IT Certification Exam Costs 2026: Full Price List (40+ Exams)
A vendor-by-vendor 2026 price reference for 40+ IT certification exams, from the $59 PCEP to the $749 CISSP, including the renewal, maintenance and retake fees most cost guides leave out.
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How IT Certification Exam Pricing Actually Works
Most people Google a single exam, find the headline fee, and assume that is the bill. It rarely is. The sticker price you pay Pearson VUE or PSI is only one line item. Vendors layer on annual maintenance fees, renewal cycles, mandatory training prerequisites, and retake charges that can quietly double the real cost of getting and staying certified. This page is a 2026 reference for the exam fees themselves, grouped by vendor, with the gotchas called out so you can budget honestly.
Every figure below is the standard United States USD exam fee as of 2026. Certification bodies adjust prices most years, and local taxes, currency conversion, and regional discounts all move the number. Treat each price as a starting point and confirm on the vendor's own registration page before you pay.
Rule of thumb for 2026: foundational exams run ~$60-$130, associate exams ~$150-$250, and professional, specialty, or expert exams ~$300-$760. The credentials that look cheap on the exam line (CISSP, CISA, PMP) are often the ones with the biggest recurring costs.
Cloud Platforms: AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Oracle
Cloud certs are the most popular entry point and, helpfully, among the most transparently priced. The catch is volume: a full path can mean three or four exams, and each is priced by tier.
- AWS Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02): ~$100 - foundational tier, the cheapest AWS entry point.
- AWS Associate (SAA-C03, DVA-C02, SOA-C02): ~$150 each - all associate exams share one price.
- AWS Professional & Specialty (SAP-C02, Security, ML): ~$300 each - the top tier roughly doubles per attempt.
- Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900): ~$99 - foundational; AI-900 and DP-900 match it.
- Azure role-based (AZ-104, AZ-204, AZ-305): ~$165 each as of 2026.
- Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer: ~$125 plus tax.
- Google Cloud Professional (Architect, Data Engineer, Database Engineer): ~$200 plus tax each.
- Oracle Certified Associate / Professional (Java, OCI, Database SQL): ~$245 per exam - OCI Foundations is frequently free during promotions.
The single best money-saver in cloud is AWS's loyalty discount: pass any AWS exam and you unlock a 50% off voucher for your next one. If you are planning a path, sequence the cheap foundational exam first to seed the discount. Our AWS Solutions Architect Associate practice tests and AZ-900 practice tests are built to get you through on the first attempt so you never spend the retake.
Money-saver: Microsoft regularly bundles free or discounted exam vouchers into Microsoft Learn challenges, Virtual Training Days, and student programs. Google and Oracle run periodic free-exam promotions too. Check for an active voucher campaign before paying full price.
CompTIA & Cisco
These two vendors anchor the infrastructure and networking career ladder, and both have pricing quirks worth knowing before you commit.
- CompTIA A+ (220-1201 & 220-1202): ~$265 per exam, and A+ requires two exams - budget ~$530 total as of 2026.
- CompTIA Network+ (N10-009): ~$390 single attempt.
- CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701): ~$425 single attempt - the most popular CompTIA cert.
- Cisco CCNA (200-301): ~$300 - one exam, entry to associate-level networking.
- Cisco CCNP (Enterprise ENCOR, etc.): ~$400 core exam plus a ~$300 concentration exam, so ~$700 for the full credential.
Hidden cost: CompTIA A+ is two separate exams (Core 1 and Core 2), and you are not A+ certified until you pass both. Many first-timers budget for one ~$265 sitting and are surprised by the real ~$530 total. Fail either half and you re-pay the full per-exam fee for that half.
CompTIA sells discounted vouchers and exam-plus-retake bundles directly, and authorized resellers shave 10-15% off - just watch expiry dates. Sharpen up with our Security+ practice tests before you spend $425. For networking, the CCNA practice tests cover the full 200-301 blueprint.
Security & Governance: ISC2 and ISACA
This is where the exam fee is only the down payment. The flagship security and audit certifications carry recurring fees that outlast any single payment.
- ISC2 CISSP: ~$749 exam fee - the benchmark senior security credential.
- ISC2 CCSP (cloud security): ~$599 exam fee.
- ISC2 SSCP / CGRC / CSSLP: ~$599 each, mid-tier ISC2 exams.
- ISACA CISA (audit): ~$575 member / ~$760 non-member.
- ISACA CISM (security management): ~$575 member / ~$760 non-member.
Hidden cost: ISC2 charges an Annual Maintenance Fee (AMF) of ~$135 per year once you certify, due every year on your certification anniversary. ISACA charges a separate annual maintenance fee (~$45 member / ~$85 non-member per certification) plus a one-time ~$50 application fee, and both bodies require ongoing CPE credits to keep the cert active. The CISSP's true first-year cost is closer to ~$884 once the AMF is counted, not the ~$749 headline.
Money-saver: ISACA membership (~$145/year) cuts ~$185 off each exam and discounts study materials, so it usually pays for itself the moment you register for CISA or CISM. If you are eyeing cloud security, our CCSP practice tests target the $599 exam directly.
Data & Analytics: Snowflake, Databricks, Tableau
The data-platform credentials are newer and priced in a tight, predictable band.
- Snowflake SnowPro Core (COF-C03): ~$175 per attempt.
- Databricks (Data Engineer Associate, Data Analyst, ML): ~$200 each - every paid Databricks exam is the same price.
- Tableau Certified Data Analyst: ~$200-$250, and the credential expires after about a year.
These vendors rarely discount, but they all publish free skill-up paths and sample questions. Because the fees are modest, the smart spend is on practice rather than retakes. Compare the two big data tracks in our Snowflake vs Databricks certification guide.
Project Management, Architecture & Agile: PMI, TOGAF, Scrum
These are the credentials with prerequisite strings attached - the exam fee assumes you have already paid for something else first.
- PMI PMP: ~$405-$425 member / ~$555-$675 non-member - the exact figure depends on your region and PMI's current schedule.
- PMI CAPM: ~$225 member / ~$300 non-member - the entry-level PM cert.
- TOGAF Enterprise Architecture Part 1 (OGEA-101): ~$405.
- TOGAF Part 2 (OGEA-102): ~$405 - or take the combined Part 1+2 exam for ~$610 and save ~$200.
- Scrum.org PSM I: ~$200 per attempt - no prerequisite, but no second chance on the fee.
Hidden cost: Before you can even sit the PMP, PMI requires 35 contact hours of formal project-management education (CAPM requires 23). That training is a separate purchase ranging from ~$30 for a self-paced course to over $3,000 for a bootcamp - and it is mandatory, not optional. PMP also assumes documented work experience, and applications can be audited. Budget the contact-hour cost alongside the exam fee.
Money-saver: PMI membership (~$164/year) drops the PMP exam to the member rate and includes a free PMBOK Guide, so members usually pay less overall than the non-member exam fee alone. On TOGAF, the combined exam is almost always cheaper than two separate sittings - book OGEA-101 and OGEA-102 together.
Pass first time, skip the retake fee
Every exam on this page charges you the full fee again to retake it - and the expensive ones (CISSP at ~$749, CISM at ~$760) hurt the most. Our practice tests mirror the real blueprints so you walk in ready and only pay once.
Browse Practice TestsPlatform & Developer: Salesforce, ServiceNow, Python, SOLIDWORKS
A grab-bag of vendor-specific and developer credentials that round out the 40+ exams - and a couple of genuinely cheap ones.
- Salesforce (Administrator, Platform App Builder, Agentforce): ~$200 per attempt, plus tax.
- ServiceNow Certified System Administrator (CSA): ~$300 - typically requires the paired training course.
- Python Institute PCEP (entry-level): ~$59 - one of the cheapest legitimate IT credentials available.
- Python Institute PCAP (associate): ~$295 - the widely recognized associate Python cert.
- SOLIDWORKS CSWA (Design Associate): ~$99 - frequently free via student licenses, CAD subscriptions, or user-group vouchers.
Hidden cost: Salesforce retakes are billed at 50% of the original exam price, so a failed ~$200 admin exam costs ~$100 to re-sit. ServiceNow's CSA is effectively gated behind its training - the exam voucher is often sold as part of the ~$300 course rather than standalone, so the 'exam fee' and 'training fee' blur together.
If you are starting from zero, PCEP at ~$59 and CSWA at ~$99 (often free) are the lowest-risk ways to put a real, verifiable credential on your resume. Then build toward the pricier platform certs once you know the field is for you.
The Four Hidden Costs That Wreck a Certification Budget
Across every vendor above, the same four traps inflate the bill beyond the exam fee. Plan for them up front:
- Retake fees: Almost no vendor offers a discounted re-sit. Fail a ~$749 CISSP and you pay ~$749 again. (PMI is a rare exception with reduced retake fees.) This is why first-attempt prep is the cheapest money you will spend.
- Annual maintenance / renewal: ISC2 (~$135/yr AMF), ISACA (~$45-$85/yr per cert), and PMI (renewal every 3 years) all charge to keep credentials valid - on top of earning continuing-education credits.
- Mandatory training: PMP's 35 contact hours and ServiceNow CSA's course are not optional add-ons; you cannot certify without them.
- Multi-exam credentials: CompTIA A+ (two exams) and Cisco CCNP (core plus concentration) bill per exam, so the credential costs roughly double the per-exam sticker.
Read each price on this page as 'as of 2026, before tax, single attempt.' The exam fee is the floor, not the ceiling - but with focused, first-attempt preparation you can keep your real cost close to that floor.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most expensive IT certification exam in 2026?
Among mainstream credentials, the ISC2 CISSP (~$749 exam fee) and the ISACA CISA/CISM non-member fee (~$760) sit at the top. Once you add the CISSP's ~$135 annual maintenance fee, its true first-year cost is roughly $884. Specialized vendor master-level practical exams can run higher still, but the security and audit flagships are the priciest commonly pursued exams.
Why is the certification cost I paid higher than the listed exam fee?
The headline number is usually the bare exam fee in US dollars, before tax. Your final bill can be higher because of local sales tax or VAT, currency conversion outside the US, mandatory training (PMP's 35 contact hours, ServiceNow's course), annual maintenance fees, or a one-time application fee like ISACA's ~$50. Always check the vendor's own registration page for your region's exact total.
Do I have to pay again to retake a certification exam if I fail?
In almost every case, yes - you pay the full exam fee for each attempt, and most vendors enforce a waiting period (often 14 days for the first retake) before you can re-sit. PMI is a notable exception, offering reduced retake fees within your eligibility window. Because retakes are so expensive, thorough first-attempt preparation with realistic practice tests is the single biggest cost-saver.
How can I lower the cost of getting certified?
Use the vendor discounts: AWS gives 50% off your next exam after you pass one, Microsoft bundles free vouchers into Learn challenges and Virtual Training Days, ISACA and PMI membership cuts exam fees by more than the membership costs, and TOGAF's combined exam saves ~$200 over two separate sittings. Students and CAD subscribers can often sit CSWA free. Beyond discounts, passing on the first attempt is the most reliable way to avoid paying twice.
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