I am not sure what to think about CompTIA's CE program. It seems they are relying on "fees" to possibly pay their salaries at this "non profit" company. Don't you think the tests are already expensive, seems like they continuously get more expensive whenever the next version is released. We also have to purchase training materials (books, CBT's, etc), so the costs of pursuing a certification can get expensive, IMO.
I emailed CompTIA to see what they would say:
I do apologize that you feel that way. There are other options to renew your certifications other than paying the maintenance fees and submitting CEUs.
There are three options available to renew your CompTIA Security+, Network+, and A+ certifications
1. Pass the most current exam for your highest level certification in the third year of your renewal cycle. NOTE: If you plan to retake the exam, there are no CE fees or CEU submissions required. Your certification(s) will automatically be renewed with a new 3-year cycle upon passing the exam.
2. Achieve a higher level CompTIA certification. You can view the hierarchy of CompTIA certifications online. NOTE: If you plan to achieve a higher level CompTIA certification, there are no CE fees or CEU submissions required. Your certification(s) will automatically be renewed with a new 3-year cycle upon passing the exam.
3. Pay CE maintenance fees and complete qualifying CE activities to earn CEUs toward the renewal of your certification(s). Review the list of program fees and number of CEUsrequired online. To see the full list of qualifying activities, review the CE Activity Chart. We now have a CEU Assessment you can use to evaluate if your CE activities meet the CE Program requirements to verify that they’re valid for CEUs. There is also a list of pre-approved training courses on the website, as well as a list of other industry certificationsthat will grant full or partial CEUs towards your renewal.
Please let me know if you need further assistance.
