5 CompTIA A+ Jobs to Know in 2024: Titles, Duties, and Pay

To qualify for entry-level IT roles, you’ll 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’s competence in foundational IT topics like hardware, software, and operating systems. 

But what jobs can you expect to qualify for with CompTIA certification exactly? And how much can you realistically expect to earn? 

In this article, you’ll learn about some of the entry-level IT jobs you may qualify for with professional certification and how much they pay. Afterward, you’ll explore other certifications you might consider pursuing, including other online, cost-effective Professional Certificates that could help you gain job-relevant skills today. 

CompTIA A+ certification jobs 

To obtain CompTIA A+ certification, you’ll 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’ll 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: 

1. IT support specialist 

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. 

According to Glassdoor, IT support specialists earn an average annual base pay of $58,786 as of March 2024 [1]. If you enjoy problem-solving and people-facing roles, you might enjoy this IT career. 

Read more: IT Support Specialist Salary: Your 2024 Guide

2. Help desk technician 

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’t require in-depth assistance. 

According to Glassdoor, help desk technicians make an average annual base pay of $47,167 as of March 2024 [2]. 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. 

Read more: How to Find + Prepare for Entry-Level Help Desk Jobs in 2024

3. Field Technician 

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’t be solved over the phone and work in a much more hands-on capacity than other IT professionals. 

According to Glassdoor, field technicians earn an average annual base pay of $55,915 as of March 2024 [3]. If you’re 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. 

Read more: What Is an IT Technician? How to Become One

4. Desktop support specialist 

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’ hardware or software to ensure that it is properly configured, formatted, or installed. 

According to Indeed, desktop support technicians earn an average base salary of $54,527 as of March $55,915 [4]. 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. 

Read more: What Does a Technical Support Specialist Do? 2024 Career Guide

5. Associate network engineer

Associate network engineers support senior or advanced network engineers as they install, maintain, troubleshoot, or repair users’ 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’s or employer’s computer network, including the devices connected to it like phones, routers, and laptops. 

According to Glassdoor, associate network engineers earn an average annual base pay of $95,510 as of March 2024 [5]. If you enjoy the most technical details of network design and engineering, you might consider a career as an associate network engineer. 

Read more: 6 Network Certifications for Your IT Career in 2024

Companies that require CompTIA A+ certification 

As you’re looking for jobs, you may come across some that don’t 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). 

If you want to pursue a career at one of these employers, then CompTIA A+ certification might be the right choice for you. 

Read more: How to Get the CompTIA A+ Certification

Other IT certifications to consider

CompTIA A+ certification isn’t 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: 

• Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)

• CompTIA Security+

• GIAC Information Security Fundamentals (GISF)

• Google IT Support Professional Certificate 

• IBM IT Support Professional Certificate 

Read more: 10 Essential IT Certifications for 2024

Prepare for an IT career on Coursera

As an IT professional, you’ll 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’ve already learned by taking a cost-effective, online Professional Certificate on Coursera today. 

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’ll 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.