CompTIA Network+ (N10-009) is the vendor-neutral networking certification most
hiring managers expect from junior network and help-desk staff. The exam costs
$369, runs 90 minutes, has up to 90 questions, and requires 720 out of 900 to
pass. Most candidates need 6 to 10 weeks of focused study. The questions are a
mix of multiple-choice and performance-based simulations, so pure memorization
will not carry you. If you already work with networks daily, you can pass in a
month. If subnetting still scares you, budget the full 10 weeks and practice it
until it is boring.
The 90-second answer
Take N10-009 if you have CompTIA A+ or 6 to 12 months of help-desk or IT
support experience, you want to move into networking or systems roles, and you
need a credential that is recognized across every vendor and the US Department
of Defense (DoD 8140 approved). It is the cleanest bridge between A+ and a
Cisco CCNA or a security track.
Skip N10-009 if you have never configured an IP address or touched a switch.
You will not fail outright, but you will struggle through subnetting and the
performance-based questions. Spend a few weeks on networking fundamentals
first, or knock out CompTIA A+ (220-1201/220-1202), then come back.
What does N10-009 actually test?
N10-009 tests five domains. The version launched in June 2024 and replaced
N10-008, which retired in December 2024. Every question maps to one of these
five areas.
| Domain | Weight | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Networking Concepts | 23% | OSI model, ports and protocols, IP addressing, subnetting, network topologies, cloud concepts |
| Network Implementation | 20% | Routing and switching, wireless standards, physical installs, IPv4/IPv6 configuration |
| Network Operations | 19% | Documentation, monitoring, high availability, disaster recovery, organizational policies |
| Network Security | 14% | Physical and logical security, zero trust, common attacks, hardening, remote access |
| Network Troubleshooting | 24% | Methodology, cable and connectivity issues, network service problems, wireless faults |
Notice the two biggest domains are Networking Concepts and Network
Troubleshooting. Together they are 47% of the exam. The troubleshooting domain
is where the performance-based questions (PBQs) usually live, and where most
people lose points. A PBQ might drop you into a simulated console and ask you
to configure a router, place firewall rules, or trace a connectivity failure
through a diagram.
If you have heard people say "Network+ is mostly memorization," they took an
older version. N10-009 leans harder on applied scenarios than N10-008 did.
How hard is N10-009?
N10-009 is a difficulty 3 out of 5. Harder than CompTIA A+, easier than Cisco
CCNA (200-301), and a fair step up from N10-008. CompTIA does not publish an
official pass rate, but community surveys put first-time pass rates around 70%
for people who studied at least 6 weeks and actually drilled subnetting.
The hard parts are predictable:
- Subnetting under time pressure. You get up to 90 questions in 90 minutes, which is one minute each. You cannot afford to do long-form binary math on every subnet question.
- Performance-based questions early in the exam. They appear first and eat time. Many people over-invest in the first PBQ and then rush the rest.
- Port and protocol memorization. You are expected to know dozens of port numbers cold (HTTP 80, HTTPS 443, SSH 22, DNS 53, RDP 3389, and more).
- Troubleshooting methodology. CompTIA wants the steps in order, and the "best next step" answer, not just a correct-sounding one.
People who fail N10-009 usually fail on subnetting speed and PBQ time
management, not on the concepts. The most common pattern: a candidate studies
for 8 weeks, never practices subnetting on a stopwatch, opens the exam, spends
12 minutes on the first PBQ, and is behind pace by question 10. Build a
subnetting drill into week 2 and time yourself.
How long should you study for N10-009?
CompTIA recommends CompTIA A+ plus 9 to 12 months of networking experience
before this exam. That is the assumed baseline. On top of that, realistic study
time looks like:
- With A+ and hands-on network experience: 4 to 6 weeks at 8 to 10 hours per week
- With A+ but little network experience: 8 to 10 weeks at 8 to 10 hours per week
- No A+ and no experience: 12 to 14 weeks, and take A+ first
- Coming from a Cisco CCNA: 2 to 4 weeks, mostly to learn CompTIA's vendor-neutral terminology and troubleshooting model
The single biggest time-saver is mastering subnetting early so it becomes
automatic. The single biggest waste of time is re-watching videos instead of
doing PBQ-style labs. Build a small home lab (Packet Tracer or GNS3 are free)
and configure a router, a switch, VLANs, and DHCP yourself.
A realistic week-by-week pace for an 8-week plan:
- Week 1: OSI model, ports and protocols, network types and topologies
- Week 2: IPv4 addressing and subnetting (drill until automatic)
- Week 3: IPv6, routing concepts, switching, VLANs
- Week 4: Wireless standards, antennas, frequencies, and wireless security
- Week 5: Network services (DHCP, DNS, NAT) and cloud networking concepts
- Week 6: Network operations, monitoring, high availability, documentation
- Week 7: Network security, zero trust, common attacks, hardening
- Week 8: Troubleshooting methodology, full PBQ practice, timed practice exams
Do not skip week 2. Subnetting shows up directly and indirectly across the
entire exam, and it is the one topic that punishes you for being slow.
What does N10-009 cost?
The exam voucher is $369 USD through the CompTIA Store. Beyond that, your real
total depends on your study path:
| Component | Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Exam voucher | $369 | One attempt. A retake is another $369. |
| Discounted voucher | $339 to $359 | Authorized partners (Professor Messer, training resellers) often shave $30 to $40 off |
| Study course | $0 to $130 | Professor Messer's videos are free; Mike Meyers or Dion on Udemy run ~$15 on sale |
| Practice questions | $0 to $50 | NerdExam has 653 N10-009 questions if you want a free option |
| Lab software | $0 | Cisco Packet Tracer and GNS3 are both free |
| Total realistic spend | $339 to $500 | Cheapest viable path: ~$339 (discounted voucher only) |
CompTIA sometimes bundles a voucher with a retake and an e-book for a higher
flat price, which can be worth it if you are not confident on the first try.
Students and veterans should check for academic and military discounts before
paying full price.
What salary can you expect?
Network+ is a foundational cert, not a senior one, so treat it as a door-opener
rather than a raise generator. 2025 and 2026 US salary data shows:
- Typical range tied to Network+: $58,000 to $91,000 depending on role and location
- Newly certified, entry-level: $50,000 to $70,000 for help-desk and junior network roles
- Junior network administrator: $60,000 to $85,000
- Experienced with Network+ plus other certs: $123,000 and up at the 90th percentile
The cert alone does not deliver the top numbers. Network+ gets you past the
resume filter for junior networking jobs and satisfies DoD 8140 requirements
for some government and contractor roles. The real salary jumps come when you
stack it: Network+ plus Security+ for a security path, or Network+ plus CCNA
for a networking path.
A practical move: if you are currently in a help-desk role, use Network+ to
argue for an internal transfer into a network or systems team before chasing a
raise. The internal move plus the cert is what unlocks the pay band, not the
cert by itself.
What study resources actually work?
The people who pass on the first attempt tend to use the same stack:
- One video course for breadth. Professor Messer's free N10-009 course is the community default and genuinely good. Mike Meyers or Jason Dion on Udemy (around $15 on sale) are solid paid alternatives with more structure.
- A subnetting drill tool. Practice subnetting on a timer every day until you can do a /26 in your head. This is the highest-leverage habit for this exam.
- A free home lab. Cisco Packet Tracer or GNS3. Configure VLANs, DHCP, static routes, and basic ACLs yourself so the PBQs feel familiar.
- A port and protocol cheat sheet you review daily until the common ports are automatic.
- At least two full timed practice exams in the final week. Score honestly. If you are below 80%, postpone.
Skip the thick all-in-one books unless you like reading; the exam rewards
applied practice more than theory. Reddit's r/CompTIA has current,
crowd-sourced advice on which resources are working this quarter.
For the practice question portion, NerdExam has 653 enriched N10-009 questions
with full explanations. Start practicing N10-009 questions
to see the question style and PBQ-style scenarios before you commit to a study
plan. The free explanations show you the reasoning CompTIA expects, which is
the part videos tend to gloss over.
Who should NOT take N10-009?
The cert is the wrong choice for these candidates:
| You are | Take instead |
|---|---|
| Brand new to IT with no fundamentals | CompTIA A+ (220-1201/220-1202) first |
| Aiming squarely at a security career | CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701), with Network+ optional |
| Targeting a Cisco networking career | Cisco CCNA (200-301), which goes deeper on routing and switching |
| Already a working network engineer | Skip it and go for CCNP or a cloud networking cert |
| Focused on cloud roles | AWS, Azure, or Google cloud certs after the basics |
Network+ is most valuable for people moving from general IT support into
networking, or for roles that require a vendor-neutral credential. If your job
is committed to Cisco gear, CCNA carries more weight in that ecosystem.
What's next after N10-009?
Once Network+ is done, three common paths open up:
- Security track: CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701) is the natural next step and pairs with Network+ to satisfy a lot of cybersecurity job filters and DoD requirements.
- Networking track: Cisco CCNA (200-301) for deeper routing and switching, or CompTIA's own higher networking content if you stay vendor-neutral.
- Cloud track: AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner or a Microsoft Azure fundamentals cert, then an associate-level cloud cert as you grow.
Most people move from Network+ to Security+ within 3 to 6 months because the
two together cover the broadest set of entry IT jobs. Use the time between
certs to get real hands-on work, since hiring managers value Network+ most when
it sits next to actual networking experience, not as a lone line on a resume.
Ready to start? Practice with real N10-009 questions on NerdExam
or jump straight into the free per-question explanations.
The official exam objectives are also worth downloading first:
CompTIA Network+ N10-009 exam page.
Top comments (1)
I appreciated the breakdown of the N10-009 exam domains, particularly the emphasis on Networking Concepts and Network Troubleshooting, which together account for 47% of the exam. The fact that performance-based questions usually live in the troubleshooting domain highlights the importance of applied scenario practice, rather than just memorization. I've found in my own experience that subnetting speed and PBQ time management are indeed crucial, and building a subnetting drill into the study plan, as suggested, can make a significant difference. What strategies have others found most effective for managing time during the performance-based questions and staying on pace throughout the exam?