Where to start
Choose the actual course and service area
Read the location and cohort row, live attendance requirements and any remote service-area condition. Compare the actual schedule and outside study with work, care and living expenses before applying.
Budget both required exam attempts
Confirm the current exam version and which Core exams, vouchers, materials and retakes the offer includes. A single course or product can cover only part of the qualification, and prices must match the actual region and terms.
Separate training from employment outcomes
Ask about career support, internships and any personal-expense loan or stipend. A certification opportunity, job-placement service or occupational median is not a guaranteed credential, job or starting wage.
National computer user-support occupational median across experience levels. It is not starting pay, a CompTIA-holder salary, a programme outcome or the separate network-support median.
Three routes to compare
Compare your own course quotes, training time & payback →
| Route | What you may pay | Time to plan for | Before you commit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Selected no-cost training providers | Per Scholas offers eligible learners no-cost IT-support training; NPower’s free course does not include a stipend. Confirm each programme’s covered certification/voucher attempts and personal expenses. As of Oct 16, 2026 · NPower ↗As of Oct 16, 2026 · Per Scholas ↗ | Per Scholas advertises 12 instructional weeks with class-specific calendar dates; NPower lists up to 20 weeks. Admission and the next actual cohort must be confirmed. As of Oct 16, 2026 · NPower ↗As of Oct 16, 2026 · Per Scholas ↗ | Local/remote service areas and provider income, age, work-authorization and selection rules apply. An opportunity to earn credentials is not guaranteed certification, a paid internship or a job. As of Oct 16, 2026 · NPower ↗As of Oct 16, 2026 · Per Scholas ↗ |
| Approved college / workforce route | Obtain the actual course, materials and exam quote. Workforce support depends on personal eligibility, funds and approval for that provider/programme; no national tuition price or automatic award is assumed. As of Oct 15, 2026 · U.S. Department of Labor ↗ | Use the provider’s actual training and testing timetable. Employer education requirements vary; there is no single nationwide course length for computer support. As of Oct 16, 2026 · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics ↗ | A course certificate and CompTIA A+ are separate. The current A+ credential requires both Core exams from the same version; confirm which exam attempts are included. |
| Self-paced study and separate exams | Get current official Core 1, Core 2 and materials/voucher quotes; a Core 1 bundle is not proof that both exams or unlimited retakes are covered. No verified universal retail total is published here. As of Oct 16, 2026 · CompTIA ↗ | Study time depends on preparation. The current Core 1 and Core 2 exam appointments each allow 90 minutes; those are exam times, not total training time. | Use matching-version exams and check the actual voucher/product terms. CompTIA’s 12-month hands-on experience statement is a recommendation, separate from provider admission requirements. |
Requirements to confirm
Additional funding routes to investigate
Questions before you apply
Does passing one A+ exam give the full credential?
The current certification requires both Core exams from the same version. Check the actual exam series and voucher/product terms rather than assuming a single exam or Core 1 bundle completes A+.
Can I join a remote Per Scholas class from any state?
Check whether it is National Remote training or a local campus’s remote class. The latter still has service-area requirements, alongside work authorization, income and the actual admissions process.
Does no-cost IT training pay my living costs?
Look for the actual offer. NPower distinguishes tuition-free training from a stipend; Per Scholas asks learners to budget personal expenses and may link a repayable loan. Neither label establishes automatic wages or a guaranteed job.
Check funding where you live
These state guides include the aid collected so far and national starting points. Confirm the specific provider and programme are approved before enrolling.
Build your own cost breakdown
Use an actual offer or provider quote for tuition, exams, background checks, materials, transport and other expenses. An advertised maximum award or occupational median is not a personal cost or starting-pay estimate.
Calculate your total cost →Sources & verification
Source summaries checked by automated research on the dates below. No human professional review is claimed.