CISSP Exam Cost 2025–2026: Fees, AMF & Total Breakdown

The CISSP exam cost is US$749, per ISC2 — but that single fee is not the full CISSP certification cost. After you pass and get endorsed, ISC2 charges a US$135 Annual Maintenance Fee (AMF) every year, and most candidates also spend on study materials or training. So when people ask how much does CISSP cost in 2025–2026, the honest answer is a range: roughly US$900 for a disciplined self-study path to about US$5,000 with an instructor-led bootcamp. This guide itemizes every line — exam, AMF, reschedule and retake fees, endorsement, training, and CPE upkeep — with a full cost table and a clear first-year total.

How much does the CISSP exam cost in 2025–2026?

ISC2 lists the CISSP exam at US$749 for a single attempt. You pay ISC2 at registration and sit the three-hour computer-adaptive test (100–150 items) at a Pearson VUE center or through approved online proctoring. The price is identical across the Americas, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East and Africa; EMEA and UK candidates are billed in local currency at checkout.

Current published prices, per ISC2:

• Americas / APAC / MEA: US$749
• EMEA: about €719, converted at checkout
• United Kingdom: about £606, converted at checkout

That US$749 buys one exam attempt and nothing else — no study materials, no training, no retake. The English exam is delivered as a CAT; some other languages use a longer linear form, but US$749 is the registration fee either way. Regional conversions move with exchange rates, so confirm the exact figure on ISC2’s pricing page before you book.

What is the ISC2 Annual Maintenance Fee (AMF)?

Passing makes you an ISC2 member, and membership carries a recurring price. ISC2 charges CISSP holders a US$135 Annual Maintenance Fee, due on your certification anniversary each year. The AMF was US$125 before the 2024 update; US$135 is the current rate, per ISC2, and it may vary slightly where local tax applies. One detail saves money later: a single AMF covers every ISC2 certification you hold, so adding a CCSP or SSCP does not raise the US$135. Miss a payment and you get a 90-day grace period; ignore it beyond that and ISC2 suspends the certification. The AMF is your main ongoing cost, and it begins in year one once your endorsement is approved.

CISSP exam cost breakdown: every fee in one table

The table collects every CISSP cost, from the mandatory exam fee to optional extras. Only two items are unavoidable — the exam and, once certified, the AMF. Everything else depends on your path.

Beyond the CISSP exam cost: reschedule, cancellation, and retake fees

Change your plans and ISC2 charges for it; fail the exam and you pay again. The specifics, per ISC2 and Pearson VUE:

• Reschedule: US$50 to move an existing appointment.
• Cancellation: US$100 to cancel outright.
• Retake: the full US$749 for every attempt, unless you bought a Peace of Mind Protection voucher that includes a free retake.

Peace of Mind Protection is an optional add-on purchased with your exam voucher; it bundles one free retake, which can pay off if you are unsure about your readiness. Retakes also carry waiting periods: 30 test-free days after your first attempt, 60 days after the second, and 90 days after the third and beyond, capped at four attempts in any 12-month window. A single failed attempt effectively doubles your exam cost to US$1,498 — the clearest argument for thorough first-attempt preparation.

How much does CISSP training cost?

Training is optional but common, and it is where the CISSP cost varies most. You can spend nothing or several thousand dollars:

• Self-study: US$0–$200 for official or third-party study guides and practice-test books; some candidates use only free resources.
• Self-paced online courses: roughly US$500–$1,000 for on-demand video and question banks.
• Live instructor-led courses and bootcamps: roughly US$2,000–$4,000+, usually a week of guided, intensive study.

Prices vary by provider and region, so treat these as ranges, not quotes. Some providers bundle the exam voucher with training; if yours does, subtract the US$749 you would otherwise pay ISC2 directly so you compare like with like. The trade-off is simple: paid training raises upfront spend but can protect the US$749 exam fee by lifting first-attempt pass odds.

What does the CISSP endorsement step cost?

Nothing — endorsement itself is free. After you pass, you have 9 months to submit an endorsement application confirming your work experience, digitally signed by an ISC2-certified professional. If you don’t know one, ISC2 can act as your endorser. Miss the 9-month window and your passing result is revoked, forcing another US$749 attempt. Once ISC2 approves your endorsement, you pay your first US$135 AMF and the certification becomes active. Endorsement adds no fee, but the deadline exists to protect money you have already spent.

What is the ongoing cost of keeping CISSP active?

CISSP renews on a three-year cycle, and upkeep has two parts:

• Annual Maintenance Fee: US$135 per year — US$405 across the three-year cycle, per ISC2.
• Continuing Professional Education (CPE): 120 CPE credits per cycle, with a minimum of 40 each year.

CPE credits carry no mandatory fee. Webinars, ISC2 member resources, reading, volunteering, and conference sessions can all count, and many are free — so a disciplined member keeps CISSP active for the US$135 AMF alone. Budget extra only if you choose paid conferences or courses to earn credits. Across three years, the guaranteed floor is US$405.

What is the total CISSP certification cost in year one?

Add the mandatory fees to your chosen study path and the first-year total lands in a predictable band:

• Self-study path: US$749 exam + US$135 AMF + about US$100 in books = about US$984.
• Self-paced course path: US$749 + US$135 + about US$500–$1,000 = about US$1,384–$1,884.
• Instructor-led / bootcamp path: US$749 + US$135 + about US$2,000–$4,000 = about US$2,884–$4,884.

Most candidates land between US$900 and US$5,000 in year one, and the exam plus AMF — US$884 — is the fixed core of every scenario. After year one, plan on US$135 annually plus any CPE spending. One failed attempt adds US$749, so passing on the first try is the single biggest lever on your total CISSP cost.

How can you lower your CISSP certification cost?

Most of the total is fixed, but a few choices move the number:

• Pass on the first attempt. Avoiding one retake saves US$749 — more than most training costs.
• Don’t reschedule. Lock a date you can keep and skip the US$50 change fee.
• Earn free CPEs. Free webinars and member resources cover the 120-credit requirement without extra spend.
• Bundle certifications. One US$135 AMF covers every ISC2 credential, so a second cert adds no annual fee.
• Match training to your gaps. Experienced practitioners may need only books; career-changers gain more from structured, guided courses.

Is the CISSP certification cost worth it?

For most security professionals, the math favors certifying. CISSP is an ISC2 flagship credential and a frequent requirement in senior security, architecture, and management roles, and industry salary surveys routinely place CISSP holders among the highest earners in cybersecurity. Set against a first-year outlay near US$1,000 for self-study and a US$135 annual renewal, a single salary increase or a role you would not otherwise qualify for typically recovers the cost quickly. The larger risk is not the fee — it is failing the exam and paying US$749 again, which is why preparation, not price-shopping, is where the real savings sit.

How Boost eLearning CISSP training fits your budget

Training is the one CISSP cost you control, and it is where preparation earns back the exam fee. Boost eLearning’s CISSP course pairs Certified Partner instructors with hands-on Live Labs, so you apply each domain instead of memorizing it — the difference between a first-attempt pass and paying US$749 twice. Our money-back Pass Guarantee de-risks that exam fee directly: prepare, sit the exam, and if you don’t pass, you’re covered. Choose online self-paced, live virtual, or on-site delivery to match your schedule and spend. See the full curriculum and pricing on the Boost eLearning CISSP course page.