CompTIA Network+ Certification VS Cisco CCNA: Which One to Choose?

It seems that two IT giants such as CompTIA and Cisco will always compete, as their main point of contact refers to the networking certifications. But if Cisco is mainly focused on issuing networking designations for candidates with various skill sets, CompTIA in its turn is far-famed for its Network+ accreditation. This certificate is often compared with the Cisco CCNA, and the main difference that is mentioned by everyone is that the first one is vendor-neutral, while the second one is vendor-specific. So, is it the main criterion that influences candidate’s decision before choosing the accreditation to earn or there’s something more to know? Let’s find out!

To start with, it’s absolutely clear, that the main difference between these certifications is that Network+ is vendor-neutral, and CCNA is vendor-specific. Thus, the rest criteria derive from the main ones. Vendor-neutral is closely connected with the breadth of technologies. Network+ certified professionals can work with any technology in any company regardless of vendor. Thus, with this designation you can be recruited by such worldly recognized companies as Apple, Dell, Intel, Canon, HP, to mention a few. As for the CCNA accreditation, it is vendor-specific, which means that after earning this certification, candidates will be able to work only with Cisco products and solutions.

The Network+ certification opens wide opportunities to its candidates, as being CompTIA certified, they can build a successful career as Junior Network Administrator, System Administrator, Network Engineer, NOC Technician, Datacenter Support Technician, Cable Technician, Telecommunications Technician. Speaking of the Cisco CCNA job list, it’s not so long, as includes only Entry level Network Engineer, Network Administrator, Network Support Technician, and Help Desk Technician positions. It means that if a hiring manager urgently needs to find a network specialist, it’s more likely that the Network+ professional will be given priority, as s/he possesses skills to work with any equipment. Still, if the vacancy is intended for specialists with the in-depth knowledge of Cisco products, CCNA certified professionals will be given preference.

The following item to consider refers to essential business skills that candidates gain after obtaining the Network+ certification. Nowadays change and incident management, troubleshooting, disaster recovery, as well as business continuity abilities are highly valued and sought by employers. Cisco on the contrary puts emphasis only on tech skills in the CCNA certification. So, here you need to decide on which skills you need to focus on.

And one of the criteria most candidates are interested in before enrolling in any IT certification is salary. It serves as a real motivation for some to become certified. Thus, according to PayScale website, CompTIA Network+ certified candidates can earn on average about $69,000 yearly, while Cisco CCNA certified – $80,000 per annum. Still, take into consideration, that it’s not the top, and despite of the certification you choose, depending on your expertise, you can earn more.

One more distinctive feature is the exam content. As to gain any of the covered certification, one has to pass one exam. Concerning the Network+ accreditation, it’s either N10-007 or a new version N10-008. The exam checks your skills to manage, configure, and tackle various issues that happen in wired and wireless networks in any company around the world. In addition, candidates are able to work with emerging technologies, such as virtualization and cloud. One more distinctive feature refers to the topics covered. Concerning the 200-301 evaluation, the following topics are covered more profoundly: routing, switching, VLAN, as well as sub-netting and VLSM. This means that Cisco focuses both on theoretical and practical skills regarding them.

How about the prior experience you need to have before taking any of the mentioned exams? So, before you decided to enroll in the certification process and pass the Network+ exam, consider the fact that you should have at least 9 month of networking experience or the earned A+ certification. Whereas before you enroll in taking the 200-301 evaluation, you should have 1-3 years of practical expertise in dealing with Cisco solutions.

Speaking of the value of each certification, it can be said that both are popular among networking specialists. Having any of them increases your chances to be hired, as it’s a prestigious mark of your expertise issued by a real IT giant. It demonstrates that you possess the most updated skills and are able to complete the given tasks successfully within the given time. Regarding the Network+ certification, it testifies that you are knowledgeable of the networking concepts and technologies in a very broad sense, while CCNA requires more specific knowledge and skills to work with Cisco products.

So, if you are entering the networking field, then broad skills provided by the vendor-neutral certification are the best variant for you. You will better know the networking topics, gain expertise, and then dive deeper into the specific one, to be a top-notch expert. So, the Network+ designation leaves you place to grow further in working with specific products and gain certifications from other IT vendors. Still, if you are interested in Cisco products and services, CCNA with its in-depth skills is there for you, though your further path will lead to the advanced Cisco certifications, otherwise, you will have to start from scratch.