CertPath Score
8
/10
About this certification
CompTIA PenTest+ validates hands-on penetration testing and vulnerability assessment skills. It covers all stages of a pen test including planning, scanning, exploitation, reporting, and remediation recommendations.
What you'll validate
- ✓Penetration testing planning
- ✓Information gathering
- ✓Attacks and exploits
- ✓Reporting and remediation
- ✓Tools and scripting
Pros & Cons
Advantages
- +DoD 8570 approved for CSSP-analyst roles
- +Vendor-neutral approach
- +Covers full pentest lifecycle
Disadvantages
- −Less respected in pentest community than OSCP
- −Relatively newer cert
Who it's for
Best for
- →Security+ holders moving into offensive security
- →Government/DoD pentest roles
Not ideal for
- ×Those seeking the most respected pentest credential (look at OSCP)
Career paths this unlocks
Study Resources
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Jobs for PenTest+ holders
PenTest+ holders report $10k–$30k+ salary uplift on average.
LinkedIn Jobs
Updated daily
Indeed
Dice (tech roles)
Tech-focused job board
CyberSeek (cyber only)
NIST-backed supply/demand tool
Job links open external sites. Search results are live and not curated by CertPath.
Quick Facts
- Exam Cost
- $392
- Exam Duration
- 165 minutes
- Questions
- ~85
- Passing Score
- 750/900
- Exam Format
- Multiple Choice + Performance
- Study Time
- ~150 hours
- Validity
- 3 years
- Salary Impact
- Strong ($10k–$30k+ uplift reported)
Prerequisites
- !Security+ and 3 years of hands-on IT security experience
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