🚀 CCNA vs CompTIA
Which Cert Path Gets You to $60K Faster?
🚀 CCNA vs CompTIA: Which Cert Path Gets You to $60K Faster?
For students starting from scratch and gunning for a $60K+ tech job fast—what’s the most efficient route?
TL;DR
If you’re a newcomer with zero experience, aiming to get hired ASAP, CompTIA Network+ + Security+ is the most versatile, high-opportunity, and employer-friendly fast-track combo to hit $60K roles. CCNA is a powerful but narrower specialist credential. Here's why CompTIA usually wins for beginners.
🧭 The Real Question: "How Do I Get to $60K Fast?"
In 2025’s tech job market, there are multiple ways to hit the $60,000/year salary mark with no degree and no experience—if you pick the right entry point. We analyzed two of the most commonly debated paths:
Cisco CCNA
CompTIA Network+ + Security+ (Combo Track)
Both are respected. Both are learnable in under 60 days. But which one delivers speed, access, and growth the fastest?
Let’s break it down by:
✅ Time-to-job-readiness
✅ Role availability
✅ Employer demand
✅ Starting salary potential
✅ Long-term leverage
🛰️ Option 1: Cisco CCNA — The Networking Specialist Route
🧠 What It Covers:
The CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) certifies you can configure and troubleshoot enterprise networks. It dives deeper than Network+, focusing on Cisco-specific tools and architectures.
⏱️ Training Time:
~8 weeks (for a motivated learner)
💼 Job Titles You Can Target:
Network Technician
Junior Network Engineer
Network Administrator
💰 Salary Range:
Entry roles: $55K–$65K
Higher in metro areas or with DoD clearance
📈 Demand Snapshot:
Over 5,000 U.S. job listings mention CCNA. Strong demand in enterprise IT, MSPs, and government contracts.
⚖️ Bottom Line:
CCNA is powerful but niche. If you love networking and want to go deep, it’s a worthy first move—but it may not open as many types of roles as the CompTIA combo if you're just getting started.
🔐 Option 2: CompTIA Network+ + Security+ — The Generalist's Power Combo
🧠 What It Covers:
Network+: Networking fundamentals
Security+: Cybersecurity principles, compliance, threat management
Together, they form the baseline knowledge for nearly all entry-level IT and cybersecurity roles.
⏱️ Training Time:
~6-8 weeks combined (overlapping content)
💼 Job Titles You Can Target:
IT Support / Help Desk (Tier 1–2)
Junior Systems Admin
SOC Analyst (Tier 1)
Security Analyst (L1)
💰 Salary Range:
$60K–$70K for SOC or security roles
$55K–$65K for IT generalist jobs
Security+ often meets DoD 8140 requirements, unlocking federal contracts
📈 Demand Snapshot:
Over 100,000 jobs mention Security+
Over 65,000 listings mention Network+
⚖️ Bottom Line:
This is the entry-level cert combo employers are actually asking for. They’re designed for beginners, vendor-neutral, and respected across public and private sectors. This route opens more doors faster than CCNA alone.
🥇 The Winner: CompTIA Combo (Network+ + Security+)
If your goal is to land a $60K job fast, then:
✅ More total job listings reference Security+ than CCNA
✅ Fewer employers require prior experience for Security+ roles
✅ Faster route to job-readiness for total beginners
✅ Broader access to multiple domains: support, systems, security
In other words, Network+ + Security+ gives you a better shot at more jobs with less gatekeeping.
"You’re not trying to master networking—you’re trying to land your first job."
— BowTiedCyber Bootcamp Playbook
🧠 Bonus: Add AZ-900 or Splunk Core for Even More Firepower
Once you’ve nailed Network+ and Security+, a fast-follow move is to grab:
AZ-900 (Azure Fundamentals) – proves you “do cloud”
Splunk Core User – proves you “do SOC/SIEM”
These are low-effort, high-leverage certs that strengthen your resume even more—and make you competitive for Tier 1–2 SOC analyst roles, not just help desk.
🎓 Real-World Path: 90 Days to Hire-Readiness
From our program data:
90 days of structured training → multiple job offers
Median student salary: $80K+
Common cert combo: Network+ + Security+ + Splunk + AZ-900
We don’t guess. We test. We optimize. And this combo keeps outperforming in the market.
📚 Want the system behind this?
Explore the Zero to Hoodie Bootcamp and learn how to go from clueless to cloud SOC wizard—without a degree and without wasting time.
FINAL VERDICT:
➡️ Go CompTIA first. Add CCNA later if you specialize.
➡️ Fastest path to $60K? Network+ + Security+ wins.
🔒 Ready to make the leap?
No experience? No degree? You don’t need them.
🧠 You need the right plan. We’ve got it.
6 days to Cohort 0 of the BowTied Two-Step Bootcamp
Space is almost gone and shrinking DAILY:
→ Apply to BowTied Two-Step Bootcamp
→ Join 70+ grads now making $80K+/year
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Love you all.
Cheers,
Evan Lutz (BowTiedCyber)