CCNA vs Network+: Which Certification First?

What is this page about?

A direct comparison of Cisco's CCNA 200-301 and CompTIA Network+ (N10-009) that resolves the choice by one question: whether you are becoming a network engineer or an IT generalist who needs networking as a supporting skill. It explains what each tests (Network+ vendor-neutral concepts, CCNA Cisco IOS configuration and troubleshooting), who should take each, the difficulty and cost difference, the DoD and government angle, when taking both makes sense, the employer-signal difference, salary context, and the technical gap between them.

What has been corrected on this page?

Every accepted correction to this page is recorded with the exact change, so readers can see how the page improved over time.

1. 11 July 2026 · corrected by Melik Can Sariyer

   4 flagged issues verified: a quote attributed to Jeremy Cioara with a checked-and-unverifiable 'over 1 million YouTube subscribers' claim (real CBT Nuggets instructor, but no locatable subscriber count matching this figure) was de-attributed; a quote attributed to an anonymous 'Matt Saunders, network engineering manager... Cisco Learning Network community discussion' had no verifiable source and was de-attributed; an uncited job-posting-frequency table with unverified-precision percentages (65-70%, etc.) attributed to 'Analysis of major job posting aggregators' was softened to qualitative rankings; uncited precise salary bands were softened with a note to check current surveys.

   Before

   Jeremy Cioara, a widely watched Cisco and CompTIA instructor with over 1 million YouTube subscribers, explicitly recommends: "If you're going CompTIA Security+, do Network+ first..." [...] "When I review resumes for network engineer positions, CCNA and higher are the credentials I focus on..." - Matt Saunders, network engineering manager, quoted in Cisco Learning Network community discussion [...] Analysis of major job posting aggregators (Indeed, LinkedIn Jobs, Glassdoor) from 2023-2024 shows consistent patterns: Network Engineer 65-70% CCNA / 15-20% Network+ [...] Network engineer roles requiring CCNA start at $60,000-$80,000 in most U.S. markets, with mid-level positions ($85,000-$110,000)... Roles requiring Network+ only... typically start at $40,000-$55,000.

   After

   Cisco and CompTIA instructors commonly recommend taking Network+ before Security+ specifically because the overlap makes Security+ significantly more intuitive... [de-attributed, inflated subscriber claim removed] [...] Hiring managers reviewing resumes for network engineer positions commonly focus on CCNA and higher-level credentials... [de-attributed] [...] A general look at major job posting aggregators shows consistent patterns, converted to qualitative rankings (Most common / Common / Occasional / Rare) rather than unverified-precision percentages [...] Network engineer roles requiring CCNA tend to start at a meaningfully higher salary than general IT support or help desk roles requiring only Network+... Check current salary surveys for up-to-date figures.

   Why: De-attributed an unverified quote credited to Jeremy Cioara that included an unverifiable 'over 1 million YouTube subscribers' claim, and de-attributed an unverified quote credited to an anonymous 'Matt Saunders' with no verifiable source. Softened an uncited job-posting-frequency table with unverified-precision percentages to qualitative rankings, and softened uncited precise salary bands with a note to check current surveys.

   View the full record →

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