How would you rank the Comptia certs, degree of difficulty?

TheFORCE

Im looking to take my next Comptia exam but dont know which one to take. i need people's opinion on how would they rank the comptia exams in degree of difficulty. I mean everything is difficult if you dont know the material, but for your experience what would you say was harder or easier?

For example, is Security+ easier than Network+ or is it vise versa or are they both the same. What about i-Net+?

Should i go for Security+ or network+ next? Im thinking of taking all the Comptia exams eventually so just wanted to know the order people usually take these exams.

bighornsheep

it's widely accepted that
i-Net+ is the easiest, Security+ is the hardest.

from easiest to hardest, probably something like:

i-Net+
Linux+
A+
Server+
Network+
Security+

Megadeth4168

Really depends on your level of experience. I was new to a lot of the Security concepts in teh Security+, but I had a lot of experience with the Network+. To me the Netowrk+ was far easier.

2 weeks to study for Network+ with 1 book compared to over 2 months for the Sec+ with 3 books.

garv221

I would say they are all simple and entry level with the exception of Sec+.

Megadeth4168

garv221 wrote:

I would say they are all simple and entry level with the exception of Sec+.

I agree... However in the grand scheme of Security the Security+ exam is still entry level. So far teh hardest "entry level" exam I have taken.

garv221

Megadeth4168 wrote:

garv221 wrote:

I would say they are all simple and entry level with the exception of Sec+.

I agree... However in the grand scheme of Security the Security+ exam is still entry level. So far teh hardest "entry level" exam I have taken.

Exactly. Hope this answers your question FORCE.

TheFORCE

yep that indeed answers my questions. I would like to take all the well known coptia exams and since i will have to take them anyway, i figure why not start with the one people think is easier to pass.

Olajuwon

They are all entry level.

Degree of difficulty in order (easiest to hardest)

Inet+
linux+
A+
Net+
server+
security+

bcairns

Olajuwon wrote:

They are all entry level.

Degree of difficulty in order (easiest to hardest)

Inet+
linux+
A+
Net+
server+
security+

Wow I thought Linux+ would be a harder one so I have been putting it off for last

To the original poster...my progression went like this...

A+
Network+
Security+

There was a lot of overlap between A+ and Network+ that made the transition a lot easier.

sir_creamy_

Well, I'm studying for Server+ right now and I'm finding it more difficult than Network+ and Security+. I guess it depends on your hardware experience.

If I could do everything differently I would have scapped CompTIA all together and just start with the cisco material.

int80h

I agree with sir_creamy_, skipping compTIA all together and starting with Juniper, Cisco, Redhat, MS, etc. would be the best use of your time.

TeKniques

Well I think CompTIA certs are good if you don't have any experience. They are a good starting place and provide good foundations to the technologies. Someone with a lot of experience would probably be better served getting the more prestigous certs as mentioned above by int80h.

Munck

MCP 70-270 and CCNA are entry level certs IMO. One should have no problems starting with them. I know I didn't

Besides, I have never seen a comptia cert listed in a job ad in my country. Because of that, they are worthless "over here".

As int80h mentioned, time is better spent doing other certs.

theICE

I have all 6 metioned and for me it went like this

i-net+
A+
network+
linux+
Security+
Server+


Linux+ is diffcult if u have no linux xp, Also Server+ was very diffcult when i took it and that was before it was revisoned. But like a previous poster stated it has alot to do with the xp of the person taking the test.

bighornsheep

Munck wrote:

MCP 70-270 and CCNA are entry level certs IMO. One should have no problems starting with them. I know I didn't

Besides, I have never seen a comptia cert listed in a job ad in my country. Because of that, they are worthless "over here".

As int80h mentioned, time is better spent doing other certs.

I agree with some of the things you say, yes other certs may be more 'popular', but I dont think CompTIA is 'entry' to the point where it's useless.

It's better to have:
A+, Network+, Security+ on your resume, then:
Best Student Award (Grade 6, 1962)

no offense to anyone that actually received such an award, it was simply made up to show a point.

If I am not mistaken, MOST of the companies in CompTIA are from the states....Asia is starting to pick up in terms of popularity for A+, and Network+, but the need for MCSE and CCNP is gaining much more drive than CompTIA certs.

rcoop

I pretty much agree with a number of the posts, but since I have a few I will give my opinion on the difficulty I felt they were:

A+
i-Net+
Network+
CDIA+
Security+

I was also surprised to see Linux+ so low on a few of the lists, like others here I have been kinda putting it off since I thought it was a bit more difficult. And from what I'm hearing here, I would definitely put Server+ as being harder than Network+.

I guess I'm a CompTIA cert nut, as I have Linux+, Project+, Server+, and RFID+ on my list to get as well... and not because they would look nice on my resume.

The comments regarding saving time on other certs like MS and Cisco are extremely valid, and its not just saving time, at around $290+ a pop, the value for the CompTIA certs are not very high... and it is pretty expensive wall-paper 8^).

Take Care,
Rcoop

Slowhand

I can say one thing on this matter, as far as the worth of CompTIA's certs go, seeing as how the question of how hard the tests are has already been answered.

Whether or not you choose to do the actual tests, themselves, the experience you gain is absolutely essential. I work for a hosting company, in a mixed environment. We have a lot of different people from different backgrounds. There are the hardcore network engineers who don't know systems administration so well. The MCSE's just now learning Linux. The slew of BSD/Solaris guys who barely know how to turn on a Windows machine, let alone use AD and Group Policy. And then. . . well . . . there's me.

I began my geekdom with a Net+ class about seven years ago, then I built my own PC from individual parts. Some Windows administration (read "breaking") later, I ended up taking my A+, working as an A+ Technician, and taking more classes in the MCSE area. I never did take my Net+, but the material I learned in that class, from those books, and from the work all that studying enabled me to do all served me well, later in life.

For the guys at my work who are just now beginning the path to CCNA, they feel like I should "just go take the damn test", because I have the fundamental experience with the OSI model, networking hardware and protocols, topologies, etc. . . (Of course, my CCNP-certified boss thinks I just need to be locked in a room with some Cisco routers to learn the commands. . . I'm beginning to suspect he'll actually do it.)

The point here is that the CompTIA tests don't serve you well if you have experience in an area, like networking or security. However, if you're just now getting into a particular area, the material you learn for that CompTIA test will take you right into the next level of certifications and work. Chances are, that people who say "just skip CompTIA and go straight for Cisco/Microsoft/Redhat", and the like, probably don't need A+, Net+, Linux+, Security+, and the like; there's a good chance they already have the experience necessary for "bigger" certs.

As for the rest of us, CompTIA certs can be a very good stepping-stone to a larger world. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to study for Linux+. . .

fuz1on

Difficulty - Easiest to Hardest

2015 Edition (Exams I've taken)

Project+
Server+
Security+
Mobility+
Cloud+
CASP

Networking_Student

As far as usefulness, Security+ is a requirement for every job in my state, can't find one job opening that doesn't have it listed. Same goes for A+, CCNA, and Linux+.

As far as difficulty, I haven't taken either exams, yet.

N2IT

I always felt Security + was the easiest. A+ and N+ about the same.

I failed Project + the first time I took it

brownwrap

You don't even list Linux+.

Cyberscum

I thought sec+ was easiest out of the three.

discount81

I never took one, but I always thought A+ was the easiest, I looked at some material for it once out of curiousity, and it was like absolute basic computing knowledge.