How much does the A+ Certification cost?

It's a simple question, but there can be multiple answers based on your situation and the options you choose. Of course, the quick answer is the price of the two exam vouchers, you’ll need to acquire to take your test ($​422). However, you may qualify for discounts that can decrease this number and you may want to consider additional learning and training that can change the bottom line as well. Read on to find out more.

The basics: A+ exam voucher only

To get access to the certification test, you’ll need to buy an exam voucher. A voucher represents a unique code that you can buy at the CompTIA Store and use to take your test at a Pearson testing center. If a voucher is all you need, then the cost is $211 per exam. Since A+ consists of two exams, the total cost for your A+ certification is, if you pass both exams, $422. Find more details about the exam on the A+ product page and information on how to buy a voucher on our Testing pages. If you’re ready to buy, head over to the store.

If you don’t pass an exam, you’ll need to purchase another voucher to take another test. We recommend that you go into your exam well-prepared to you minimize the chance of not passing the test and having to purchase an additional voucher. Read on to find out about training and test preparation options.

Voucher, training and preparation

Most A+ test takers purchase some sort of training. You can choose between self-study options, such as online courses, labs, and printed books, or classroom-type training. The cost can vary greatly, depending on what kind of training you take and how much training you need.

  • Self study

    Browse our store or visit the self-study page and you’ll find a number of training options that start at less than $50, which may be enough for those who study best on their own, already have some IT experience and are comfortable around computer hardware and software, or may already own a lower IT certification, such as CompTIA IT Fundamentals. A great way to get an idea of what questions you can expect is to download a set of practice questions. Keep in mind that these practice questions are not questions that will be on the actual test and that there are different kinds of questions.

  • Self-study and test preparation

    If you aren’t sure if you have done enough to pass the exam, consider CompTIA’s online test preparation tool CertMaster. It’s a fantastic way to boost your testing confidence and close knowledge gaps fast. While CertMaster cannot guarantee that you will pass your test, it can identify areas that may need extra studying and it can reduce your stress level before and during your test by raising your testing confidence. You can purchase CertMaster on its own for $139 per exam, or combine it with your A+ certification voucher in a bundle for $​309. Not only will you get the exam voucher and CertMaster for this price, but you’ll get a free retake voucher as well. So, in this case, your A+ certification will cost $​618, if you pass your exam either on the first, or the second try. Add to that the cost of the study option that you pick.

    Here’s how the bundles compare:

CompTIA A+ Purchase Options

CompTIA A+ Voucher

$219.00
CompTIA A+ Deluxe Bundle

$399.00
CompTIA A+ Premier Bundle

$499.00
CompTIA A+ Exam Voucher ✔ ✔ ✔
CompTIA A+ Exam Voucher Retake ✔
CompTIA CertMaster Practice for A+ ✔ ✔
CompTIA A+ eBook ✔ ✔
Buy Now Buy Now Buy Now
 

* CompTIA A+ certification consists of 2 separate exams, 220-901 and 220-902. In order to take both exams, you need to purchase 2 vouchers.

  • Classroom training

    For some, self-study isn’t the way to go and classroom training is either available to them, or simply the better choice to learn. A+ certification training is offered by many public academic institutions, such as colleges, as well as private academic institutions such as professional training centers. The cost of classroom training depends on your choice and can range from a few hundred to several thousands of dollars. You can find classroom training in your area on your classroom training page.

Free and almost free A+ certification (seriously!)

Depending on where you live and what sponsorships you qualify for, special programs may be available to help you get trained and certified for free (or nearly free). Such programs are usually geared toward one or more of the following groups: Unemployed or under-employed individuals, displaced workers, military veterans, ethnic minorities, and/or women.

Typically, such free training programs fall into one of two categories: Government-sponsored programs and nonprofit charitable programs:

Government-sponsored IT training

These are programs that are typically funded with federal dollars and advertised through your county’s workforce investment board or your local American Jobs Center. To search for local training programs, go to Career One Stop.

Nonprofit charitable programs

These programs are scattered throughout the United States and may be a bit harder to locate. Here are a few on our radar (and if you learn of others, please let us know):

  • Per Scholas: Locations in New York City, National Capital Region, Cincinnati, Columbus, Atlanta, and Dallas.
  • IT-Ready from Creating IT Futures: Locations in Minneapolis-St. Paul and varying cities. Visit ​the location page for a list of current training sites that are accepting applications.
  • Stride Center: Located in the San Francisco Bay Area.
  • Tech901: Located exclusively in Memphis.

Because these programs typically exist to prepare people for entry-level IT jobs (such as help-desk and technical support) they typically reject applicants who already have such a job and are just looking to add a certification to their resume. As you can imagine, competition for such programs is often fierce. But if you live in one of the areas where free training is offered and fall into a group that such programs are trying to help, it would be silly not to apply.

Questions about your certification? Browse CompTIA’s certification pages as well as resources such as 4 Steps to Certification.

Available ​student discount

If you are a student in the United States, have a valid student ID and .edu email address, you can take advantage of CompTIA's student discounts. Both certification vouchers and training materials are offered at considerable discounts at the CompTIA Academic ​Marketplace. At this time, a single CompTIA A+ certification voucher is offered to students for $97.

Remember, you'll need to pass both certification exams to earn the A+ certification and you'll need at least two vouchers, provided that you pass the exam on each first attempt.