CCNA Exam Cost Breakdown 2026: Cisco Fees, Study Materials & Total Budget

The CCNA is one of the most cost-accessible certifications in networking relative to its career impact. The exam fee is modest, free resources are genuinely excellent, and the hands-on lab tool (Packet Tracer) is free. A motivated self-studier can earn the CCNA for under $500 total.

This guide breaks down every cost category so you can build an accurate budget — and points out where spending more pays off vs. where cheaper options work just as well.

Key Facts

• Exam fee: approximately $330 USD (Pearson VUE; verify at cisco.com)
• Free study path: Jeremy's IT Lab (YouTube) + Packet Tracer = free content
• Premium study path: CBT Nuggets + Boson + official OCG = $350–$600
• Bootcamp: $1,000–$3,500 (instructor-led options)
• Total budget range: $400–$2,000+ depending on approach
• CCNA validity: 3 years; renewal options without re-examination available

Table of Contents

1. Pearson VUE Exam Fee
2. Free Study Resources
3. Paid Study Materials
4. Lab Tools: Free vs. Paid
5. Practice Exam Costs
6. Bootcamp Options
7. Cost of Retakes
8. Continuing Education Costs After Certification
9. Sample Budget Scenarios
10. CCNA Cost vs. Career ROI
11. FAQ

1. Pearson VUE Exam Fee

The CCNA exam is administered by Pearson VUE under contract with Cisco.

| Exam | Fee (Est. 2026) | |---|---| | CCNA 200-301 | ~$330 USD |

Important notes:

• Fees are paid at registration through pearsonvue.com
• Fees are non-refundable if you miss your appointment without adequate notice
• Rescheduling is possible up to 24 hours before your appointment (typically no fee)
• Retake fee: same $330 per attempt (5-day wait between attempts; 180-day wait after 3 consecutive failures)
• Always verify current pricing at cisco.com — Cisco can update exam fees

Comparison to similar credentials:

| Exam | Fee | |---|---| | CompTIA Network+ | ~$358 | | CompTIA Security+ | ~$392 | | CCNA 200-301 | ~$330 | | AWS Solutions Architect Associate | ~$150 | | CCNP Enterprise Core | ~$400 |

The CCNA exam fee is competitive with similar mid-tier IT certifications.

2. Free Study Resources

The CCNA has unusually excellent free study resources. Many candidates pass without spending anything on study materials.

Jeremy's IT Lab (YouTube / Free Website)

Jeremy's IT Lab provides a complete CCNA study course on YouTube — video lectures for every exam topic, with free Packet Tracer lab files available on his website. The content quality is comparable to paid courses, and Jeremy's teaching style is widely praised by CCNA candidates.

Cost: Free What it covers: All six CCNA exam domains with video lectures and labs Best for: Self-motivated learners who study well from video content

Cisco Networking Academy (NetAcad)

Cisco's own educational platform offers free courses covering CCNA content, plus free access to Packet Tracer (the lab simulator). CCNAv7 courses on NetAcad are structured and aligned with the 200-301 exam.

Cost: Free (registration required) What it covers: Structured curriculum aligned with CCNA exam Best for: Candidates who prefer guided curriculum over self-directed learning

Cisco Official Exam Topics

The official CCNA exam topics list is published free at cisco.com. This document defines exactly what the exam tests — studying it alongside any course ensures you're not missing any scope.

Cost: Free

3. Paid Study Materials

Option A: CBT Nuggets (Video Subscription)

Cost: $59/month (or bundled plan) Content: Instructor-led video courses with labs and practice questions Best known for: Neil Anderson's CCNA course, which is considered the gold standard video resource Assessment: Worth the cost if you study for 2–4 months — $120–$240 total for a subscription period

Option B: Cisco Official Cert Guide (OCG) — Book

Cost: $40–$70 (paperback or eBook) Content: The official study book from Cisco Press, written by Wendell Odom. The most comprehensive written reference for CCNA content. Assessment: Essential for candidates who want authoritative written reference. Not a standalone resource — pair with video and lab practice.

Option C: Udemy Courses

Udemy frequently runs sales ($10–$15 per course). David Bombal and Neil Anderson both have popular CCNA courses on Udemy.

Cost: $10–$15 during sales (frequently on sale) Assessment: Excellent value at sale price. Full price ($80–$130) is not necessary — wait for a sale.

Option D: LinkedIn Learning (CCNA Courses)

Cost: Included with LinkedIn Premium ($40/month) or separate subscription Assessment: Adequate quality, but LinkedIn Learning CCNA courses are not as highly rated as CBT Nuggets or Jeremy's IT Lab for exam-specific preparation.

4. Lab Tools: Free vs. Paid

Packet Tracer (Free)

Packet Tracer is Cisco's official network simulation tool, available for free through Cisco Networking Academy (registration required). It supports all CCNA-level configurations and is the recommended lab tool for most candidates.

Cost: Free What it supports: All Layer 2 and Layer 3 CCNA configurations, routing protocols, ACLs, NAT, DHCP, and more Limitation: Doesn't support all advanced protocols (some CCNP-level features are unavailable)

For CCNA candidates, Packet Tracer is sufficient. There is no need to buy additional lab software for CCNA preparation.

GNS3 (Free)

GNS3 is an advanced network simulation tool that can run actual Cisco IOS images. It provides a more realistic environment than Packet Tracer.

Cost: Free (but requires actual Cisco IOS images, which have licensing requirements) Assessment: Only necessary for candidates who want the most realistic IOS experience. Not required for CCNA.

Boson NetSim (Paid)

Boson NetSim is the only third-party lab tool specifically designed to mimic the exam's lab simulation interface. Many candidates who want to practice the exact sim experience find it valuable.

Cost: $99–$149 Assessment: Valuable for candidates who want the closest simulation of real exam lab questions. The interface is more similar to the actual exam than Packet Tracer.

5. Practice Exam Costs

This is where budget spending pays off most clearly. Quality practice exams are the strongest predictor of readiness.

Boson ExSim-Max for CCNA

Cost: $99–$149 What it provides: 400+ questions across multiple full-length practice exams, with detailed explanations and performance analytics by exam domain Why it matters: Boson's questions are widely considered the closest to real CCNA exam difficulty. Scoring 78%+ on Boson is a reliable indicator of readiness. Assessment: The single best paid resource for CCNA candidates. Higher priority than video courses.

Free Practice Questions

• Cisco's official practice exams (limited free questions on cisco.com)
• Jeremy's IT Lab practice questions (free on website)
• Reddit and forum-sourced question sets

Assessment: Free practice questions are useful for topic checks but typically easier than the real exam. Don't rely on free questions alone to assess readiness.

6. Bootcamp Options

In-Person or Live Online Bootcamps

Intensive CCNA bootcamps compress preparation into 5–10 days of full-day instruction.

Cost: $1,500–$3,500 Duration: 5–10 days Assessment: Valuable for candidates who need to earn the CCNA quickly for a specific job requirement. Not necessary for self-directed learners with adequate time. Pass rates from bootcamps vary widely depending on provider and candidate preparation level.

Corporate Training

Many companies pay for CCNA training for employees as part of IT development programs. If your employer offers training reimbursement, take advantage of it before paying out of pocket.

7. Cost of Retakes

| Scenario | Cost | |---|---| | Retake exam fee | ~$330 | | Additional study materials (if switching) | $0–$200 | | Boson ExSim-Max (if not already purchased) | $99–$149 |

Planning for a potential retake: Budget one retake in your financial planning. The 45–55% first-attempt pass rate means a retake is not a low-probability event. Including one retake in your budget ($330) is financially prudent.

8. Continuing Education Costs After Certification

CCNA is valid for 3 years. Renewal options:

Option A: Re-examination Retake the CCNA 200-301. Cost: ~$330. No study time required if you're staying current.

Option B: Pass a CCNP exam Passing any 300-level CCNP exam renews the CCNA and earns you CCNP credit. This is the most career-advancing renewal option.

Option C: Continuing Education Credits Cisco's Continuing Education program allows renewal through earning 30 CE credits from approved training over 3 years. Some Cisco-approved courses provide CE credit for free or low cost.

Annual cost to maintain CCNA (CE path): $0–$200/year depending on CE source.

9. Sample Budget Scenarios

Scenario A: Free Self-Study Path

| Item | Cost | |---|---| | Jeremy's IT Lab (YouTube) | Free | | Cisco Networking Academy (Packet Tracer + course) | Free | | Boson ExSim-Max practice exams | $99 | | CCNA exam fee (1 attempt) | $330 | | Total | $429 |

This is the minimum cost path and is legitimate. Candidates who study consistently from Jeremy's IT Lab and practice extensively in Packet Tracer regularly pass the CCNA.

Scenario B: Standard Paid Path

| Item | Cost | |---|---| | CBT Nuggets subscription (3 months) | $177 | | Cisco Official Cert Guide | $55 | | Boson ExSim-Max | $119 | | CCNA exam fee (1 attempt) | $330 | | Total | $681 |

A comprehensive paid path that covers video, reference, and quality practice exams.

Scenario C: Premium Path with Potential Retake

| Item | Cost | |---|---| | CBT Nuggets (4 months) | $236 | | Cisco Official Cert Guide | $55 | | Boson ExSim-Max + NetSim | $249 | | CCNA exam fee (2 attempts) | $660 | | Total | $1,200 |

Scenario D: Bootcamp Path

| Item | Cost | |---|---| | 5-day bootcamp | $2,000 | | CCNA exam fee | $330 | | Total | $2,330 |

10. CCNA Cost vs. Career ROI

The CCNA's career return on investment is one of the strongest in entry-to-mid-level IT certifications.

| Metric | Estimate | |---|---| | CCNA-attributed salary increase | $5,000–$20,000/year | | Network engineer starting salary with CCNA | $55,000–$80,000 | | Total credential cost (standard path) | $681 | | Weeks to recover investment at $10K premium | Less than 1 week |

The CCNA's total cost — even at $1,200 with a retake — is recovered in annual salary premium within a matter of weeks. Few certifications offer a comparable return per dollar invested.

FAQ

Q: Can I pay the exam fee in installments? No. Pearson VUE requires full payment at scheduling. Payment is accepted by credit card, debit card, or voucher.

Q: Are Cisco exam vouchers available? Yes. Cisco authorized training partners sometimes provide exam vouchers as part of training packages. These vouchers cover the exam fee. Check with your training provider if you're purchasing a course.

Q: Is the Cisco OCG necessary if I'm using CBT Nuggets? Not strictly necessary, but complementary. Video lectures explain concepts well; the OCG provides a reference you can search when you need to look something up precisely. Many candidates use video as their primary content and OCG as their reference.

Q: Is Jeremy's IT Lab really as good as paid courses? Yes, for most candidates. The content quality is comparable to paid video courses. Jeremy's IT Lab lacks the integrated learning management system of paid providers, but the actual content is excellent. The tradeoff is that paid courses provide better structure and progress tracking.

Q: How often does Cisco update the CCNA exam? The current CCNA 200-301 has been stable since 2020. Cisco announces major updates well in advance. Study materials purchased for the 200-301 exam remain valid until Cisco announces a version change.

Q: Is there a student discount for the CCNA exam? Cisco does not offer a standard student discount. However, educational institutions with Cisco Networking Academy agreements sometimes provide discounted or subsidized exam vouchers for students completing NetAcad courses.

Q: Can my employer reimburse the CCNA exam cost? Many IT employers reimburse certification exam costs. Request reimbursement in writing before spending out of pocket. Some employers also pay for study materials and study time.