The CompTIA A+: Does it still have value in 2025?
If you have even a passing knowledge of the IT Field, there’s no doubt you’ve heard of the CompTIA A+. For many of us, it was the entry point that kick-started our IT Careers.
For those who may not be aware, the CompTIA A+ is what can be considered an Entry Level IT Certification. You attain the A+ by passing two exams, typically an 220-xx01 and a 220-xx02 where the x’s denote the current series of the exam. Currently CompTIA offers the 220-1101/1102 with the 1201/1202 launching in Spring of 2025.
One exam is colloquially referred to as the “hardware” exam with the other a “software” exam, although there are numerous exam objectives for each that may not fit in that bucket.
To avoid burying the lede, my short answer to the titular question is, yes, the CompTIA A+ still has value, and may likely always have value, but there are some very important caveats to that yes though.
Yes: You’re A Career Changer Without Formal Experience
In my opinion this is where the CompTIA A+ has the most value, and this is the bucket that I fell into.
I passed both of the exams in 2019 while I was working as a Manager at a local Theme Park. I did not have any formal IT Experience, however, I would have still considered myself pretty technical. I had some prior programming experience, I had built my own computer, had a passing familiarity with how networks worked and had a pretty decent troubleshooting acumen.
I initially started (but never finished) college coursework in Computer Engineering before I pursued a budding career in Hospitality, but I needed something to validate that knowledge to recruiters and to get past HR Screeners.
This is where a credential like the A+ shines.
I was able to pass both tests by following along with Mike Myers’ video series on LinkedIn Learning (then Lynda.com) for free while taking notes, and then reviewing those notes with flash cards.
No: You’re Looking to Make Money, Fast.
And this is where the rub comes in, and where I think a lot of people have mismatched expectations when coming into IT.
There is almost no path in IT where you are going to make a ton of money at the entry-level.
(Note: Software Developers can make pretty good money post-grad but I wouldn’t consider those IT.)
Many pursue IT careers thinking it’s a way to get fast tracked to six-figure salaries, and they quickly find out that entry-level jobs are not very lucrative. This disconnect creates tons of animosity, frustration and disappointment.
There’s an entire industry of boot camps, degree and trade programs who need to create the illusion of the magic certification that makes you highly sought after where one can then command any salary, but the reality is far from that.
The truth is that IT is a grind. You’re going to get your A+, get an entry-level job, need to continue learning, get involved in projects, and essentially claw your way to better opportunities.
To continue with my personal experience, I took a significant pay cut to change careers. My goal was to get a foot in the door, continue learning, and to soak in all the information I could. The good news is so far that mentality has served me, and countless others well as our careers have grown.
Maybe: You Don’t Have Any Job Experience
A strong resume will have a mixture of experience, credentials and education, with experience trumping all. Even a career switcher may have some customer service and leadership experience that could offer transferrable skills.
If you are in High School and have the opportunity to get the A+, I would absolutely say to go for it. But I would also say that you should be looking to get some customer service experience with any job on your resume, and then look to pivot to something more technical as soon as possible.
No: You Currently Have an IT Job
Lastly, I do not believe that the A+ will provide value if you are already in an IT role. The A+ can provide a great amount of validation for skills to get a candidate past the HR Filter and onto the Hiring Managers’ desk, but if it isn’t listed as a “Minimum Requirement” on a job listing, your current job title will likely be enough. I would even go so far as to say if you currently have IT Experience, you may want to have an additional certification to show growth beyond Help Desk/T1 support. Here I would recommend a Microsoft/Cisco/AWS certification depending on where you want to specialize.
Other Thoughts
There are a ton of training programs out there but in my opinion, unless you are enrolling for free I wouldn’t pay out of pocket for an A+ only course.
As I’ve alluded to earlier, Mike Myers has a great video course that’s fairly comprehensive, and there is quite a bit of free material on YouTube. Any video course and a textbook should be able to get most across the finish line given good, diligent study habits.
There are also plenty of study groups and subreddits with like-minded individuals studying and taking the exams. Many are even willing to share and compare notes, which can also be used to reinforce what you’ve been studying.
With long-term career goals in mind and realistic expectations, the A+ can be a great way to launch an IT Career.