Messer publishes video run-times but not total study commitment — and that gap creates unrealistic timelines for first-time candidates. Watching the videos is roughly 25% of the actual work. Practice questions, weak-area review, PBQ prep, and consolidation make up the other 75%. This page gives you honest hour numbers for each certification and a calendar mapping based on your weekly availability.
Professor Messer's video courses run 12–17 hours depending on the certification, but realistic total study time including practice and review is 50–80 hours. Most first-try passers spread that across 6–10 weeks. Faster timelines (3–4 weeks) require 3+ hours/day and prior IT experience.
Video Hours vs Total Study Hours
Approximate breakdowns for each cert:
| Cert | Video Run-Time | Practice + Review | Total Study Time | |---|---|---|---| | A+ Core 1 | 9 hrs | 25–35 hrs | 35–45 hrs | | A+ Core 2 | 8 hrs | 25–35 hrs | 35–45 hrs | | Network+ | 12 hrs | 35–45 hrs | 50–60 hrs | | Security+ | 15 hrs | 40–55 hrs | 55–80 hrs |
The practice + review portion is where the real learning happens. Treating "I finished the videos" as "I'm almost ready" is the most common timeline misjudgment.
Timeline by Weekly Availability
Pick the row that matches your real schedule:
| Hours/Week | Realistic Weeks (Security+) | Notes | |---|---|---| | 5 | 14–16 | Working parent pace. Don't compress. | | 7 | 10–12 | After-work standard. Sustainable. | | 10 | 7–8 | The "8-week plan" sweet spot. | | 15 | 5 | Aggressive but doable with discipline. | | 20+ | 3 | Only with prior IT background. |
Pick the longer end of the range if this is your first CompTIA exam. Pick the shorter end if you've passed one before — the second is always faster.
Where the Time Actually Goes
The honest hour breakdown for a typical Security+ candidate:
- Watching Messer videos — 15 hours - Taking notes / building flashcards — 5–8 hours - Daily practice questions during video weeks — 8–12 hours - Full-length practice exams (4–6) — 6–9 hours - Reviewing wrong answers in detail — 6–10 hours - PBQ-specific practice — 5–10 hours - Final week light review — 5 hours
Total: 50–69 hours of actual focused work. Add buffer time for life, and 70–80 hours over 6–10 weeks is the realistic envelope.
Pro Tips
Watch at 1.25x — same retention, 3+ hours saved across the course.
Calendar block your study time like meetings — "I'll study when I have time" rarely produces 50+ hours.
Don't count "rewatching while cooking" as study time — it isn't.
Track actual study hours in a notes app — most candidates overestimate by 30–40%.
If you're past your planned weeks but not at 85% practice scores, extend — don't test.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Believing video run-time equals total study time.
Compressing practice + review to fit a shorter calendar.
Multitasking during video study and counting it as full study hours.
Booking the exam based on calendar weeks instead of practice exam scores.
Frequently Asked Questions
About 15 hours of video. Total study time including practice is 55–80 hours.
About 12 hours of video, 50–60 hours total study.
You can watch the videos, but you will not be ready for the exam. Total study commitment is multiple weeks.
6–10 weeks at 7–10 hours/week is the most common first-try pass pattern.
Only if you have 15+ hours/week and prior IT experience. Otherwise 8 weeks is safer.
12–16 weeks total — both exams stacked sequentially.
Related Resources
Free CompTIA Practice Messer 8-Week Study Schedule Professor Messer Honest Review Professor Messer Alternatives How to Pass Security+Practice for 25+ Certifications—Free
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