CompTIA's Professional Skills Certifications Cost

These certifications recognize established career professionals who step up in additional responsibilities such as project management and duties related to cloud computing.

CompTIA Project+

Exam Cost: $390 USD

Expiry: None; has lifetime validity

CEUs: Not applicable

Renewal Fee: None

Official Page: Project+ (Plus) Certification | CompTIA IT Certifications

About The Exam:

  • The CompTIA Project+ certification helps IT professionals gain the fundamental skills they need to manage small to medium-sized projects successfully.
  • The exam covers the full project management lifecycle and assesses your ability to initiate, plan, execute, oversee, and close a project effectively.

Career Opportunities:

  • IT Project Coordinator
  • Quality Assurance Analyst
  • Tier II Help Desk
  • System Administrator
  • Business Analyst
CompTIA Cloud Essentials

Exam Cost: $99 USD

Expiry: None; has lifetime validity

CEUs: Not applicable

Renewal Fee: None

Official Page: CompTIA Cloud Essentials

About The Exam:

  • The CompTIA Cloud Essentials+ certification helps career professionals, regardless of IT background, gain knowledge of cloud computing and make wise decisions regarding cloud technologies and their business impact.
  • It covers evaluations of business use cases, financial impacts, cloud technologies, and deployment models.

Career Opportunities:

  • Cloud Support Specialist
  • IT Support Specialist
  • Cloud Administrator
  • Systems Administrator/Engineer
  • Cloud Consultant
  • IT Project Manager (Cloud-Focused)
  • Cloud Business Analyst

Conclusion

Planning your certification path is a big step, and understanding the true CompTIA certification cost helps you prepare wisely. To make that journey easier, our StationX Master’s Program gives you unlimited access to 30,000+ courses, labs, mentorship, certification roadmaps, career guidance, and a complete library of CompTIA training materials, all in one place.

If you're looking to save on exam fees, don’t miss our CompTIA voucher discounts, available worldwide. You can get up to 30% off every major CompTIA exam, including Security+, Network+, PenTest+, and CySA+, with no promo code needed, just purchase directly from our site.

Prefer focused prep? Explore our CompTIA course bundles, which offer lifetime access for a one-time price and include video training, practice exams, flashcards, and more.

Whatever route you choose, articles on certifications, training bundles, voucher savings, or full Master’s Program support, we’re here to help you build skills, stay on budget, and move confidently toward your next certification.

Best of luck on your CompTIA journey!

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  • Cassandra Lee

    Cassandra Lee is a Certified in Cybersecurity (CC) professional, freelance programmer, and former robotics operator. With a background in data science, web development, and journalism, she’s contributed to outlets like HuffPost and Ada Lovelace Day, and advocates passionately for women in STEM through writing, speaking, and mentorship. You can find Cassandra on LinkedIn and Linktree.

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