CompTIA A+ certification is one way to prepare for an entry-level IT role. Learn what jobs you can do as a certified professional and how much you can expect to earn.
To qualify for entry-level IT roles, you鈥檒l need to have a firm understanding of computer and data systems. Fortunately, one of the best ways to show you have the right skills is by obtaining CompTIA A+ certification, which demonstrates the certificate holder鈥檚 competence in foundational IT topics like hardware, software,听and operating systems.听
But what jobs can you expect to qualify for with CompTIA certification exactly? And how much can you realistically expect to earn?听
In this article, you鈥檒l learn about some of the entry-level IT jobs you may qualify for with professional certification and how much they pay. Afterward, you鈥檒l explore other certifications you might consider pursuing, including other online, cost-effective Professional Certificates that could help you gain job-relevant skills today.听
To obtain CompTIA A+ certification, you鈥檒l need to pass two exams covering the most fundamental IT topics, such as mobile devices, virtualizing, software troubleshooting, and operational procedures. With a CompTIA A+ certification, you鈥檒l be prepared for a wide range of entry-level IT jobs.
Here are some of the roles you can expect to qualify for with CompTIA A+ certification:听
IT support specialists provide users with expert technical guidance and help them troubleshoot problems with their hardware or software. Working in-person or remotely on the phone, IT support specialists help either external clients or internal employees working within the same organization.听
According to Glassdoor, IT support specialists earn an average annual base pay of听$58,786 as of March 2024 []. If you enjoy problem-solving and people-facing roles, you might enjoy this IT career.听
Read more: IT Support Specialist Salary: Your Guide
Help desk technicians, much like IT support specialists, provide users with either in-person or remote technical guidance to help them solve common hardware and software problems. However, unlike IT support specialists, help desk technicians tend to focus primarily on relatively common problems that can be solved quickly and don鈥檛 require in-depth assistance.听
According to Glassdoor, help desk technicians make an average annual base pay of $47,167 as of March 2024 []. If you enjoy problem-solving, working with others, and thinking quickly on your feet, then you might consider pursuing a job as a help desk technician.听
Read more: How to Find + Prepare for Entry-Level Help Desk Jobs
Field technicians travel to clients to provide on-premise support and guidance, such as troubleshooting software or hardware, repairing computer networks, or installing systems. Typically, field technicians handle relatively complex problems that can鈥檛 be solved over the phone and work in a much more hands-on capacity than other IT professionals.听
According to Glassdoor, field technicians earn an average annual base pay of $55,915 as of March 2024 []. If you鈥檙e intrigued by the possibility of handling some of the most complex IT problems and working in person, then a field technician role might be right for you.听
Read more: What Is an IT Technician? How to Become One
Desktop support specialists provide technical guidance to users and help them resolve common computer problems, including via phone or chat support and in-person. As a result, a desktop support specialist performs many of the same duties as a help desk technician but also often works directly with users鈥 hardware or software to ensure that it is properly configured, formatted, or installed.听
According to Indeed, desktop support technicians earn an average base salary of $54,527 as of March $55,915 []. If you enjoy handling a range of IT problems, from quick-and-easy ones that can be solved over the phone to more complex ones that require hands-on assistance, then a job as a desktop support specialist could be good for you.听
Read more: What Does a Technical Support Specialist Do? Career Guide
Associate network engineers support senior or advanced network engineers as they install, maintain, troubleshoot, or repair users鈥 computer networks. Capable of working onsite or remotely, associate network engineers assist their more senior counterparts as they do the important work of ensuring the proper functioning of their client鈥檚 or employer鈥檚 computer network, including the devices connected to it like phones, routers, and laptops.听
According to Glassdoor, associate network engineers earn an average annual base pay of $95,510 as of March 2024 []. If you enjoy the most technical details of network design and engineering, you might consider a career as an associate network engineer.听
Read more: 6 Network Certifications for Your IT Career
As you鈥檙e looking for jobs, you may come across some that don鈥檛 just prefer you to have CompTIA A+ certification but actually require it. Some employers that recommend or require CompTIA A+ certification include Dell, Intell, General Dynamics, Nissan, and the US Department of Defense (DoD).听
If you want to pursue a career at one of these employers, then CompTIA A+ certification might be the right choice for you.听
Read more: How to Get the CompTIA A+ Certification
CompTIA A+ certification isn鈥檛 the only IT certification in town. At a glance, here are some other certifications or certificates you might consider pursuing to improve your chances of landing an entry-level IT job:听
Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)
GIAC Information Security Fundamentals (GISF)
Read more: 10 Essential IT Certifications
As an IT professional, you鈥檒l need to stay up to date with the latest technologies to ensure you can do the best possible job. Gain job-relevant skills or hone those you鈥檝e already learned by taking a cost-effective, online Professional Certificate on 糖心vlog官网观看 today.听
In IBM's Preparation for CompTIA A+ Certification Specialization, you'll prepare for CompTIA A+ Core 1 and Core 2 certification in courses covering hardware and network troubleshooting, software security, and operational procedures, and take practice exams that will have you ready for test day.
In the Google IT Support Professional Certificate, you鈥檒l learn to perform day-to-day IT support tasks, including computer assembly, wireless networking, installing programs, and customer service, and get job-ready in as little as six months.听
Glassdoor. ", "https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/it-support-specialist-salary-SRCH_KO0,21.htm?clickSource=careerNav." Accessed March 12, 2024.
Glassdoor. ", https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/help-service-desk-technician-salary-SRCH_KO0,28.htm?clickSource=careerNav." Accessed March 12, 2024.
Glassdoor. ", https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/us-field-technician-salary-SRCH_IL.0,2_IN1_KO3,19.htm." Accessed March 12, 2024.
Indeed. ", https://www.indeed.com/career/desktop-support-technician/salaries." Accessed March 12, 2024.
Glassdoor. ", https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/associate-network-engineer-salary-SRCH_KO0,26.htm." Accessed Accessed March 12, 2024.
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This content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.