CompTIA A+ Certification: Training, Practice Tests and Exam Vouchers
CompTIA A+ is the industry-standard starting point for an IT career, and Total Seminars has prepared candidates for it since Mike Meyers wrote the best-selling All-in-One Exam Guide. To earn A+ you must pass two exams, Core 1 (220-1201) and Core 2 (220-1202). We supply everything you need for both: TotalTester practice tests, TotalSims interactive simulations, TotalVideo courses, the All-in-One eBook, and official CompTIA exam vouchers at about 11% below retail, with a Retake Option available.
CompTIA A+ Exam Details
CompTIA A+ Exam Facts at a Glance
| Required exams: | 220-1201/220-1202 (released March 25, 2025) |
| Exam Vouchers: | A+ vouchers may be used for either exam |
| Number of questions: | Maximum of 90 for each exam |
| Type of questions: | May include:
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| Length of test: | 90 minutes for each exam |
| Passing score: | 220-1201: 675 (scale 100-900)220-1202: 700 (scale 100-900) |
| Cert timeframe: | Valid for three years from the date of certification. Certified for life if certified on or before Dec 31, 2010. |
| Cert Renewal: | See CompTIA Continuing Ed Program |
| Domains 220-1201: |
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| Domains 220-1202: |
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What the A+ Core Series (220-1201 / 220-1202) Covers
You must take the A+ 220-1201 (Core 1) and 220-1202 (Core 2) exams to become CompTIA A+ certified.
The CompTIA A+ Core Series (1201/1202) covers the following new content, emphasizing the technologies and skills IT pros need to support a hybrid workforce:
- Install, configure, and maintain computer equipment, mobile devices, and software for end users.
- Service components based on customer requirements.
- Understand networking basics and apply basic cybersecurity methods to mitigate threats.
- Properly and safely diagnose, resolve, and document common hardware and software issues.
- Apply troubleshooting skills and provide customer support using appropriate communication skills.
- Understand the basics of scripting, cloud technologies, virtualization, and multi-OS deployments in corporate environments.
A+ Question Types, Scoring and Career Value
- Partial Credit: Scoring credit may be offered if a candidate answers only part of a question correctly.
- No Negative Credit: CompTIA does not employ negative scoring on exam questions. In other words, scoring credit is not taken away for incorrect answers. A candidate should answer every exam question, even on the ones where they are not sure of the answer.
What about a JOB?
Companies such as Dell, Intel, Lenovo and Ricoh require their computer technicians to hold A+ certification. The Department of Homeland Security requires A+ in its computer forensics programs, and law enforcement agencies including the FBI seek certified candidates. If a company has computers, they may need your skills, make sure employers know you are certified. Reported pay for A+ holders in 2026 runs from roughly $55,000 to $78,000 a year, depending on role, region and experience. Salary.com reports an average of $54,666, ZipRecruiter $63,909, and Payscale $78,000 across more than 12,000 certificate holders.Pass the CompTIA A+ Certification Exams with Total Seminars
Mike Meyers
Computer Technician Training
Earning the Computer Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) A+ certification proves you have the skills needed by a successful computer tech. Most businesses today rely on computers and a workforce skilled in IT. To succeed as a tech in today’s IT job market; you need to have skills in managing and troubleshooting computers.You will demonstrate to employers that you possess the basic competence to support computers when you earn your A+ Certification. Total Seminars has written the best-selling book on how to prepare for the A+ Certification exams. To ensure that you pass, Total Seminars provides books, videos, lab manuals and simulation test software that that work together to provide everything you need to be fully prepared to pass the exams.Mike Meyers, the premier authority on A+ certification, leads a team of experts at Total Seminars with almost two decades of experience in developing courseware. Mike’s involvement in the materials offered by Total Seminars is like having Einstein help you study for a math test. The CompTIA A+ Certification All-In-One Exam Guide, authored by Mike Meyers, provides practical knowledge to enable you to pass the exams. Every chapter includes learning objectives, along with advice about the exam, in-depth explanations, and review questions. The 1,000+ photographs and illustrations make studying easier and more fun. The CompTIA A+ Certification consists of two tests: 220-1201 and 220-1202.
Total Seminars supplies everything you need to prepare, understand, and pass the exams, guaranteed. Contact Total Seminars at the beginning of your studies to take advantage of their superb A+ practice test software. These simulation tests serve as important milestones in your studies en route to taking and passing the actual exams. Total Seminars, the certification experts, produce the #1 study guides, videos, lab manuals and practice test software on the market. No one else offers all these books and training materials authored by the same industry experts. They work together and cross reference one another to provide a complete preparation solution.
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Evolution of A+ Certification
Prior to the significant A+ Certification programs CompTIA introduced, IT educational documentations were company related and company regulated. Most major manufacturers including IBM and Dell required prospective employees to participate in precision training programs specific to their brand name. Corporations that had shaped an IT department around the skills of self-taught individuals remained outside the loop. They were vulnerable to the introduction of new technologies that may have reached beyond the scope of their self-taught IT employees. CompTIA’s A+ certification now validates IT skills for individuals and business/government organizations. Employers know prospective employees with CompTIA foundational certifications such as IT Fundamentals, A+, and Network+ have the IT skills needed for the related job roles.
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Whether you’re aiming for your first help desk role or pivoting into cybersecurity, our training and vouchers for CompTIA certifications are designed to help you succeed.
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What Makes A+ Certification Such a Popular Credential?
The CompTIA A+ certification is geared to the maintenance of desktop computers, laptops, mobile devices, and printers. This means that the A+ certification is valuable for anyone who is interested in the user-support aspect of computer technology. Many large corporations require that their technicians have A+ certification for precisely this reason. While the CompTIA A+ certification focuses on general technology, the emphasis is more on PC computers running Windows systems than Apple operating systems or Linux operating systems.
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Why You Need an A+ Certification Now More than Ever
What Does A+ Certification Cover? At the most basic level, A+ certification declares that you are a competent computer technician. A+ certification is a vendor-independent certification that allows you to state that you are familiar with computer software and hardware and that you have had some training when it comes troubleshooting. The test covers everything from hardware to computer safety to networking to personal devices like laptops and PDAs. Having an A+ certification states that you have a broad and generalized amount of information about computers and networks.
CompTIA A+ Certification FAQs
Which exams do I need to pass to become CompTIA A+ certified?
Two. You must pass both Core 1 (220-1201) and Core 2 (220-1202), which were released March 25, 2025. A Total Seminars A+ voucher may be used for either exam, so you will need one voucher for each.
What is on the CompTIA A+ exams?
Core 1 (220-1201) covers Mobile Devices 13%, Networking Technology 23%, Hardware 25%, Virtualization & Cloud Computing 11%, and Hardware & Network Troubleshooting 28%. Core 2 (220-1202) covers Operating Systems 28%, Security 28%, Software & Troubleshooting 23%, and Operational Procedures 21%.
How long are the exams and what score do I need to pass?
Each exam is 90 minutes with a maximum of 90 questions. Core 1 requires a score of 675 and Core 2 requires 700, both on a scale of 100 to 900.
What kinds of questions will I see?
Multiple choice, multiple response, fill-in-the-blank, exhibits, drag and drop, and performance-based questions that launch a simulated environment. CompTIA awards partial credit and does not subtract for wrong answers, so answer every question. TotalSims is built specifically to prepare you for the performance-based questions.
How much does the CompTIA A+ certification cost?
Total Seminars sells official CompTIA A+ vouchers at $244.99, about 11% below CompTIA’s $274 retail price. Because A+ requires two exams, budget for two vouchers. A Retake Option is available and must be purchased in the same order as the voucher.
How long is my A+ certification valid?
Three years from the date of certification. You can renew through the CompTIA Continuing Education program. Anyone certified on or before December 31, 2010 is certified for life.
What does a CompTIA A+ certification pay?
Reported pay for A+ holders in 2026 runs from roughly $55,000 to $78,000 a year depending on role, region and experience. Salary.com reports an average of $54,666, ZipRecruiter $63,909, and Payscale $78,000 across more than 12,000 certificate holders. Employers including Dell, Intel, Lenovo and Ricoh require A+ of their computer technicians, and the Department of Homeland Security requires it in its computer forensics programs.
Which Total Seminars products should I study with?
Most candidates start with the CompTIA A+ Certification All-in-One Exam Guide eBook by Mike Meyers, add TotalTester practice tests to check readiness, and add TotalSims to prepare for the performance-based questions. TotalVideo covers the same material on camera if you learn better by watching. Bundling all of them costs less than buying separately.
Do I need experience before taking A+?
No formal prerequisite exists. A+ is designed as the entry point to an IT career, and our materials assume no prior certification.
Can I study for A+ entirely online?
Yes. Every Total Seminars A+ product is delivered online through the Total Seminars Training Hub at hub.totalsem.com, and works anywhere you have a high-speed internet connection.