Exam fee
$300
Plus tax, paid to Pearson VUE; set by country
Cost, pay and fit
Is CCNA worth it?
Yes, if you want to work on networks. It’s hands-on, Cisco sets no prerequisites, and it’s the first step toward CCNP and network architecture. Look at the outlook figures below before you commit: they aren’t the same for every networking job.
Last updated
The cost
What it costs
The exam fee is the certification’s fixed cost. Study material and your own time come on top.
Keeping it
Valid for 3 years
Earn 30 Continuing Education credits within the three years
A fee covers one attempt: if you don’t pass, the next attempt is paid for again. What every exam costs
The return
What the jobs pay
US government figures for the occupations this certification most often leads to.
Network and computer systems administrators
$99,130
Median pay a year, 2025
- Employed
- 323,600
- Openings a year
- About 13,400
- Outlook
- Expected to decline (−1% or lower) from 2025 to 2035
Computer network architects
$134,050
Median pay a year, 2025
- Employed
- 181,800
- Openings a year
- About 9,600
- Outlook
- Expected to grow much faster than average (7% or higher) from 2025 to 2035
CCNA leads to network administration. Network architecture is where the path goes later, usually by way of CCNP and several years of experience.
These figures cover everyone in the occupation in the United States, with or without the certification, at every level of experience. Starting pay is lower, and no certification guarantees a job.
Source: O*NET OnLine (US Department of Labor), from Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data and employment projections. Checked November 10, 2026. How we check our facts
Your decision
Is CCNA worth it for you?
It’s worth it if
- you want to be a network engineer or administrator.
- you work in support and want to move to the network team.
- your employer runs Cisco equipment, or the jobs you want name CCNA.
Think twice if
- you want a broad, vendor-neutral base for security or cloud work: Network+ is the lighter route.
- you won’t be able to practice on real or simulated devices. CCNA is hard to pass from reading alone.
FAQs
Got Questions? We’ve Got Answers.
Find quick answers or contact our support team.
Is CCNA worth it in 2026?
Yes, if you want to work on networks. It’s hands-on, Cisco sets no prerequisites, and it’s the first step toward CCNP and network architecture. Look at the outlook figures below before you commit: they aren’t the same for every networking job.
How much does CCNA cost?
$300 (plus tax, paid to Pearson VUE; set by country). Check Cisco’s site for the price in your country.
What jobs does CCNA lead to, and what do they pay?
The closest occupations are network and computer systems administrators (median pay $99,130 a year in 2025) and computer network architects (median pay $134,050 a year in 2025). The figures are for the United States, from O*NET OnLine, the US Department of Labor’s occupation database. They cover everyone in the occupation, with or without the certification, so starting pay is lower.
Does CCNA expire?
Valid for 3 years. To keep it: earn 30 Continuing Education credits within the three years.
How hard is CCNA?
We rate it intermediate, going by the level Cisco gives it and the experience it expects. Cisco doesn’t publish a passing score for 200-301. Cisco’s passing scores vary by exam and change without notice. Cisco sets no prerequisites for CCNA. Knowing the exam’s domains well is what counts.
