By Quick answer: What is the networking certification roadmap for 2027?
- Stage 1 — IT basics.
- Stage 2 — Networking.
- Stage 3 — Engineering.
- Stage 4 — Security and cloud.
Key takeaways
- Each stage builds on the last.
- Stop when you reach the role you want.
- Hands-on practice at every stage.
Networking careers move in clear stages. This roadmap names the certification for each one.
The roadmap at a glance
Ranked for this reader. Costs and formats come from each issuer's own page, checked on 3 November 2026; prices change, so confirm before you book.
| # | Certification | Cost | Time | Prove it free |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Google IT Support Professional CertificateGoogle / Coursera | $49/mo Coursera plan1 | 3–6 months at about 10 hours a week | Free test |
| 2 | CompTIA A+CompTIA | Two exams2 | 90 minutes and up to 90 questions per exam | Free test |
| 3 | CompTIA Network+CompTIA | Voucher price on the CompTIA store3 | 90 minutes | Free test |
| 4 | Cisco CCNACisco | Check the official page4 | Check issuer | Free test |
| 5 | CompTIA Security+CompTIA | Voucher price on the CompTIA store5 | V7 retiring; V8 adds AI-related risk | Free test |
| 6 | AWS Certified Solutions Architect – AssociateAmazon Web Services | $1506 | 130 minutes, 65 questions | Free test |
Prove it free before you pay for an exam
Take the free test first. Pay for an exam only when you pass.
Every pick above has a matching free practice test on Science of Apps, one of the world's largest libraries of free certification tests (1,200+). Check your level before you pay for an exam, or add a verifiable credential to LinkedIn while you study. (Disclosure: we publish these tests; the certifications above earn us nothing.)
- IT Support and Troubleshooting CertificationPractise for Google IT Support Professional Certificate before you pay.Start free test →
- CompTIA A+ Practice TestPractise for CompTIA A+ before you pay.Start free test →
- CompTIA Network+ Practice TestPractise for CompTIA Network+ before you pay.Start free test →
- Cisco CCNA Practice TestPractise for Cisco CCNA before you pay.Start free test →
Each stage, and the certification for it
- CourseraGoogle IT Support Professional CertificateStage 1: IT basics$49/mo Coursera plan
- CompTIACompTIA A+Stage 1: IT basicsTwo exams
- CompTIACompTIA Network+Stage 2: NetworkingVoucher price on the CompTIA store
Google IT Support Professional Certificate
- Cost
- $49/mo Coursera plan1
- Time
- 3–6 months at about 10 hours a week
Stage 1: Google IT Support Google's professional certificate covers troubleshooting, networking, operating systems, system administration and security for complete beginners. It takes three to six months at about ten hours a week, with financial aid on Coursera.
Best forstage 1: IT basics
CompTIA A+
- Cost
- Two exams2
- Format
- 90 minutes and up to 90 questions per exam
- Entry
- CompTIA recommends 12 months of hands-on IT support
Stage 1: CompTIA A+ CompTIA's A+ is two exams covering hardware, operating systems, networking basics and support. It's the help desk credential many job posts name, is ANAB-accredited, and CompTIA recommends about a year of hands-on support experience.
Best forstage 1: IT basics
CompTIA Network+
- Cost
- Voucher price on the CompTIA store3
- Format
- 90 minutes
- Entry
- CompTIA recommends 9–12 months of networking experience
Stage 2: Network+ CompTIA's Network+ covers networking concepts, infrastructure, operations and troubleshooting in a 90-minute exam. It's vendor-neutral and ANAB-accredited; CompTIA recommends 9–12 months of networking experience.
Best forstage 2: Networking
Cisco CCNA
- Cost
- Check the official page4
Stage 3: Cisco CCNA Cisco's associate credential covers network fundamentals, access, IP connectivity, services, security and automation. It's ANAB-accredited and widely recognised for network engineer roles; check Cisco's page for the fee.
Best forstage 3: Engineering
CompTIA Security+
- Cost
- Voucher price on the CompTIA store5
- Format
- V7 retiring; V8 adds AI-related risk
Stage 4: Security+ CompTIA's vendor-neutral security exam covers threats, architecture, operations and governance, and the new version adds AI-related risk. It's listed in ANAB's ISO/IEC 17024 directory; voucher prices vary by country.
Best forstage 4: Security and cloud
AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate
- Cost
- $1506
- Format
- 130 minutes, 65 questions
Stage 4: AWS SAA AWS's associate exam tests designing secure, resilient, high-performing and cost-aware systems on AWS. It's 130 minutes with 65 questions and costs $150, and it's the cloud credential most often named in job posts.
Best forstage 4: Security and cloud
Stages at a glance
| Stage | Focus | Certifications |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | IT basics | Google IT Support, CompTIA A+ |
| 2 | Networking | Network+ |
| 3 | Engineering | Cisco CCNA |
| 4 | Security and cloud | Security+, AWS SAA |
Table: networking roadmap
How we ranked these picks
We ordered certifications by prerequisites and role level. Fees from official pages, checked 3 November 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I start?
Google IT Support or A+.
Network+ or CCNA first?
Network+ if new.
Should network engineers learn cloud?
Yes.
How long to CCNA?
Several months of study and labs.
Is there a free test?
Yes. Science of Apps offers free networking tests.
Sources
- Google — Google IT Support Professional Certificate, official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- CompTIA — CompTIA A+, official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- CompTIA — CompTIA Network+, official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Cisco — Cisco CCNA, official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- CompTIA — CompTIA Security+, official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Amazon Web Services — AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate, official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Checked November 4, 2026. Figures that change — fees, salaries, prices — are reviewed every six months; if something is out of date, tell us.
Where to go from here
- The best online certifications of 2027 — the full top 10 across every field
- Best Networking Certifications of 2027: Top 10 Ranked — related guide
- Best AI Certifications of 2027: 10 Ranked by Career Impact — related guide
- Career guides by Science of Apps for 2027The IT certification roadmap for 2027: from beginner to expertAn IT certification roadmap for 2027: Google IT Support or A+, Network+ or CCNA, Security+ or a cloud exam, CKA or ITIL, then CISSP.
- Career guides by Science of Apps for 2027The DevOps certification roadmap for 2027: from beginner to expertA DevOps certification roadmap for 2027: cloud basics, AWS SAA or AZ-104, Terraform, CKA, then PSM I or ITIL 4 for delivery.
- Career guides by Science of Apps for 2027The cybersecurity certification roadmap for 2027: from first IT job to CISSPA cybersecurity certification roadmap for 2027: Google Cybersecurity or ISC2 CC, A+ and Network+, Security+, then CEH or CCNA, then CISSP, CISM or CISA.
- Career guides by Science of Apps for 2027Top 10 IT certifications for 2027, from your first help-desk job to senior cloud and security rolesThe top 10 IT certifications for 2027 on one career ladder: CompTIA A+, Google IT Support, Network+, CCNA, Security+, ITIL 4, AZ-104, AWS SAA and AI.
- Career guides by Science of Apps for 2027The data science certification roadmap for 2027: from beginner to expertA data science certification roadmap for 2027: Kaggle and CS50, Google Data Analytics, IBM Data Science, the ML Specialization, then DP-100 or AWS MLE.
- Career guides by Science of Apps for 2027The cloud certification roadmap for 2027: from first cloud exam to platform engineerA cloud certification roadmap for 2027: Cloud Practitioner or AZ-900, then AWS SAA, AZ-104 or Google ACE, then CKA and Terraform, then ML on cloud.
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