Price Hike

I was really close to booking my GPEN challenge a couple of weeks ago, but decided to hold off using any company reimbursement because I'm likely leaving here soon. When I added to my cart the price was 1250. Today I went back and decided to just book it and be done with it, and see that the price is now 1699??? Just for the exam? This is preposterous. I am a SANS fan, and think their training is industry leading, and believe they can charge what they want due to the high quality. But for the exam only? It was already exorbitant and well beyond other comparable (multiple choice) exams, but to raise it again, and by for hundred dollars? LOL.

Think I'm done with them. Enough is enough.

Find more posts tagged with

SAVE $250 on Your Boot Camp — Use Code "EXAM26"

Exclusively for TechExams members for Infosec Boot Camps starting before April 30, 2026

View Boot Camps

Comments

Danielm7

That's more than 3 months of the PWK and OSCP exam. If you are self paying and want to challenge yourself for a pen testing cert I'd go that way instead.

TechGromit

I emailed SANS for clarification, to see if the $689 rate is still available if you pay for it during the training. It says its the "Bundled Rate", not sure if that means it has to be paid for at same the time you register for the exam.

kiki162

Yeah I saw the price hike too. This gives you more incentive to take the class ( or have your employer pay for it ) or go the Work Study route. The $689 rate isn't too bad, but at some point they may get some backlash if they keep raising their rates. Since you are looking to challenge GPEN, think about it like this, it's better than paying $6K plus out of pocket. For me personally, I'll probably invest more of my time towards other Cloud-based certs from now on.

JoJoCal19

Well **** me. I was going to challenge the GCIH, and maybe then the GPEN this fall. Now I'm not so sure honestly. At this rate I might be done with them too. I know they're basically printing money at this point, I just wish SANS/GIAC made it more attainable for the everyman to pursue their stuff.

josephandre

Danielm7 wrote: »

That's more than 3 months of the PWK and OSCP exam. If you are self paying and want to challenge yourself for a pen testing cert I'd go that way instead.

Funny enough I’ve already done 3 months of PWK and my schedule just will not permit me to lab properly right now, so my plan was to resume when things clear up, and use what I learned in the course to challenge the GPEN.

Not anymore!!!

TechGromit

I verified with SANS, the $689 certification attempt is available up to 30 days during and after you take the SANS course, after which it jumps to $1,049. It doesn't specify how long you can wait to take the exam and still qualify for the $1,049 rate. I guess you could wait several years, but the longer you wait, the more outdated your course material will become, thus more difficult to pass.

[Deleted User]

That is bull! They really are screwing people over! Glad I did my GPEN when I did and paid for my GCIH exam attempt when I did also! I'm definitely going to not pursue GIAC certifications anymore! With the $$ I make, I will be in the poor house! They are the best in InfoSec and what sucks is that they know it and are trying to make a monopoly. SANS has great content don't get me wrong but until they make it more affordable, I don't see this happening!

markulous

I love SANS training, but if my employer isn't fronting the cash for their courses/cert attempts, I just won't ever give them money. The price is ridiculous

[Deleted User]

Totally agree markulous!