There is no doubt that IT security professionals are in demand, and salaries for these professionals are increasing as organizations seek ways to mitigate cyber threats. One of the best ways organizations can keep their digital assets protected is by hiring candidates with work experience and highly regarded industry certifications. One of the most in-demand certifications is the Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) credential.
What Is the CEH Certification?
The CEH certification is a designation offered by the EC-Council, a certifying organization recognized around the world. CEH is vendor-neutral, and it focuses on using hacking tools and techniques to allow ethical or white hat hackers to identify and mitigate system and network vulnerabilities.
To earn the CEH certification, candidates must pass an official certification exam. The exam consists of 125 multiple-choice questions covering various topics, including malware threats, network scanning, session hijacking, SQL injection, and denial of service. Test-takers have four hours to complete the exam. To pass, they must achieve a score of at least 70%, and the certification is valid for three years.
What is the Cost of CEH Certification?
There isn’t a set dollar amount that you can expect when becoming a certified ethical hacker. The cost of CEH certification depends on how you plan to prepare for the official exam. The costs fall into several categories, including training course fees, application fees, exam fees, and renewal fees.
Training course fees– CEH certification exam preparation training courses range from free to as much as $4,000. What you pay for your exam prep and where you get it will have an overall impact on what you pay for the official exam.
Application fees– There is a $100 fee that must be paid when you complete your application for the certification exam. Some training schools will include the application fee as part of your training costs.
Exam fees– The CEH certification exam requires that you purchase an exam voucher. Some training course fees will include an exam voucher, and some won’t. If you take a course that includes the voucher, the cost will be factored into the training price. If you choose self-study or training that doesn’t include the voucher in the cost, you have two options for paying for your exam. First, you may opt to take the certification exam through PearsonVUE, which costs $1,119. Your other option is to have an EC-Council-approved proctor oversee your test, which costs $1,050 ($950 is the voucher cost, and $100 is for using your own proctor).
- Renewal fees– Being CEH certified requires you to become a member of EC-Council, which has an annual membership fee of $80. When you renew your certification after three years, you must be in good standing with the council, with all membership fees paid.
Prepare for Your CEH Certification with Cybrary
While CEH training and certification costs may seem relatively high, the long-term benefits of having the CEH credential will far outweigh your upfront expenses.
According to ZipRecruiter, the average annual base salary for CEH certified professionals in the US is $104,813. Many IT professionals also earn yearly bonuses, which can increase their income significantly.
The bottom line about CEH certification costs is that while you will have some upfront expenses, the actual cost varies depending on various factors. However, even if the cost for you is at the higher end of the range, it will be money well-spent when you earn the CEH credential. It will benefit your existing role and improve your career outlook for the future.
