CompTIA A+ Score Calculator - Scaled score & miss buffer
Use this CompTIA A+ score calculator to turn practice-test accuracy into 100-900 scaled estimates for Core 1 and Core 2 and see how many questions you can still miss and pass.
CompTIA A+ Score Calculator
Results
What Is This CompTIA A+ Score Calculator?
This CompTIA A+ score calculator estimates the 100-900 scaled score for Core 1 (220-1101) and Core 2 (220-1102) from your practice-test accuracy, then tells you how many questions you can still miss and pass each exam. CompTIA A+ is earned only by passing both cores, so the tool also reports your overall certification status.
- • Practice-test debrief: Turn a finished mock into a scaled estimate so you can judge how close you are to the 675 and 700 lines before test day.
- • Miss-buffer planning: See exactly how many items you can afford to get wrong on each core and still clear the pass line.
- • Two-core gap check: Compare Core 1 and Core 2 readiness side by side instead of guessing which exam needs more study.
CompTIA scores each A+ exam on a 100-900 scale rather than as a raw percentage, and the two cores use different pass lines: 675 for Core 1 and 700 for Core 2. That mismatch trips up a lot of candidates who assume a single percentage applies to both exams.
This estimator keeps the two cores separate so you always see the right threshold for the right exam. If your study plan also includes a sibling credential, the CompTIA Security+ Score Calculator applies the same scaled-score thinking to a 750 pass line.
If you are also studying the Security+ path, the CompTIA Security+ Score Calculator shows how a 100-900 estimate compares to its 750 pass line on SY0-701.
How This CompTIA A+ Score Calculator Works
The tool maps your raw fraction correct onto the same 100-900 range CompTIA uses, treating 0% as a scaled 100 and 100% as a scaled 900. Every raw percentage point therefore equals 8 scaled points, which makes the estimate easy to read and reverse-check.
- Core 1 correct / total: Correct and total items from a Core 1 (220-1101) practice form; total can range up to 90 questions.
- Core 2 correct / total: Correct and total items from a Core 2 (220-1102) practice form; total can range up to 90 questions.
- Pass line: 675 for Core 1 and 700 for Core 2, the published CompTIA A+ scaled-score thresholds.
Because the scale is linear in this model, a 75% raw result on Core 1 lands near a scaled 700, just above the 675 line, while the same 75% on Core 2 falls just below the 700 line. That is why the two cores demand different accuracy to pass.
The 'needed' count is rounded up with a ceiling, since you cannot answer a fractional question. The 'can miss' figure is simply the remainder of the form after that needed count.
Core 1 at 70 / 90
70 correct of 90 total on Core 1.
raw = 70 / 90 = 77.8%; scaled = 100 + 8 x 77.8 = 722.
Estimated Core 1 scaled score: 722 (pass).
722 is above 675, so this mock clears Core 1. You needed 68 correct and could miss 22.
Core 2 at 50 / 90
50 correct of 90 total on Core 2.
raw = 50 / 90 = 55.6%; scaled = 100 + 8 x 55.6 = 544.
Estimated Core 2 scaled score: 544 (below line).
544 is well under 700, so Core 2 still needs work. You would need 70 correct and can currently miss only 40.
According to CompTIA, A+ is earned by passing two exams, Core 1 (220-1101) and Core 2 (220-1102), scored on a 100-900 scale with passing scaled scores of 675 and 700.
The same scaled-score logic appears in the CompTIA Network+ Score Calculator, which maps N10-009 practice accuracy to a 100-900 estimate against 720.
Key Concepts Explained
A few terms decide whether your practice result means 'ready' or 'not yet.' This CompTIA A+ score calculator reports the scaled estimate for each core so you can see the gap directly, and understanding the terms below prevents the most common A+ scoring mistakes.
Scaled score (100-900)
CompTIA reports each exam as a number between 100 and 900, not as the percentage you answered correctly. The scaled score adjusts for small difficulty differences between exam forms.
Pass line 675 vs 700
Core 1 (220-1101) passes at a scaled 675; Core 2 (220-1102) passes at 700. The higher Core 2 line means it typically demands a slightly larger fraction of items correct.
Raw percentage
Your correct divided by total on a practice test. It is the starting point the estimator converts into a scaled score, but it is not the score CompTIA prints on your report.
Miss buffer
The number of questions you can get wrong and still reach the pass line. A bigger buffer means more room for careless errors on exam day.
The gap between 675 and 700 looks small, but because the scale tops out at 900 it represents a meaningful difference in required accuracy. On a 90-item form, Core 1 needs about 68 correct while Core 2 needs about 70.
Treat the scaled estimate as a planning number rather than a fixed result. The real exam uses CompTIA's own equating, which this linear model only approximates.
Unlike A+, which reports a single 100-900 scaled score per exam, the ACT Score Calculator rolls section scores into one composite number.
How to Use This Calculator
Enter one completed practice form at a time for each core. This CompTIA A+ score calculator reads each core separately, so never average the two exams together, and the fields accept any form length up to 90 questions so you can use full-length mocks or shorter quizzes.
- 1 Enter Core 1 results: Type the number you got right on a Core 1 (220-1101) practice test, then the total questions on that form.
- 2 Enter Core 2 results: Do the same for a Core 2 (220-1102) practice test, keeping the two cores in their own fields.
- 3 Read the scaled estimates: The tool shows a 100-900 estimate for each core plus its pass or below-line status.
- 4 Check your miss buffer: Note how many questions each core lets you miss and how many correct answers are required to pass.
If you scored 78 / 90 on Core 1, the estimate is 793 with a 22-question miss buffer; if you scored 50 / 90 on Core 2, the estimate is 544 and you would need to add 20 correct answers to reach the 700 line.
When you finish a practice form and want a different admission exam readout, the ATI TEAS Score Calculator converts TEAS subtest accuracy into a reported score.
Benefits of Using This Calculator
The value is not just a number, it is knowing which core is the bottleneck and how much error you can absorb before test day.
- • Two-core clarity: Separate scaled estimates for 220-1101 and 220-1102 stop you from averaging the two exams and misreading your readiness.
- • Concrete miss buffer: Seeing 'you can miss 22' is more motivating and useful than a bare percentage when you still have study time left.
- • Catch the 675/700 mismatch: The tool flags when the same raw percentage passes one core but not the other, the mistake most first-time candidates make.
- • Study prioritization: Whether you need a safe 720 buffer or just the minimum pass, the needed-correct count tells you exactly where to aim.
- • Exam-day confidence: Walking in knowing your margin reduces panic if you suspect you fumbled a question or two.
Candidates often fixate on a single target percentage and forget that Core 2 asks for more. The CompTIA A+ score calculator keeps both thresholds visible, which is why the side-by-side readout matters.
If your next cert after A+ is a cloud fundamentals exam, the AWS Cloud Practitioner Score Estimator uses the identical 100-900 framework with its own pass line, so the habit transfers directly.
If your next goal is a cloud fundamentals cert, the AWS Cloud Practitioner Score Estimator turns CLF-C02 practice accuracy into a 100-900 estimate with its own pass line.
Factors That Affect Your Results
The estimate is only as good as the practice form behind it. Several real-exam factors change the number CompTIA actually reports.
Form length
A 75-item quiz and a 90-item exam produce different miss buffers even at the same percentage, because the needed-correct count scales with total questions.
Equating across forms
CompTIA's official scaled score uses statistical equating, so two forms with the same raw percentage can return slightly different scaled scores. This linear model smooths that out.
Domain weighting
A+ weights domains differently, so missing easy, heavily weighted items hurts more than missing rare ones. Raw accuracy alone cannot capture that.
Retake rules
If one core lapses, CompTIA lets you keep the passed core for a limited window, so timing between the two exams matters for your overall status.
- • This estimator returns an approximation based on linear scaling; it is not the official CompTIA equated score and should not replace your actual exam report.
- • Domain weighting and item difficulty are not modeled, so a low-accuracy mock on easy items may read better here than it would on the real exam.
Use the scaled estimate to track trend across mocks rather than treating one result as a fixed outcome. If the number drifts up week over week, your readiness is improving even if the exact value moves.
Pair the estimate with timed, full-length practice so the form length and pacing match what you will face on test day.
According to CompTIA, Each A+ exam is reported as a scaled score between 100 and 900 rather than a raw percentage, so the same raw accuracy can map to slightly different scaled outcomes across forms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the passing score for CompTIA A+?
A: CompTIA publishes 675 as the passing scaled score for Core 1 (220-1101) and 700 for Core 2 (220-1102), both on the 100-900 scale. You must pass both exams to earn A+.
Q: How many questions can I miss and still pass Core 1 or Core 2?
A: On a 90-question form, Core 1 needs about 68 correct so you can miss up to 22, while Core 2 needs about 70 correct so you can miss up to 20. The exact buffer depends on your form length, which is why this calculator asks for your total questions.
Q: How is the CompTIA A+ scaled score different from my raw percentage?
A: Your raw percentage is simply correct divided by total. CompTIA reports each exam as a scaled 100-900 score that adjusts for small difficulty differences between forms, so the same percentage can map to a slightly different scaled result across exams.
Q: Do I need to pass both Core 1 and Core 2 to earn A+?
A: Yes. A+ is awarded only when both Core 1 and Core 2 are passed at or above their respective lines (675 and 700). Passing one core alone does not grant the certification.
Q: What raw percentage corresponds to the 675 and 700 pass lines?
A: On the linear estimate used here, the 675 Core 1 line sits near 71.9% raw and the 700 Core 2 line sits near 75% raw. Because 700 is higher than 675, Core 2 demands a slightly larger fraction of items correct.
Q: Is a scaled score of 675 a good CompTIA A+ result?
A: 675 is the minimum passing result for Core 1, not a target to aim for. Many candidates study for a comfortable buffer, such as a scaled 720, so a few missed questions on exam day do not drop them below the line.