- The Pass Rate Reality: What Is and Isn't Published
- Why "C)HT" Is Really Two Credentials in One Course
- What the Outline Says About Format, Length and Passing Grade
- How Testing Works: LMS, ID Checks and Policies
- Where Candidates Likely Lose Points: A Domain-by-Domain Read
- Renewal, Retakes and the Conflicts in the Sources
- Who Hires for These Skills
- A Domain-Ordered Preparation Plan
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Mile2 publishes no pass-rate figure for the C)HT or C)OST exams in the sources reviewed, so any quoted percentage is unverified.
- The combined outline cites 100 multiple-choice questions, about two hours and a 70% minimum grade, but does not clearly split these between exams.
- Hardware Technician and Operating Systems Technician are separately named credentials delivered in one combined course.
- Credentials stay valid for three years, with renewal by 60 CEUs or by passing the latest applicable exam.
The Pass Rate Reality: What Is and Isn't Published
Candidates searching for a pass rate usually want one number: the percentage of test-takers who succeed on the first try. For the Hardware Technician and Operating Systems Technician exams from Mile2, that number does not appear in any source we reviewed. The course outline, the self-study page, the policies document and the renewal pages describe content, format, mechanics and renewal, but none of them reports how many candidates pass.
That absence matters. If you encounter a site claiming a precise C)HT pass rate, ask where it came from. Many credentials share this acronym, and pass-rate claims are frequently borrowed from a different certification entirely. This article stays strictly with what is documented for the Mile2 Hardware Technician and Operating Systems Technician pair, and it tells you what that evidence implies about your odds without inventing a statistic.
What the data does show is the structure of the assessment: a fixed minimum grade, a question format, a defined set of topics and a testing process with identity verification. Those facts let you estimate the effort required far better than a headline percentage would. For a deeper look at effort, see our guide on how hard the C)HT exam is.
Why "C)HT" Is Really Two Credentials in One Course
Mile2's Terms and Conditions identify C)HT as Certified Hardware Technician and C)OST as Certified Operating Systems Technician. The self-study page describes two certifications delivered in one course. This site covers both under the C)HT label, which is why you will see hardware topics and operating-system topics side by side in the outline.
This dual nature complicates any talk of a pass rate. A single combined figure would blur two different bodies of knowledge: physical hardware repair on one side, and operating systems, networking, virtualization and security on the other. A candidate strong in motherboards and power supplies might still struggle with Windows management or cloud concepts, and the reverse is equally true. If you want background on the naming, our explainers on what C)HT stands for and what C)HT certification is cover the basics.
How the Two Credentials Divide
The published preparation topics split roughly into a hardware half and an operating-systems half.
- Hardware (C)HT): Troubleshooting, Motherboards and CPUs, Computer Power Supplies, Memory, Computer Expansion, Physical Storage, Input-Output Devices, Display Devices, Network Cables and Connectors, Mobile Devices, Printers and Multifunction Print Devices, Custom Computers, Operational Procedures, plus TCP/IP and Transport Protocols.
- Operating systems (C)OST): Operating Systems, Windows Management, Network Basics, Network Protocols, Wireless Networking, Windows Networking, Virtualization and Cloud Computing, Security Principles, Security Technologies, Securing Devices and Data, SOHO Network Configurations.
For the full breakdown of all 25 headings, read our complete guide to the 25 C)HT content areas.
What the Outline Says About Format, Length and Passing Grade
The combined web outline describes an exam of 100 multiple-choice questions, approximately two hours, and a 70% minimum grade. These are the only quantitative exam figures in the sources, and they come with an important caveat: the outline's exam paragraph is written in the singular, so it does not unambiguously say whether those figures apply to each of the two separately named exams or to something else. We therefore do not compute any aggregate question count or total duration.
| Item | What the sources state | Caveat |
|---|---|---|
| Question style | Multiple choice | Question-level detail is not public |
| Question count | 100 | Allocation between C)HT and C)OST unclear |
| Time | Approximately two hours | Allocation between exams unclear |
| Minimum grade | 70% | Same ambiguity applies |
| Class length | Five-day live class per credential | A course measure, not exam time |
| CEUs | 80 | A course measure, not exam time |
| Exam version | Not published | Legacy A+ 220-1002 reference does not establish version |
Notice the last row. The outline mentions a legacy CompTIA A+ 220-1002 reference, but that does not tell us which exam version you will face, nor does it prove alignment with any current A+ release. Do not assume the exam mirrors a different vendor's blueprint. For exact scoring details, our page on the C)HT passing score goes further.
Key Takeaway
A 70% minimum grade means you can miss roughly three in ten questions on the cited format. That is a meaningful cushion, but with 25 topic areas spanning hardware, networking and security, breadth gaps can add up quickly.
How Testing Works: LMS, ID Checks and Policies
Testing takes place in Mile2's online Learning Management System, accessed through a Mile2.com account. The Mile2 Policies and Procedures document dated May 26, 2026 identifies LearnDash as the platform, requires identification verification and policy acceptance, and permits certification-exam entry without buying Mile2 training. That last point is useful: you can sit for the exam without purchasing the course, though self-study then becomes entirely your responsibility.
These mechanics shape the experience in ways that affect outcomes:
- Identity verification must be completed before you test, so allow time for it rather than leaving it to the last minute.
- Policy acceptance is a required step, which means reading the Policies and Procedures document is part of preparation.
- Online delivery means your testing environment, connection and account setup are your responsibility.
Scheduling specifics are covered in our C)HT exam dates article.
Where Candidates Likely Lose Points: A Domain-by-Domain Read
Without published pass data, the most useful analysis is structural: which topics demand the broadest recall, and which require applied judgment? The outline lists 25 unweighted preparation topics. It does not publish percentage weights, so we cannot say which carry more questions. We can, however, reason about the nature of the material.
Hardware-side pressure points
Troubleshooting and Operational Procedures
These topics reward process thinking over memorization. Expect scenario-style reasoning about how to isolate a fault and how to work safely and professionally.
- Practice ordering diagnostic steps logically.
- Link symptoms to the component categories covered in Motherboards and CPUs, Memory and Computer Power Supplies.
Network Cables and Connectors; TCP/IP and Transport Protocols
This is where hardware meets networking. Candidates comfortable with physical components sometimes underestimate the protocol material.
- Know your connector and cable types by sight and use case.
- Be ready to move from physical media to addressing and transport concepts.
Custom Computers
This chapter lists Wi-Fi standards and wireless-encryption subsections. Study those items directly from the outline rather than assuming what they cover.
- Memorize the Wi-Fi standards named in your course materials.
- Review the wireless-encryption subsections as listed.
One quirk worth knowing: the hardware summary includes TCP/IP but omits Mobile Devices, while the detailed hardware outline includes Mobile Devices and omits a separate TCP/IP chapter. To be safe, study both. Power Supplies in the summary is simply an alias for Computer Power Supplies.
Operating-systems-side pressure points
Windows Management and Windows Networking
These are administrative topics where hands-on familiarity pays off more than reading. If you can navigate Windows tools fluently, scenario questions become much easier.
- Practice real configuration tasks in a lab or virtual machine.
- Connect management concepts to the networking behavior covered in Network Basics and Network Protocols.
Virtualization and Cloud Computing
Newer-feeling material for candidates from a pure repair background. Build a working vocabulary early.
- Understand what virtualization changes about how systems are provisioned and managed.
- Relate cloud concepts back to the networking and security topics.
Security Principles, Security Technologies and Securing Devices and Data
Three separate topic areas make security a substantial share of the preparation list, even though no weights are published. Do not treat it as an afterthought.
- Separate principles (the "why") from technologies (the "what") and from device and data protection (the "how").
- Tie SOHO Network Configurations back to these controls.
Because the sources publish no weights, avoid over-investing in any single area. A balanced approach protects you against the 70% threshold. Our C)HT study guide and cheat sheet are designed around that breadth.
Renewal, Retakes and the Conflicts in the Sources
Credentials are valid for three years. The current renewal pages describe alternative routes rather than a single requirement:
- CEU route: a standard 60-CEU cycle with documented activities, paid renewal and an ethics attestation.
- Exam route: renewal by passing the latest applicable certification exam.
The current FAQ lists USD 200 for the U.S. regional CEU renewal path. Eligible developing-region candidates may qualify for a lower price, and exam-based renewal may cost more. Those are the only fee figures we can tie to renewal.
This matters for pass-rate thinking too. Because exam-based renewal exists, some candidates will take the exam more than once across their careers, but no data tells us how that affects overall pass statistics.
Who Hires for These Skills
The combined hardware and operating-systems skill set maps to hands-on support roles. Employers that maintain fleets of desktops, laptops, printers and small office networks value the ability to diagnose a failing power supply, reconfigure a SOHO network and secure a Windows device within the same visit. Typical settings include internal IT help desks, managed service providers, field-service teams and small-business support providers. We don't cite salary figures here because none are published in the reviewed sources; our salary guide, jobs overview and ROI analysis discuss career value in qualitative terms.
A Domain-Ordered Preparation Plan
Because the exam spans two credentials' worth of material, sequencing matters more than study technique. The plan below orders topics from foundational hardware outward to networking, operating systems and security. Adjust the pacing to your own background; the structure is the point.
Hardware foundations
- Motherboards and CPUs, Computer Power Supplies and Memory
- Start Troubleshooting alongside, since it applies to every component
Peripherals and physical layers
- Computer Expansion, Physical Storage, Input-Output Devices, Display Devices
- Printers and Multifunction Print Devices, Mobile Devices
Networking bridge and build topics
- Network Cables and Connectors, TCP/IP and Transport Protocols
- Custom Computers (including the Wi-Fi standards and wireless-encryption items) and Operational Procedures
Operating systems and networks
- Operating Systems, Windows Management, Windows Networking
- Network Basics, Network Protocols, Wireless Networking
Cloud, security and integration
- Virtualization and Cloud Computing
- Security Principles, Security Technologies, Securing Devices and Data, SOHO Network Configurations
Finish by taking full-length timed practice sets on the main practice test site to check that your pacing fits the roughly two-hour window cited in the outline. If your scores lag in particular topics, return to that week's material, then retest. You can also begin with the practice questions to find weak spots before you commit to a schedule.
Key Takeaway
Schedule security and cloud topics late, but do not skip them. They are listed as five separate topic areas in the outline, and without published weights you cannot safely assume they matter less.
Frequently Asked Questions
No official pass rate for the Mile2 Hardware Technician or Operating Systems Technician exams appears in the public sources reviewed. Treat any specific percentage you see elsewhere with caution, since it may belong to a different credential that shares the acronym.
The combined outline cites a 70% minimum grade, along with 100 multiple-choice questions and approximately two hours. However, it does not clearly allocate those figures between the two separately named exams, so confirm details in your Mile2 account. See our passing score guide for more.
No. The May 26, 2026 Policies and Procedures document permits certification-exam entry without buying Mile2 training. You will still need a Mile2.com account, identity verification and policy acceptance. Read about C)HT training options if you want structured instruction.
Credentials are valid for three years. Renewal routes include a 60-CEU cycle with documented activities, paid renewal and ethics attestation, or passing the latest applicable certification exam. The sources conflict on some timing details, so verify current rules with Mile2.
No. The 25 headings are a union of published, unweighted preparation topics drawn from the course outlines. No official percentage weights are published, and the list is not an exhaustive exam blueprint. Our domains guide explains each area.