This week, we’re getting focused.
Here you’re list, everything you need to know to pass A+.
This Week’s Focus
This week, what you need to do is simple: Start studying with purpose and structure.
This Week In Tech
Three things worth knowing before you ever open a study guide:
1. Over 5,500 active job postings on Glassdoor list A+ as a requirement or strong preference right now, and postings asking for A+ have grown 34 percent year over year.
2. CompTIA’s own data shows 40 percent of entry-level IT roles either require or prefer A+. It’s the credential hiring managers search for by name.
3. Median total pay for A+ certified IT support specialists is $71,000, and tech wages overall run 103 percent higher than the national median wage.
Common thread: A+ isn’t a “nice to have.” It’s the credential employers are actively filtering for.
The Number That Matters
54 percent. That’s the industry-average first-attempt pass rate across the A+ exams.
People who self-study with no structure score way below that.
Students who follow a structured path and study the objectives in weighted order pass, 80% more often than those who don’t.
What Passing A+ Actually Does For You
Before we get into the objectives, here’s what’s possible when you get certified.
→ Help desk, desktop support, and junior IT roles, the ones that hire fastest and ask for A+ by name
→ The foundation every other certification in this series builds on, Network+, Security+, and CySA+ all assume you already know this material
→ A documented median of $71,000, with real upward room once Network+ and Security+ stack on top
A+ Exam Objectives: The Full Breakdown
A+ is actually two exams. You need to pass both, Core 1 and Core 2, to earn the certification.
Here’s every domain, with its exact weight on the current exam.
Core 1 (220-1201)
1.0 Mobile Devices — 13% of the exam
Installing, configuring, and connecting laptops, tablets, and phones, including accessories and connectivity methods.
2.0 Networking — 23% of the exam
Ports, protocols, wireless standards, and how to set up and configure a small network end to end.
3.0 Hardware — 25% of the exam
PC components, peripherals, power, cabling, and connectors, the physical build of a machine.
4.0 Virtualization and Cloud Computing — 11% of the exam
Client-side virtualization basics and the core concepts behind cloud models and services.
5.0 Hardware and Network Troubleshooting — 28% of the exam
The single largest domain on Core 1: a repeatable method for diagnosing hardware, printer, and
connectivity problems.
Core 2 (220-1202)
1.0 Operating Systems — 28% of the exam
Installing, configuring, and maintaining Windows, macOS, Linux, and mobile operating systems.
2.0 Security — 28% of the exam
Authentication, malware, social engineering, and how to actually secure a device and a network.
3.0 Software Troubleshooting — 23% of the exam
Diagnosing operating system, application, and security-related software issues, step by step.
4.0 Operational Procedures — 21% of the exam
Documentation, change management, safety, and professional communication on the job.
Nine domains, two exams.
That’s everything you need to know to pass A+.
The Mistake Most People Make With This List
Here’s where most self-studiers go wrong with a list exactly like this one.
They study it top to bottom, in the order CompTIA printed it, instead of in the order it’s weighted. Domain 5 on Core 1 and Domains 1 and 2 on Core 2 alone make up more than half the real exam
Focus on the domains that will be covered the MOST on the exam.
For Those Who Served
This part is personal, so let me say it plainly. I’m an Army veteran. Master I.T. exists because when I transitioned out, nobody handed me a roadmap for turning military technical experience into a civilian career either.
If you’re active duty, a veteran, or a military spouse, here’s what this specific certification means for you:
→ While you’re still in, certification training can often be funded through Army Credentialing Assistance, Air Force COOL, GI Bill benefits, VET TEC, or MyCAA for spouses, up to $4,500 a year through CA/COOL, up to $4,000 free through MyCAA, and up to $2,000 in exam reimbursement through GI Bill Chapter 33
→ Master I.T. offers real discounts for active duty, veterans, and military spouses, and I personally help students figure out which funding path fits their specific situation before they spend a dollar of their own money
→ A certification earned while you’re still serving does double duty: it can support promotion points and better assignments now, and it walks out the door with you as a civilian-recognized credential the day you separate
A+ is usually the very first rung, whether you’re still in uniform or you’ve already taken it off. It’s the credential that makes “I worked on computers in the military” legible to a civilian hiring manager.
Picture Someone Like Thomas
I want to share a story with you, the way I always do.
Not about one specific person, but more of a pattern I’ve seen play out again and again.
Picture someone like Thomas.
Thomas printed out the full list of A+ objectives before he started studying, nine domains across two exams, and felt his stomach drop.
It looked like a semester of college crammed onto two pages.
He circled the three heaviest domains, Hardware and Network Troubleshooting, Operating Systems, and Security, and started there instead of at the top of the list.
Six weeks later he sat for Core 1.
Seven weeks after that, Core 2.
He passed both on the first attempt.
Where This Leaves You
If that list felt like a lot, that’s normal.
It’s also exactly why a structured path exists.
→ passtechcerts.com/course/comptia-core-1-a-program ←
Here’s a quick snapshot of what’s actually inside the A+ Accelerator Program:
→ 100% online training covering every Core 1 and Core 2 objective, in the order the exam actually weighs them
→ Hands-on practice mapped to the hardware, OS, and security domains, not just reading, actually doing
→ A step-by-step roadmap so you always know where you are and what’s next
→ Practice exams, exam voucher support, and a pay-if-you-fail guarantee
Your Mission This Week
Go back to the domain breakdown above and circle the two heaviest-weighted domains in whichever exam you’re closer to taking.
Spend this week’s study time there first.
Have a good week.
I’m rooting for you.
Rob
Founder, Master I.T. · Army Veteran · 20+ Years in IT · 15,000+ Students Certified
P.S. Which domain on that list looks the most intimidating to you right now?