cert cost of ownership
The real cost of Cisco Certified Network Associate: exam, training, and renewal
Direct answer
What to do
Budget the required exam cost first. Keep renewal, optional training, retakes, taxes, and unresolved provider terms separate instead of presenting one invented total.
Budget from
- The current required exam attempt or attempts.
- Published renewal costs and the actual renewal cycle.
- Free preparation before optional paid instruction.
Keep separate
- Dated course listings and a current quote.
- Optional training and the minimum exam cost.
- Unknown taxes, retakes, vouchers, labs, and team terms.
Reviewed 2026-08-26
Certification details change. Always confirm final pricing, availability, and credential terms on the official provider page linked in the sources below before you pay for anything.
Detailed evidence, examples, and source notes
The exam and optional training prices below are sourced and dated. The renewal method is also sourced, but its required activity is not priced here, so this page does not present the exam alone as a complete ownership cost. A course is not the certification.
See the certification itself: Cisco Certified Network Associate.
What it costs
| Cost | Amount | As of | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Training (optional; lowest cited provider price) | $4,195 | 2026-08-26 | provider |
| Renewal / maintenance | no separate maintenance fee recorded — the required renewal action may still cost money and is not priced here | 2026-08-09 | official |
Keeping it current
This credential is valid for 3 years. Renewal model: Earn 30 continuing-education credits or pass a qualifying exam before expiry.
Known cost floor
Combined paid-course total withheld. The training price is shown separately because this record does not establish whether it includes an exam voucher; adding the standalone exam fee could double-count it.
These are illustrations from cited components, not quotes; they exclude retakes, study materials, and your time, and use the lowest published (commercial, non-discounted) training price. Your cost will differ.
The training row is optional preparation, not part of the certification fee. You can self-study instead; confirm voucher inclusion and compare any paid option against the vendor's official materials before buying.
Core source records
This table lists the page’s core content records and their checked dates where recorded. Claim-specific citations appear beside the relevant text and may not be repeated here.
| ID | Supports | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| CIT-01 | Lowest cited training price $4,195 | Published source (newhorizons.com) | Date not recorded |
| CIT-02 | No separate maintenance fee recorded; renewal action cost not priced (as of 2026-08-09) | Published source (cisco.com) | 2026-08-09 |