Skip to content
Independent certification guide · exam data reviewed November 2026 Study guidesBrowse by fieldHow we review
Find a certification

CCNA - Cisco Certified Network Associate

CCNA - Cisco Certified Network Associate vs 3 alternatives compared

Exam fee, level, duration, validity and salary side by side. Blank cells mean we do not have verified data yet.

CCNA - Cisco Certified Network AssociateCompTIA Network+CCNP EnterpriseCCNP Data Center
VendorCiscoCompTIACiscoCisco
LevelIntermediateBeginnerAdvancedAdvanced
Exam fee$330$358$400+$400+
Duration—90 minutes——
Passing score—720 (on a scale of 100-900)——
Valid for—3 years——
Typical salary$80K–$110K$65K–$85K$110K–$145K$115K–$150K
Prerequisites—CompTIA A+ certification with 9‑12 months of hands‑on experience as a junior network admi…——

Which should you choose?

Should I take CCNA - Cisco Certified Network Associate or CompTIA Network+ first?

CompTIA Network+ is the lower-level certification (Beginner vs Intermediate), so it is usually the better first step.

Should I take CCNA - Cisco Certified Network Associate or CCNP Enterprise first?

CCNA - Cisco Certified Network Associate is the lower-level certification (Intermediate vs Advanced), so it is usually the better first step.

Should I take CCNA - Cisco Certified Network Associate or CCNP Data Center first?

CCNA - Cisco Certified Network Associate is the lower-level certification (Intermediate vs Advanced), so it is usually the better first step.