Does an MCITP:EA+SA really cost $750 in testing fees??

To make a long story short, I'm looking into getting my MCITPs for Enterprise and Server admin, to help in my job hunt during the current "jobless recovery" (

), primarily because I have a few years experience in administering large Windows server environments, and figure I already know most of the material already. In looking around the web for related materials, I discovered that the standard "testing fee" is $125... and my ability to count tells me there are 6 exams required for these certifications. Does that mean I have to shell out 6 exam fees, or about $750 total just to take these tests?

That seems rather exorbitant, even for something from MS. And if that's really the case, does anyone know any way to cut that down substantially? Like if I were to sit for all the exams on the same day... or a volume discount... (larger than the 20% for 5 exams MS cert pack) or even a buffer overflow vulnerability in Prometric's servers? I'm finding it hard to believe that the MCITP certs (at 20% off) cost 5 times as much as a CCNA.

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rsutton

Your calculations look correct to me. You might try looking around for coupons. I don't think there is any other way to save money on the MCITP.

As far as the price, it's like an investment. If having the MCITP:EA & SA were to earn you a job making $1 more an hour than if you did not have them, then they would pay for themselves in less than a year.

I don't see how you are comparing the CCNA to the MCITP:EA & SA exams. The CCNA is an entry level certification. The MCITP is intended for people with at least two years of experience, which would put it closer to a CCNP level candidate.

HopelessN00b

rsutton wrote: »

As far as the price, it's like an investment.

Well, yeah, but "investing" is usually done by employed people. Not that it's even the money that bothers me, really... it's the fact that I'm paying almost a couple hundred bucks an hour to sit in a room and prove I know what I claim I know. For that hourly rate it really feels like they should be massaging me the whole time too...

Daniel333

It's not a charity, it's a profit center.

Most sys admin won't have trouble paying that, and no one I know has regretted the investment. Many employers are also willing to pay for these certs are their partnership status might rely on it.

If you just want to prove you know something certs are not the answer, but part of it. I highly suggest gathering letters of recommendation for the jobs AND volunteer work you have done. 10 letters of recommendations is much better than MCITP if you ask me.

Also point future employers to your blog/twitter account and show them how active in the community you are. Finally your professional organizations you belong to also demonstrate your commitment to on going education.

Certs are a very small part of your employment tool kit. So if the $1000 for a cert seems high right now, focus on the other areas and come on back to it once the cash flow is right.

ehnde

Do you have a .edu email address? Students pay $60 per 70 series exam (like 70-646, 70-680, 70-640) until either June or July. This is a common special, they'll surely be running it again soon.

Also I'm taking a Microsoft exam for free later this month using a Dreamspark promotion. Found out about it here on techexams. Keep your eyes open and check techexams frequently...usually someone on here is one of the first people to make you aware of big discounts.

rsutton

HopelessN00b wrote: »

Well, yeah, but "investing" is usually done by employed people. Not that it's even the money that bothers me, really... it's the fact that I'm paying almost a couple hundred bucks an hour to sit in a room and prove I know what I claim I know. For that hourly rate it really feels like they should be massaging me the whole time too...

You are confusing a good with a service. You are not paying for the time spent in the room, you are paying for what you get to take with you. Having that mark on your resume makes you more attractive. If you don't feel like you are getting your moneys worth, there are plenty of other ways you can increase marketability, such as volunteer work, college education, previous experience etc. Personally I think the price for the MCITP is cheap for what you get.

MentholMoose

If you can get a student ID, for example by enrolling in a 0.5 unit basket weaving course at a local community college, you will qualify for the student exams (72 prefix). You can take 640, 642, 643, 646, and 680 for $60 each (there's no 72-647 exam). If you're going for the EA, you can also just skip the SA (646). Many employers still don't know what the MCITP is and won't be able to distinguish between the SA and EA anyway, and the employers that do know won't care about the SA if you have the EA. There's also the free exam from Dreamspark for students (that may be over, though, but I don't know). If you take the student exams and one free exam, the EA would cost you $305 (plus the cost of the basket weaving course, and any study materials).

Essendon

MentholMoose wrote: »

If you can get a student ID, for example by enrolling in a 0.5 unit basket weaving course at a local community college, you will qualify for the student exams (72 prefix). You can take 640, 642, 643, 646, and 680 for $60 each (there's no 72-647 exam). If you're going for the EA, you can also just skip the SA (646). Many employers still don't know what the MCITP is and won't be able to distinguish between the SA and EA anyway, and the employers that do know won't care about the SA if you have the EA. There's also the free exam from Dreamspark for students (that may be over, though, but I don't know). If you take the student exams and one free exam, the EA would cost you $305 (plus the cost of the basket weaving course, and any study materials).

Top idea!!

Povilas

MS exam cost differs between countries. And it differs from 50$ (3rd world countries) to ~220$ (Ireland) per exam. Exam still will be in English, no matter where you take it. Even in Mexico its only 80$ per exam - good option if you live near border

Kr0ss

Microsoft also offers bundle packs but i'm not sure if thats limited to Partners only.

3 Exam pack - $300.00 (Regular price $ 375)
5 Exam pack - $468.75 (Regular price $ 625)
8 Exam pack - $700.00 (Regular price $ 1000)

hackmer

HopelessN00b
You can look here:
Student Certification Exams | Special Offers | Microsoft Certification
and here:
https://www.dreamspark.com/products/Product.aspx?ProductId=24

MickQ

Povilas wrote: »

MS exam cost differs between countries. And it differs from 50$ (3rd world countries) to ~220$ (Ireland) per exam. Exam still will be in English, no matter where you take it. Even in Mexico its only 80$ per exam - good option if you live near border

Dammit. I could have gone on holiday to Mexico with the change out of that...

HopelessN00b wrote: »

Well, yeah, but "investing" is usually done by employed people. Not that it's even the money that bothers me, really... it's the fact that I'm paying almost a couple hundred bucks an hour to sit in a room and prove I know what I claim I know. For that hourly rate it really feels like they should be massaging me the whole time too...

I know the stuff too, but that doesn't mean it's not worth paying for, sitting the exams and getting the pdf to show to customers/employers.
When you get the job, that's when you really prove you know what you claim to know.

Besides, it could be worse. A VCP4 course here costs €2.8k and doesn't include your exam (or coffee, meals, etc.).

za3bour

I think the price is fair, I used to pay 80$ when I was in Syria now in Saudi Arabia I pay 125$ but it's still a fair price. What I found really expensive is the Security+ which cost me 258$ and it doesn't really worth this amount of money.

neathneathneath

Re: Does that mean I have to shell out 6 exam fees, or about $750 total just to take these tests?

Don't forget about potential re-takes of the exam, they can be costly too

Some are lucky to pass all first time but for others please make use of the Microsoft Second Shot offer when its available.

I dread to think how much its cost me and I'm still on the exam trail, 70-643 next

DanielHughes

I have no issues with the price of the exams for a couple of reasons. Here in Australia the MS exams are $180 each.
If they were only a few bucks, you would get anyone in off the street trying to sit the exams after getting hold of some ****. IMO the more people that have the cert, the less impressive that it becomes. If people have to pay a bit more for the exam, I feel that it makes it less likely that people will do it for the sake of it. Only the people that want to/need to sit them will.
That being said, these prices are a lot cheaper than University fees etc

Just my opinion

Essendon

Although my company pays for all passed exams, it still irks me that the MS exams are $180 here in Australia and only $125 in the US, even though the Aussie dollar is stronger than the greenback (and has been for a while now).

bdub

If you think MS certs are expensive, go look at how much it costs to get a VMware Certified Professional.

I think the MS exams are pretty reasonable.

hackmer

For example:
LPI (Linux Professional Institute) ~ 170-270$ (each exam)
CompTIA Server+ ~ 250$
CompTIA Network+ ~ 250$
RHCE (Red Hat Certified Engineer) ~ 800$
Oracle Certified Network/Security/System Administrator ~ 300$
CCNA ~ 150$
CCNP ~ 300$
Whether Microsoft exams is expensive (for MCITP:EA like authoritative certificate)?

NOLAJ

bdub wrote: »

If you think MS certs are expensive, go look at how much it costs to get a VMware Certified Professional.

I think the MS exams are pretty reasonable.

$2395.00 to sit the 4 day VMware class.

Dakinggamer87

Microsoft exams are pretty reasonable compared to the higher costs of Cisco and Linux exams.

powerfool

Everything has a cost, and people tend to overlook the costs of performing certain activities. Someone had to create the test questions, refresh the question pool repeatedly, do QA on the exam process, send it to Prometric, manage the infrastructure that made that happen, yada yada.

At $125/exam, I can hardly view certification as a profit center for companies like Microsoft and Cisco; it is more likely a cost center. They are making these certification programs available, likely at a loss, because it is part of the companies' market efforts. "We have X certified individuals on our products, so you can find someone to support it for you."

Once you get into the not-for-profit companies like CompTIA and (ISC)2, you begin to see that the exams cost more than you realize. They don't have another area to make up for losses, so they charge more for the exams. CompTIA is less expensive because they have more test takers. The CISSP exam from (ISC)2 is $600.

RobertKaucher

powerfool wrote: »

Everything has a cost, and people tend to overlook the costs of performing certain activities. Someone had to create the test questions, refresh the question pool repeatedly, do QA on the exam process, send it to Prometric, manage the infrastructure that made that happen, yada yada.

At $125/exam, I can hardly view certification as a profit center for companies like Microsoft and Cisco;

+1 and rep.

One should also consider that the cost of an MS cert has been the same since the days of at least MCSE 2000.

crrussell3

Come July 1st unless you have exam vouchers that will be $900!

Jander1023

Whether $750 or $900, I think the price is a bargain! Currently being stuck in 1st level IT, I am investing in these certs to move into higher paying IT employment. I could easily double what I currently make within just a few years!

When you compare MS Cert fees to getting an Associates or Bachelors degree, it's a drop in the bucket!