Best IT Certifications for Your Goal and Experience Level

How to choose the best IT certifications for you

Lists of the best IT certifications often rank exams by salary surveys or popularity. We do not, because a certification only helps if it matches the role you are applying for and the experience you actually have. A senior credential you are not eligible for, or an entry-level one far below your current job, does little for you.

Ask three questions before you pick:

1. Which job do you want next? IT support, networking, cloud, security and project management each have their own standard credentials.
2. How much relevant experience do you have? Some exams have no requirements. Others, like CISSP and PMP, need years of documented work before you can be fully certified.
3. What do job ads in your area ask for? Search ten postings for the role you want and note which certifications appear. That is better evidence than any ranking.

The decision table at the top of this page maps common goals to a starting certification and a next step. The sections below explain each option using figures from the official issuers.

IT certifications for beginners

If you are new to IT, pick a certification with no formal prerequisites and a scope you can learn in a few months. These are the IT certifications for beginners we recommend most often:

CompTIA A+ (IT support)

A+ is CompTIA's entry-level certification for IT support and help desk work. You need two exams, Core 1 (220-1201) and Core 2 (220-1202), each with a maximum of 90 questions in 90 minutes. Passing scores are 675 for Core 1 and 700 for Core 2 on a scale of 100 to 900. There are no prerequisites, though CompTIA recommends 12 months of hands-on experience in an IT support role. See our A+ study guide for a plan.

AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (cloud)

Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02) is AWS's foundational exam. It has 65 questions in 90 minutes, costs USD 100 and needs a scaled score of 700 out of 1,000. AWS says it suits people without an IT background, including non-technical staff who work with cloud teams. Microsoft's equivalent is Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900), a 45-minute exam priced by country.

ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity (security, no experience)

ISC2 describes its CC certification as entry level with no work experience required. It is an option if you want a security credential before you have the IT background that Security+ assumes.

PMI CAPM (project management)

If you want to move into project work rather than technical work, PMI's CAPM requires a secondary diploma and 23 hours of project management education, with no work experience. The exam has 150 questions in 180 minutes. Our PMP vs CAPM comparison explains when to choose it.

Best entry level IT certifications with some experience

Once you have six months to two years in IT, the best entry level IT certifications are the ones that move you from general support into a specialty.

CompTIA Security+

Security+ is a vendor-neutral security certification and a common first step into security roles. The exam has a maximum of 90 questions in 90 minutes, and you need 750 on a scale of 100 to 900. There are no prerequisites, but CompTIA recommends Network+ and two years in a security or systems administrator role. The current exam is SY0-701; the new SY0-801 launches on or around November 17, 2026, and SY0-701 stays available in English until June 11, 2027. See Security+ exam cost for current pricing.

CompTIA Network+

Network+ (N10-009) is CompTIA's vendor-neutral networking exam, with a maximum of 90 questions in 90 minutes and a passing score of 720 on the 100 to 900 scale. CompTIA recommends A+ plus 9 to 12 months as a junior network administrator or network support technician. Our CCNA vs Network+ page compares it with the CCNA.

Cisco CCNA

The CCNA (200-301) is Cisco's associate-level networking certification. The exam lasts 120 minutes and costs USD 300. Cisco lists no prerequisites and does not publish the number of questions or a fixed passing score. It is harder than Network+ and needs real lab practice. Note the timing: Cisco says the last day for the current v1.1 exam is February 2, 2027, and v2.0 goes live on February 3, 2027. Our CCNA study guide covers both versions.

AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate

For cloud roles, SAA-C03 is the usual first technical AWS exam: 65 questions in 130 minutes, USD 150, and a passing scaled score of 720. AWS recommends at least a year of hands-on experience designing on AWS. Our AWS certification path lists every other AWS exam and when to take it.

Senior certifications: CISSP and PMP

Two of the best-known IT-related certifications are not entry level, and both require documented experience.

CISSP is ISC2's senior security certification. Full certification requires five years of cumulative, full-time experience in at least two of its eight domains, and one year can be waived with a qualifying degree or an approved credential. The exam is adaptive, with 100 to 150 items in three hours and a passing score of 700 out of 1,000. Standard registration is US$749 in the Americas. If you pass without the experience, you become an Associate of ISC2 and have six years to earn it. See CISSP requirements.

PMP is PMI's main certification for experienced project managers, common in IT project and delivery roles. You need between 24 and 60 months of experience leading projects in the last 10 years, depending on your education, plus 35 hours of project management training. The exam has 180 questions in 240 minutes, and PMI does not publish a passing score. See how to get PMP certification.

How long each certification takes to prepare

Preparation time depends far more on your background than on the exam. These are rough ranges for part-time study, not promises:

• AWS Cloud Practitioner: many beginners prepare in a few weeks.
• CompTIA A+: plan for two exams, so budget time for each core separately rather than one big push.
• AWS Solutions Architect - Associate: often one to three months, and much easier with real hands-on practice.
• Cisco CCNA: with no networking background, often three to six months, because subnetting and lab skills take time to build.
• PMP: often two to three months alongside work, including the 35 hours of required training.
• CISSP: a few months of steady study for experienced candidates, longer if several of the eight domains are new to you.

If you work full time, a realistic pace is one certification at a time. Finish one, use it in your job search or current role, then decide on the next based on what the jobs you want actually ask for.

Common mistakes when picking a certification

• Starting too high. Booking CISSP or an AWS Professional exam with no relevant experience usually wastes time and money. Build the foundation first.
• Collecting overlapping certifications. Two entry-level certifications in the same area rarely help more than one. Move up or across instead.
• Ignoring exam versions. Security+, CCNA and several AWS exams are changing between late 2026 and early 2027. Check which version you will sit before you buy study material.
• Forgetting renewal. Most of these certifications last three years and need continuing education credits, a fee or a newer exam to stay active. Factor that into the real cost.
• Skipping hands-on practice. Performance-based and scenario questions on A+, Security+, CCNA and AWS exams reward people who have actually configured systems.

How to prepare once you have chosen

Whichever certification you choose, the method is the same. Download the official exam objectives from the issuer and use them as your checklist. Build a small lab, even a virtual one, so you practise the tasks the objectives describe. Then take timed practice tests and review every wrong answer.

We publish free practice tests for each certification we cover: A+, Security+, CCNA, AWS, CISSP and PMP. Start with the one for your target exam to see where you stand today.