Best Penetration Testing Certifications 2026: OSCP, PNPT, eJPT

The main penetration testing certifications are eJPT, CompTIA PenTest+, PNPT, CEH, OSCP, GPEN, GWAPT and C|PENT. Entry-level eJPT costs $250 with an INE subscription, PenTest+ costs $439, and OffSec's hands-on OSCP exam costs $1,699. Practical exams such as OSCP and PNPT test whether you can run a real engagement and write the report, not just recall facts.

Penetration testing certifications compared

Certification	Issuer	Exam fee	Exam format
eJPT	INE Security	$250	Hands-on exam simulating real-world scenarios
PenTest+	CompTIA	$439	Multiple-choice and performance-based questions
PNPT	TCM Security	$499	Practical, real-world network penetration test (no flags, no multiple-choice)
CEH	EC-Council	$950	Multiple choice (knowledge-based)
OSCP / OSCP+	OffSec	$1,699	Hands-on, 24-hour proctored practical exam in a private VPN lab
GPEN	GIAC	$999	One proctored, web-based exam
GWAPT	GIAC	$999	One proctored, web-based exam
C\|PENT	EC-Council	$1,999	100% practical, proctored exam on multi-disciplinary network ranges, plus a pene

Fees are each issuer's published exam or voucher price; some require a subscription or training bundle. See each entry below.

Which pen testing certification should you get first?

New to security: eJPT is built for people with little experience and is graded on a hands-on lab.
Need a recognized exam-based credential: CompTIA PenTest+ or CEH. EC-Council lists CEH as approved under DoD Directive 8140.
Ready to prove hands-on skill: PNPT tests a full network engagement with a report and live debrief; OSCP is the long-standing practical benchmark.
Specializing: GPEN (network) and GWAPT (web applications) pair with SANS training; C|PENT is EC-Council's advanced practical.

Every certification in detail

eJPT: INE Security Junior Penetration Tester (eJPT)

Issuer: INE Security
Exam: Hands-on exam simulating real-world scenarios; auto-graded (results typically within a few hours)
Cost: The eJPT voucher costs $250, and you also need an active INE subscription. A $299 bundle includes three months of INE Fundamentals, and the $349-a-year Fundamentals Annual plan includes a free voucher. Vouchers expire 180 days after purchase and include one free retake within 14 days.
Prerequisites: None. INE says anyone can attempt the exam, and it is designed for people with little or no cybersecurity experience who understand basic networking and systems.
Renewal: Valid three years. Renew by submitting 36 CPE credits, earning a more advanced INE certification in the same career path, or passing the latest exam version. Renewal fee is $99 plus tax (no fee when renewing by passing the latest version).

PenTest+: CompTIA PenTest+ (V3, exam PT0-003)

Issuer: CompTIA
Exam: Multiple-choice and performance-based questions
Questions: Up to 90
Time: 165 minutes
Passing score: 750 on a 100 to 900 scale
Cost: A single PenTest+ voucher costs $439 in CompTIA's U.S. store and is valid for 12 months. A voucher bundled with one retake costs $579.
Prerequisites: None required; CompTIA recommends 3 to 4 years as a penetration tester, plus Network+ and Security+ or equivalent knowledge.
Renewal: Renew through CompTIA continuing education by uploading CEUs before your certification expires. The continuing education fee is $150 per three-year period.

PNPT: Practical Network Penetration Tester (PNPT)

Issuer: TCM Security
Exam: Practical, real-world network penetration test (no flags, no multiple-choice): OSINT, Active Directory exploitation through Domain Controller compromise, a professionally written report, and a live 15-minute report debrief with assessors. Not proctored; all tools allowed (AI use must be disclosed).
Questions: None; it is a full practical engagement
Time: 5 full days for the engagement + 2 days to write the report
Cost: The $499 package includes one exam voucher, one free retake and 12 months of access to more than 45 hours of on-demand training. The voucher is valid for 12 months. TCM offers 20% off for military, veterans, students, teachers and first responders.
Prerequisites: Open to anyone; candidates under 18 need a parental consent form. TCM suggests starting with its PJPT if you have no professional hacking experience.
Renewal: Does not expire.

CEH: Certified Ethical Hacker

Issuer: EC-Council
Exam: Multiple choice (knowledge-based)
Questions: 125
Time: 4 hours
Passing score: Varies by exam form, typically between 60% and 85%
Cost: Self-study candidates also pay a non-refundable $100 eligibility application fee. You get up to four attempts in one year. The optional six-hour CEH Practical exam costs $550.

OSCP / OSCP+: OffSec Certified Professional (OSCP / OSCP+) — PEN-200: Penetration Testing with Kali Linux

Issuer: OffSec
Exam: Hands-on, 24-hour proctored practical exam in a private VPN lab: 3 standalone machines (60 points; initial access + privilege escalation) and 1 Active Directory set of 3 machines (40 points), followed by a professional penetration test report.
Questions: No questions: 3 standalone machines and 1 Active Directory set of 3 machines, worth 100 points
Time: 23 hours 45 minutes, plus 24 hours afterward to upload the report
Passing score: 70 of 100 points
Cost: $1,699 one-time OSCP+ Standalone Exam (exam attempt without training materials). $1,749 one-time Course + Cert Bundle (90 days of one 200/300-level course, hands-on labs, one exam attempt). $2,749/year Learn One (one year of one 200/300-level course, labs, two exam attempts; auto-renews).
Prerequisites: No formal required courses. OffSec strongly recommends a solid understanding of TCP/IP networking, reasonable Windows and Linux administration experience, and familiarity with basic Bash and/or Python scripting.
Renewal: OSCP does not expire. OSCP+ (earned together with OSCP) expires 3 years from issuance; maintain it by passing a recertification exam within 6 months of expiry, passing another qualifying OffSec exam (OSEP, OSWA, OSED, OSEE), or completing OffSec's CPE program.

GPEN: GIAC Penetration Tester (GPEN)

Issuer: GIAC (Global Information Assurance Certification)
Exam: One proctored, web-based exam; may include CyberLive hands-on (performance-based lab) questions
Questions: 82
Time: 3 hours
Passing score: 73%
Cost: GIAC's affiliate SANS pricing lists $999 for a certification attempt bought with SANS training or later by alumni of the SANS course. Attempts must be completed within 120 days of activation.
Prerequisites: None. You can attempt the exam with or without training.
Renewal: Renew every four years: 36 CPE credits over the four-year cycle (CPE option) plus a non-refundable $499 certification maintenance fee; additional renewals within a two-year window cost $249 each.

GWAPT: GIAC Web Application Penetration Tester (GWAPT)

Issuer: GIAC (Global Information Assurance Certification)
Exam: One proctored, web-based exam; may include CyberLive hands-on (performance-based lab) questions
Questions: 82
Time: 3 hours
Passing score: 71%
Cost: GIAC's affiliate SANS pricing lists $999 for a certification attempt bought with SANS training or later by alumni of the SANS course. Attempts must be completed within 120 days of activation.
Prerequisites: None. You can attempt the exam with or without training.
Renewal: Renew every four years: 36 CPE credits over the four-year cycle (CPE option) plus a non-refundable $499 certification maintenance fee; additional renewals within a two-year window cost $249 each.

C|PENT: Certified Penetration Testing Professional (C|PENT AI)

Issuer: EC-Council
Exam: 100% practical, proctored exam on multi-disciplinary network ranges, plus a penetration testing report submitted within seven days of the final session
Questions: None; the exam is 100% practical
Time: 24 hours: two 12-hour sessions or one 24-hour session
Passing score: 70% for C|PENT; 90% or above also earns LPT (Master)
Cost: EC-Council sells CPENT as a training package rather than an exam-only voucher: on-demand from $1,999, live online from $2,799, or unlimited on-demand courses from $3,999. The exam activation code is valid for one year.
Prerequisites: EC-Council lists no formal eligibility requirements, but it also says candidates who attempt the exam directly need at least two years of information security experience. Confirm with EC-Council before registering.
Renewal: Valid for three years if you earn 120 continuing education credits in that period and pay EC-Council's $250-a-year continuing education fee.

Careers and pay

Information security analysts earned a median $129,180 in May 2025, and BLS projects the field to grow 21% from 2025 to 2035. Penetration testers are counted in that group; BLS does not report pay by certification.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best penetration testing certification?

For proof of hands-on skill, OSCP and PNPT are the most respected practical exams. For a first credential, eJPT or CompTIA PenTest+ is a common start.

What is the cheapest pen testing certification?

Among the exams on this page, eJPT has the lowest voucher price at $250, though it also requires an active INE subscription.

Is CEH or OSCP better?

They test different things. CEH is a 125-question knowledge exam; OSCP is a practical exam where you compromise machines and write a report. Many testers earn CEH or PenTest+ first and OSCP later.

Do pen testing certifications expire?

Most renew every three or four years with continuing education and a fee. PNPT and the original OSCP do not expire; OSCP+ does after three years.

Sources

Exam, price and renewal details come from each issuer's official pages, checked October 2026. Issuers change prices and exam versions, so confirm before you register.

All certifications OSCP guide CEH guide Security+ guide

Best Penetration Testing Certifications (2026)