Security+ Passing Score: 750/900 Explained (SY0-701 Score Report)

The magic number is 750 out of 900. That is roughly 83%, and it is the score you need to pass the CompTIA Security+ SY0-701 exam. I remember staring at that number the week before my exam thinking "how many questions can I actually get wrong?" So let me break it down, domain by domain, with the exact miss budget I wish someone had given me.

How Is the Security+ Exam Scored?

CompTIA uses a scaled scoring system that ranges from 100 to 900. Your raw number of correct answers is converted to this scale, which means not every question is weighted equally. Performance-based questions (PBQs) — the simulation-style tasks where you configure firewalls, analyze logs, or drag-and-drop network components — likely carry more weight than standard multiple-choice.

You can feel that difference yourself: the free Security+ PBQ simulator lets you try log-analysis, matching, and ordering PBQs in the real SY0-701 formats before exam day.

CompTIA does not publish the exact weighting formula. The 83% figure is an approximation based on the 750/900 threshold, not a guaranteed cutoff. In practice, two candidates with the same raw score could receive slightly different scaled scores depending on which version of the exam they received.

The key takeaway: do not try to game the system by aiming for exactly 83%. Build a comfortable margin. If you are consistently hitting 85%+ on realistic practice exams, you are in strong shape.

100900

750 to pass (~83%)

What Are the SY0-701 Domain Weights?

The five SY0-701 domains are not weighted equally. Security Operations alone accounts for 28% of your score — nearly a third of the exam. Here is the full breakdown:

If you are short on study time, prioritize domains 4 and 2 — together they account for 50% of your score. Nail those two and you have half the exam locked down.

How Many Questions Can You Get Wrong?

With 90 questions and an ~83% threshold, you need about 75 correct answers. That gives you a miss budget of roughly 15 questions. But not all 15 misses are equal — missing 5 questions in a 28% domain hurts more than missing 5 in a 12% domain.

Per-Domain Miss Budget

Here is an approximate breakdown of how many questions you can afford to miss in each domain while still hitting 750. This assumes you are aiming for ~83% accuracy per domain:

Remember: PBQs may be weighted differently, and CompTIA uses scaled scoring. These numbers are approximations, not guarantees. The safest approach is to aim for 85-90% on every domain in practice so you have breathing room on exam day.

What Your Score Report Shows

The moment you finish, Pearson VUE prints a score report. It gives you three things: your overall scaled score out of 900, a PASS or FAIL, and a per-domain bar chart showing which of the five domains you were above or below the target line on. It does not show your raw number correct, which specific questions you missed, or a clean percentage. If you fail, that per-domain bar is the most valuable thing on the page — it points to exactly where to focus before a retake.

Security+ Retake Rules

Miss the 750 line and CompTIA's retake policy is straightforward:

• First retake: no waiting period — you can rebook immediately.
• Third attempt and beyond: a 14-day wait between each attempt.
• Cost: each attempt is a full-price voucher ($439) unless you bought the Voucher + Retake bundle up front.

Most people who fail and retake within a month pass the second time, precisely because the score report tells them the one domain to fix. For the full picture on vouchers, bundles, and renewal, see the Security+ exam cost breakdown.

How to Check If You Are Ready

Here is the readiness checklist I recommend to every person studying for Security+. If you can check all five boxes, book your exam:

1. Score 85%+ on at least 3 full-length practice exams — not just one lucky run. Consistency matters more than a single peak score.
2. No domain below 75% — one weak domain can sink you even if your overall average looks good. Check your per-domain scores.
3. Can explain wrong answers — if you miss a question, can you explain why each wrong answer is wrong? That is real understanding, not just pattern matching.
4. PBQ comfort — you have practiced drag-and-drop, log analysis, and network diagram questions. These are worth more points and catch people off guard.
5. Timed conditions — you have completed at least one practice exam under real time pressure (90 questions in 90 minutes). Time management is a skill.

If you are using SecuSpark's practice questions (3 free exams to start, 1,808 total with Campaign Pass), the premium AI deep dives will tell you exactly why you got each question wrong — including mnemonics to help you remember next time. If you have ADHD or just struggle with dense material, the RPG battle system turns each domain into enemies you fight, which honestly makes studying feel less like a chore.

Passing Score vs Other CompTIA Exams

Security+ has one of the higher passing thresholds in the CompTIA ecosystem. Here is how it compares:

Security+ sits at the same 750/900 threshold as CySA+ and PenTest+ — the cybersecurity-track certs demand the same standard. A+ and Network+ are slightly more forgiving. CISSP, despite being a harder exam overall, has a lower percentage threshold (70%) because the questions are harder and the adaptive testing format works differently.

The bottom line: 750/900 is achievable but not trivial. You need genuine understanding of all five domains, not surface-level memorization. If you are scoring 85%+ consistently on a realistic Security+ practice test, you are ready.

For a deeper look at pass rates and how preparation method affects your odds, see Security+ Pass Rate Statistics. To gauge how tough the exam will actually feel for your background, see How Hard Is Security+.