How Many Questions Are on the Security+ Exam

If you’re wondering how many questions are on the Security+ exam, the short answer is: it’s up to 90 questions. The part that confuses people usually isn’t the total cap. It’s how the test is scored, and why you might end up seeing fewer than 90 when you sit down to take it.

How many questions are on the Security+ exam (up to 90)

For CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701), the exam is capped at up to 90 questions total. The word *up to* matters.

Keep these points straight:

• There’s a maximum of 90 questions.
• You may see fewer than 90 during your exam.
• The exam includes different question types, not just simple multiple-choice items.

So if your study plan is built on “I’ll do 90 practice questions and I’m done,” you’ll want to adjust. The real goal is to be ready for the full range of Security+ topics and formats, not to hit a specific question count.

How long do you have to complete the exam (90 minutes)

You also have 90 minutes to complete the Security+ exam.

That’s where pacing matters. Even if your exam ends up being less than 90 questions, you still have the full 90-minute window to read, answer, and work through the tougher questions—especially the ones that take more time.

What types of questions are included (multiple-choice and PBQs)

The Security+ exam isn’t only multiple-choice. It includes a mix of:

• Multiple-choice questions (choose the best answer from the options)
• PBQs (PBQ means performance-based questions, where you complete a task or work through a scenario instead of selecting an answer from choices)

Since PBQs often take more time and focus than standard multiple-choice, they can affect how the test feels—particularly if your total number of items is lower than 90.

Can you get fewer than 90 questions?

Yes. You can get a maximum of 90 questions, but it’s also possible to see fewer than 90 on your exam.

This is a major reason people get confused when they look up “how many questions to pass Security+.” If your test ends early, you can’t reliably compare your experience to someone else’s who saw the full 90.

In other words, the test has a cap, but how many questions you see depends on how that specific exam session plays out. What doesn’t change is that you have to meet the passing standard based on the score CompTIA generates—not on hitting a certain number of questions.

How passing works when the exam is capped at 90 questions

Here’s the trap: people look for a simple rule like “you need exactly X correct answers” or “one more question correct would pass.”

The “up to 90 questions” structure is a cap, not a guarantee that everyone sees the same number of questions.

You might also run into anecdotal confusion from real test-takers. One example mentioned in search results brings up a passing score of 750 and claims the person thought they needed “one more question correct” to pass. That’s a reaction, not a guaranteed way the scoring works. It also explains why question-count talk spreads so quickly—when you miss something, it’s natural to wonder how close you were.

The takeaway, without overthinking it:

• Your question count can vary (up to 90, sometimes fewer).
• Passing is determined by the scoring outcome, not by a simple “get 75 out of 90” rule.
• If you’re trying to predict results using “one more correct answer,” you’re treating the scoring like a straightforward tally, and that’s not how it works.

Instead of building your plan around a “passing question number,” focus on what actually matters: being strong in Security+ skills and concepts so your score meets the passing level.

Why people ask about “how many questions to pass” (and what to take from it)

Search results and message boards make it seem like there’s a fixed number of correct answers needed to pass. But because the exam is up to 90 questions, and because some people see fewer than 90, that kind of “X questions to pass” idea doesn’t hold consistently across test-takers.

That’s why the question keeps coming up:

• People want a clear target.
• But the exam experience isn’t identical for everyone.
• Passing comes from the score outcome (and you’ll often see the passing score number, like 750, showing up in discussions).

If you’re seeing a lot of posts about “CompTIA Security+ how many questions to pass,” treat it as a sign that timing and accuracy both matter. Just don’t let it replace solid preparation.

A better way to use that curiosity:

• Use the question cap (up to 90) to plan how much practice you can do per minute.
• Use the PBQ format to practice scenario thinking, not just memorization.
• Use any “near miss” story as motivation, not as a math problem you can solve exactly.

What to expect on exam day: question mix and pacing

On test day, the exam can feel like two different tasks at once:

1. Multiple-choice questions where you need to spot the best answer quickly.
2. PBQs where you slow down and work through what the scenario is asking.

Even if your exam ends up being fewer than 90 questions, you still have 90 minutes total. So you’ll want a steady pace. If you get stuck on a PBQ for too long, it can steal time from the rest of the exam.

Practical pacing ideas for your prep (based on the formats, not guesses about passing counts):

• Practice under time pressure so you don’t waste minutes rereading.
• When you’re stuck, move on if you can. If the exam format allows it, mark it and come back later.
• Don’t let one PBQ derail you—work the scenario, then keep going.

And remember: the question count you see isn’t something you can control. Your job is to stay calm, keep moving, and be ready for both question types.

Common Security+ exam questions from the SERP (hard to pass, failure, A+ vs Security+)

You’ll see repeated questions show up in search results. Here are the ones that come up most often, and what the question-count details can—and can’t—tell you.

Is Security+ hard to pass?

People search this, but the snippets people share tend to focus on the exam structure: up to 90 questions, 90 minutes, and a mix of multiple-choice + PBQs, rather than giving a clean “pass rate” number.

Instead of guessing difficulty from rumors, judge it from your prep. If you’re comfortable with both multiple-choice concepts and PBQ-style scenarios, you’ll be in a better position for what the exam actually asks.

How many people fail SEC+?

This is another common question, but the info shown here doesn’t provide a failure statistic you can rely on. What you can rely on is the exam format: time pressure and scenario-based tasks are where many people struggle.

Which is harder, A+ or Security+?

You’ll see comparisons in People Also Ask, but the snippets here don’t provide a direct difficulty comparison. What you can say is that Security+ includes PBQs, and that format difference is often bigger than people expect.

If you’re coming from A+, make sure you practice PBQs specifically.

CompTIA Security+ SY0-701 exam questions and answers

People often search for “exam questions and answers,” but a better approach is to use what you find to guide what you study—especially anything that looks like PBQs or scenario-based practice.

CompTIA Security+ how many questions to pass

This is the biggest source of confusion online. The facts that matter for exam structure here are:

• No more than 90 questions
• 90 minutes
• You may see fewer than 90
• Passing is based on the score outcome (people often mention 750 in anecdotal terms)

What you don’t get from snippets is a guaranteed rule like “you need exactly X correct answers.” And since you might see fewer than 90, trying to chase an exact correct-answer target is a gamble.

If you’re studying for SY0-701, use the question-count and format details here to plan your practice timing and PBQ practice.