PenTest+ Passing Score: 750 out of 900 (PT0-003) Explained
The CompTIA PenTest+ PT0-003 passing score is 750/900 — about 83%. See the 5 domain weights, how many questions you can miss, and how to prepare.
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Table of Contents
The CompTIA PenTest+ (PT0-003) passing score is 750 out of 900 — roughly 83%, the same bar as Security+ and CySA+. PenTest+ is a hands-on, offensive-security exam, and its performance-based questions are some of the most involved CompTIA writes. Here's what 750 requires, how the five domains are weighted, and how many questions you can miss.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Passing score | 750 / 900 |
| Approximate % | ~83% correct |
| Total questions | Up to 90 |
| Time limit | 165 minutes |
| Question types | Multiple choice + performance-based (PBQ) |
| Domains | 5 |
| Exam code | PT0-003 |
| Exam cost | $439 (2026) |
How Is the PenTest+ Exam Scored?
CompTIA uses scaled scoring from 100 to 900. Your raw correct count is converted onto that scale, so questions aren't equally weighted. PenTest+ leans hard on performance-based questions — analyzing tool output, choosing exploits, working through code snippets — and those almost certainly carry more weight than a single multiple-choice item.
CompTIA doesn't publish the conversion formula, so "~83%" approximates the 750/900 line rather than a fixed raw cutoff. Given how technical the PBQs are, a comfortable margin matters more here than on the info-heavy exams.
PenTest+ PT0-003 Domain Weights
PT0-003 covers the full penetration-testing lifecycle across five domains. Attacks and Exploits is the single heaviest at 30%:
| Domain | Weight | ~Questions (of 90) |
|---|---|---|
| 1.0 Planning and Scoping | 14% | ~13 |
| 2.0 Information Gathering and Vulnerability Scanning | 22% | ~20 |
| 3.0 Attacks and Exploits | 30% | ~27 |
| 4.0 Reporting and Communication | 18% | ~16 |
| 5.0 Tools and Code Analysis | 16% | ~14 |
Attacks and Exploits plus Information Gathering are over half the exam, but don't neglect Reporting — it's 18% and it's what real engagements are judged on. For the full sub-objective checklist, see the PenTest+ PT0-003 exam objectives.
How Many Questions Can You Miss?
With up to 90 questions and an ~83% threshold, you need roughly 75 correct — a miss budget of about 15 questions, the same tight margin as Security+. But PenTest+ PBQs are multi-step: a single mishandled exploitation or tool-output question can cost more than one multiple-choice miss, so treat the real margin as smaller than 15.
Why This Matters
PenTest+ rewards people who have actually run the tools and read the output, not just memorized command flags. If you can explain what a scan result means and what you'd do next, you're studying the right way.
How to Know You're Ready
- Score 85%+ on at least 3 full-length practice exams — the PBQ weighting makes margin essential.
- No domain below 75% — especially Attacks and Exploits, the 30% giant.
- You can read tool output — Nmap, Burp, Metasploit-style results should tell you a story, not just look like noise.
- Comfortable with scripts — you can read a Bash/Python/PowerShell snippet and say what it does.
- Timed conditions — you've completed a full exam inside the 165-minute window.
SecuSpark has 552 PenTest+ practice questions (3 full exams free to start), with AI deep dives that explain every answer. Practice on the PenTest+ practice test.
PenTest+ Passing Score vs Other CompTIA Exams
| Certification | Passing Score | ~% |
|---|---|---|
| A+ Core 1 / Core 2 | 675 / 700 | ~75% / ~78% |
| Network+ | 720 | ~80% |
| Security+ | 750 | ~83% |
| CySA+ | 750 | ~83% |
| PenTest+ | 750 | ~83% |
PenTest+ shares the 750/900 bar with Security+ and CySA+ — the offensive-security specialty holds the same standard as the defensive ones. Most candidates hold Security+ (and often Network+) before attempting it.
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