CompTIA Tech+ is an important certification for anyone interested in a career in technology. It gives you the basic knowledge and hands-on skills you need to work with today’s digital tools. With this certification, you’ll gain the confidence to start a tech career. CompTIA Tech+ focuses on practical, real-world skills that help you understand key tech ideas, solve common problems, and build a strong foundation for learning more and growing in the tech industry.

Tech Concepts and Terminology (13%)

• Computing basics: How input, processing, output, and storage work.
• Number systems: Binary, decimal, hexadecimal, and octal.
• Units of measure: Storage (bit, byte, KB, GB, TB), speed (MHz, GHz), and network throughput (bps, Mbps, Gbps).
• Troubleshooting: How to identify problems, test solutions, fix issues, and document what you did.

Infrastructure (24%)

• Devices: Smartphones, tablets, laptops, servers, IoT devices, and gaming consoles.
• Internal parts: Motherboard, CPU, RAM, storage (HDD, SSD, NVMe), NIC, and GPU.
• Storage types: Volatile vs. non-volatile, local, network, and cloud storage.
• Peripherals: Setting up printers, scanners, monitors, and installing drivers.
• Connections: USB, HDMI, Ethernet, Bluetooth, NFC.
• Virtualization & cloud: Hypervisors, SaaS, PaaS, IaaS, hybrid and on-site setups.
• Networking basics: LAN vs. WAN, IP and MAC addresses, routers, switches, firewalls.
• Wireless: Wi-Fi standards, speeds, and interference.

Applications and Software (18%)

• Operating systems: Mobile, desktop, server, and embedded systems.
• OS parts: File systems (NTFS, FAT32), interfaces (GUI, command line), utilities, and drivers.
• Software types: Productivity, collaboration tools, web browsers, remote support apps.
• Web browsers: Private browsing, add-ons, password managers, clearing cache.
• Artificial intelligence: Chatbots, virtual assistants, and AI that helps create content or make predictions.

Software Development Concepts (13%)

• Programming languages: Interpreted, compiled, scripting, markup, and assembly languages.
• Data types: Characters, strings, numbers (integers, floats), Boolean.
• Programming ideas: Variables, constants, arrays, functions, objects.
• Organization techniques: Pseudocode, flowcharts, object-oriented methods, branching, looping.

Data and Database Fundamentals (13%)

• Why data matters: Decisions, reports, and making money from data.
• Databases: Relational vs. non-relational, tables, rows, fields, primary and foreign keys.
• Using databases: Queries, reports, cloud vs. local storage, scaling.
• Backups: File and system backups, local vs. cloud storage.

Security (19%)

• Security basics: Confidentiality, integrity, availability, authentication, and authorization.
• Device protection: Anti-malware, firewalls, updates, physical security, safe browsing.
• Passwords: Length, complexity, privacy, not reusing, password managers.
• Encryption: Protecting data at rest and in transit, HTTPS, VPNs, and mobile device security.

Recommended Student Knowledge Level Prior to taking the CompTIA Tech+ course:

• Create, manage, and organize files and folders in Windows
• Use web browsers to search for information and navigate websites
• Use email and basic productivity tools like Word and PowerPoint
• Join and participate in video meetings using tools like Zoom or Teams
• Follow basic online safety practices

Other Recommended Prior Learning:

• High school–level math skills, including basic arithmetic and logic
• High school–level reading and comprehension skills
• General curiosity about technology and how computers work
• Regular experience using personal computers or mobile devices

Recommended Prerequisite CompTIA Certifications (or Analogous Learning):

• No prior certifications are required
• This certification is designed for complete beginners
• It is an ideal first step for students with no background in technology

Course Level: Beginner

If you want to check your basic digital literacy skills and see if you are ready for the CompTIA Tech+ course, you can take a free assessment here.

This assessment is optional. You do not need to complete it.

Please complete only these three sections:

• Basic Computer Skills
• Internet Basics
• Windows 11

If you do not pass the assessment, we recommend starting with our Essential Computer Skills courses first to build your basic skills.

This course is offered in three ways:

• Scheduled virtual instructor-led: You attend scheduled classes online with an instructor from Minnesota Tech for Success.
• Virtual independent study: You complete the course online on your own schedule.
• Virtual independent study on demand: You complete the course online on your own schedule with support from a CompTIA instructor.

For the virtual options, you use the CompTIA virtual learning platform with MTFS instructor support.

This course is available all year. You can start your course when your enrollment is complete.

When this course is posted on CareerForce, we are required to enter a start date. The date shown on CareerForce is only for the job posting. It is not the date your course starts.

• Complete the course: Within three months of receiving your course materials.
• Take the exam: Within one month after completing the course.
• Retake the exam, if needed: Within two months of your last exam.

Your course materials and exam vouchers have expiration dates. These dates cannot be extended.

You must have basic digital literacy skills before taking this course.

CompTIA Tech+ does not require certification renewal.

After you complete the course and pass the exam, we offer career exploration and job support through our MTFS Gather Program.