Two annual options do that. The Annual Maintenance Fee is $145 per year. The Annual Membership is $299 per year. It bundles that maintenance with Proving Grounds Practice access to more than 200 machines and quarterly CPE content. Three years of the fee comes to $435. Three years of the membership comes to $897. That is why the oscp exam cost changes past exam day.
Each total below adds one upfront price to three years of the same annual fee. The last row adds a single $99 eJPT renewal in year three.
| Route | Upfront | 3-year maintenance | 3-year total | Per year |
|---|
| Exam only, plain OSCP | $1,699 | $0 | $1,699 | $566.33 |
| Exam only + maintenance fee | $1,699 | $435 | $2,134 | $711.33 |
| Course bundle + maintenance fee | $1,749 | $435 | $2,184 | $728.00 |
| Course bundle + membership | $1,749 | $897 | $2,646 | $882.00 |
| Learn One $2,199 + maintenance fee | $2,199 | $435 | $2,634 | $878.00 |
| TCM Security PNPT (never expires) | $499 | $0 | $499 | $166.33 |
| INE eJPT + $99 renewal | $249 | $99 | $348 | $116.00 |
How Does the OSCP Compare in Price to the PNPT and the eJPT?
Two cheaper credentials come from other training companies. The PNPT is the Practical Network Penetration Tester from TCM Security. The eJPT is INE Security's eLearnSecurity Junior Penetration Tester.
The price gap is wide. The exam-only OSCP at $1,699 costs about 3.4 times the $499 PNPT, because 1,699 divided by 499 is 3.4. It costs about 6.8 times the $249 eJPT, because 1,699 divided by 249 is 6.8. The table compares the three.
| Credential | Price | Exam length | Validity | Renewal |
|---|
| OSCP+ exam only | $1,699 | 23h 45m practical + 24h report | OSCP never expires; OSCP+ 3 years | $145/yr or $299/yr |
| OSCP course bundle | $1,749 | 23h 45m practical + 24h report | OSCP never expires; OSCP+ 3 years | $145/yr or $299/yr |
| TCM Security PNPT | $499 | 5-day practical + 2-day report + 15-min debrief | Does not expire | None needed |
| INE eJPT | $249 | 48 hours, self-paced | 3 years | $99 plus 36 CPE credits |
The OSCP adds three things the cheaper credentials do not carry. An OffSec employee proctors it. It scores 60 points across three standalone machines and 40 points for the Active Directory set. You need 70 points out of 100 to pass. Since bonus points ended on 1 November 2024, skipping the Active Directory set caps you at 60.
The PNPT never expires and includes one free retake, plus 45 hours or more of on-demand training. The eJPT includes a free retake that must be used within 14 days, plus three months of beginner training.
What Does a Failed Attempt Add to the Bill?
Failure costs a different amount depending on what your purchase covered. OffSec also adds a wait, called a cooling-off period. It grows with your failure count.
- Cooling-off period - a wait before your next attempt, based on your failures.
- 4 weeks - the wait after one failure.
- 8 weeks - the wait after two failures.
- 12 weeks - the wait after three or more failures.
- Retake voucher - a $249 voucher for one more attempt, valid for 120 days from purchase.
Only failed attempts count, and a new subscription does not reset the count. If you buy a retake during a cooling-off period, its 120 days start when that period ends.
A first failure on the exam-only route costs time, not money, because your second attempt sits inside the $1,699. On the course bundle, a first failure costs $249 and a second costs another $249. Retakes are bought one at a time.
Is the OSCP Worth the Money for a Penetration Testing Job?
Price alone does not settle this question. If you only need a practical credential on your CV, the $499 PNPT may be enough. It never expires and includes one free retake. Pay for the OSCP when a job you want names it.
Two discounts can move the number if you qualify. Full-time college students can take 10 percent off Learn One. People who already hold another OffSec certification can take 10 to 20 percent off.
If you are still building a shortlist, start with the CEH certification cost. Then check the CISSP certification cost and the CompTIA Security+ exam cost. The best cyber security certifications list puts them in one place. The ethical hacking roadmap shows where the OSCP fits.
Next Steps
- Match the route to your prep. Take the bundle for official labs, or take the exam only if you have lab hours.
- Budget the retake money beside the exam fee. Each one is $249, and each attempt waits out a cooling-off period.
- Decide now whether you want the OSCP+ badge or the plain OSCP. The badge adds $145 or $299 every year.
To recap, exam-only OSCP costs $1,699 and the course bundle costs $1,749. A failed attempt adds $249 plus a wait of 4, 8 or 12 weeks. Keeping the OSCP+ alive for three years adds $435 with the maintenance fee, or $897 with Annual Membership. Pay for the OSCP when a job you want names it.
Photo: jackmac34, Pixabay Content License, via Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/photos/flea-market-lock-keys-clothing-1882817/)
Fazlur Rahman
