How Long Does It Take to Study for CompTIA A+?
A realistic timeline for passing both A+ exams — how many weeks and total hours it takes, what changes it, and a plan to get there.
Short answer: most people need 8–12 weeks of part-time study — roughly 1–2 hours a day, or about 120–200 total hours — to pass both CompTIA A+ exams. With prior IT experience you might do it in 4–6 weeks; starting from zero with limited time, it can take a bit longer. Here’s what actually drives your timeline.
Remember: A+ is two exams
This trips people up. CompTIA A+ is two separate exams — Core 1 (220-1201) and Core 2 (220-1202) — and you need to pass both. So a realistic plan budgets time for each: roughly 4–6 weeks per exam, often with the Core 1 exam taken before you start studying Core 2. That’s where the 8–12 week total comes from.
What changes your timeline
Three factors move the number more than anything else:
- Your background. Already comfortable building PCs, using the command line, and with basic networking? You’ll move fast — maybe 4–6 weeks total. Coming in cold with no tech experience? Give yourself the full 12 weeks (or more) and don’t rush it.
- Hours per week. Two focused hours a day adds up to a pass in a couple of months. One hour a few times a week stretches it out. Consistency beats intensity.
- Your study method. Passive video-watching is slow. Active recall (flashcards), hands-on labs, and practice exams dramatically speed up retention. The people who study efficiently finish faster than those who simply log more hours.
A realistic 10-week plan
A dependable pace for someone studying part-time around a job:
| Weeks | Focus |
|---|---|
| 1–4 | Core 1 — hardware, networking, mobile, virtualization |
| 5 | Core 1 practice exams to 90%, then pass Core 1 |
| 6–9 | Core 2 — operating systems, security, troubleshooting, procedures |
| 10 | Core 2 practice exams to 90%, then pass Core 2 |
Want it laid out day by day? Grab the free, printable A+ study plan and 10-week daily schedule — it maps every week with specific tasks, labs, and checkpoints. The full method (and how to turn the cert into a job) is in The Complete Guide to Passing CompTIA A+.
How many total hours, really?
Plan for 120–200 hours of study across both exams for most beginners. Experienced folks can pass on far less; people brand new to computers sometimes need more. Don’t fixate on the number, though — fixate on the signal that you’re ready, which is the next point.
The one rule that beats any timeline
Don’t book the exam by the calendar — book it by your practice-exam scores. When you’re consistently clearing 90%+ on fresh practice questions (not memorized ones), you’re ready, whether that took you six weeks or fourteen. That single rule protects you from both overconfidence and endless over-studying.
Can you do it faster?
Yes — full-time, immersive study (bootcamp-style, several hours a day) can get motivated people through A+ in 3–4 weeks. But for most people balancing a job or school, 8–12 weeks is the realistic, sustainable target. Trying to cram two exams of broad material into a couple of weeks usually backfires.