Network+ Pass Rate (2026): Real Numbers & What They Mean

CompTIA does not publish an official pass rate for the Network+ exam. No public first-attempt percentage exists for the current N10-009 version, and any site quoting a specific Network+ pass rate is estimating, not citing CompTIA. What CompTIA does publish is more useful anyway: exactly how the exam is scored, what it takes to pass, and how the content is weighted — which together tell you far more about your own odds than an aggregate statistic ever could.

How the Network+ exam is scored

According to CompTIA, the passing score is 720 on a scale of 100–900. That is a scaled score, not a percentage: CompTIA converts your raw performance into the 100–900 range through a statistical process that accounts for differences in difficulty between exam forms. This means 720 does not translate into a fixed number of questions you can afford to miss — two candidates with the same scaled score may have answered a different mix of questions, because performance-based questions and harder items can carry different weight.

The exam itself contains a maximum of 90 questions, and CompTIA gives candidates 90 minutes to complete it — an average of one minute per question, though the mix of multiple-choice and performance-based questions means your time won't be spent evenly. Performance-based questions, which ask you to complete a task in a simulated environment rather than pick an answer, typically consume several minutes each, so time management is a scoring factor in practice even though it isn't one on paper.

What the exam covers — and where the weight is

The N10-009 exam, which CompTIA launched on June 20, 2024, is organized into five content domains:

• Networking concepts — 23% of the exam
• Network implementation — 20%
• Network operations — 19%
• Network security — 14%
• Network troubleshooting — 24%, the largest single domain

The weighting is a roadmap for anyone worried about passing. Troubleshooting and networking concepts together account for nearly half the exam, so a candidate who has memorized port numbers but can't work through a methodical troubleshooting scenario is exposed exactly where the exam concentrates its scoring. Security, by contrast, is the smallest domain at 14% — important, but not the place to sink a disproportionate share of study time.

What actually drives pass/fail outcomes

Without an official pass rate, the honest way to think about your odds is through the factors CompTIA itself signals:

Experience level

CompTIA recommends candidates hold a CompTIA A+ certification and have 9 to 12 months of hands-on experience in a junior network administrator or network support technician role before attempting Network+. That recommendation isn't a formal prerequisite — anyone can sit the exam — but it describes the profile the exam is calibrated against. Candidates attempting it with no hands-on exposure are working against that calibration, particularly on performance-based questions that simulate real configuration and troubleshooting tasks.

Familiarity with performance-based questions

Because the exam mixes multiple-choice and performance-based questions, candidates who have only drilled flashcard-style recall are often surprised by items that require applying knowledge in a simulated environment. Practicing under exam-like conditions closes this gap more reliably than additional reading.

Pacing

With up to 90 questions in 90 minutes, candidates who stall on early performance-based items can run out of time on questions they would otherwise answer correctly. A common approach is to flag time-intensive simulations, clear the multiple-choice questions, and return with the remaining time.

How to improve your odds

Study to the domain weights. Allocate time roughly in proportion to the blueprint — troubleshooting (24%) and networking concepts (23%) deserve the most attention, and your weakest domain among the top three is where an extra week of study buys the most scaled-score movement.

Take timed practice exams. A full-length timed run is the only way to know whether 90 minutes is enough for you. You can take a free Network+ practice exam here to benchmark yourself against the real exam's format and question count before you pay for a voucher.

Rehearse the test-day logistics. Pearson VUE administers CompTIA exams, and you can sit Network+ either at a physical test center or remotely via online proctoring; scheduling, rescheduling, and cancellation are handled through CompTIA Central. If you test online, verify your equipment and workspace requirements in advance — a proctoring failure is a preventable way to lose an attempt. The exam is offered in English, German, Japanese, Portuguese, and Spanish, so non-native English speakers should confirm their preferred language is available when booking.

Is the effort worth it?

The career context helps explain why candidates keep attempting this exam despite its difficulty. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, network and computer systems administrators — the role family Network+ most directly targets — earn a median annual wage of $99,130, with the 90th percentile reaching $155,050, across 314,340 jobs in the United States. Even the 10th percentile, at $62,640, sits well above many entry-level IT support roles. Once earned, the certification stays current through CompTIA's Continuing Education (CE) program, where professionals submit CEUs from approved activities such as training, coursework, work experience, or community involvement, along with a continuing education fee paid using a CE token.

The absence of a published pass rate shouldn't change your preparation strategy. Score 720 or better on a 100–900 scale, and you pass — and the domain weights, question format, and time limit are all published, which means the variables that decide your result are ones you can rehearse.