Planning certification training for a team
A team has three ways to buy certification training: public class seats, a private class run for your people, or self-paced training plus exam vouchers. In November 2026, sending 8 people to the cheapest public AZ-104 class costs $20,480, while the exam with Microsoft's free training costs $1,320 for all 8. A private class is worth quoting once several people need the same course in the same month; price it against the other two before you sign. Ask for every quote itemized: tuition, vouchers, retakes, labs and travel.
An example team of 8, three ways
| Certification | Cheapest route, per person | Cheapest route, 8 people | Cheapest public class, 8 seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft AZ-104 | $165 | $1,320 | $20,480 |
| AWS Solutions Architect Associate | $150 | $1,200 | $17,400 |
| CompTIA Security+ | $439 | $3,512 | $19,960 |
| Cisco CCNA | $300 | $2,400 | $30,360 |
| ITIL 4 Foundation | $690 | $5,520 | $15,960 |
| PMI PMP | $1,474 | $11,792 | $21,360 |
The cheapest route is usually the exam fee with free or low-cost official training; for PMP it includes the 35 hours of education PMI requires and for ITIL the PeopleCert exam bundle. Public-class figures include the exam fee, bundled by the provider or added at list price.
When each option fits
Self-paced training plus vouchers suits fundamentals exams (AZ-900, AWS Cloud Practitioner), people who already do the work, and teams spread across time zones. It fails when nobody protects study time: set a target exam date and a weekly study block per person.
Public seats suit one or two people, or a team that cannot all be away at once. You choose dates from the provider's schedule; ask whether each session is guaranteed to run.
A private class puts one instructor with your group, on your dates, sometimes with examples from your systems. Providers quote these per group, so get two or three quotes and divide by the number of people who will actually attend.
What to ask for in a team quote
- Price per group and per person, with the minimum and maximum group size
- Vouchers included, how many, and their expiry date
- Retake terms for anyone who fails
- Lab access after the class, and for how long
- The instructor's name and certifications
- Cancellation and rescheduling terms for the whole group
- For PMP, the provider's PMI Authorized Training Partner status: from December 1, 2026, live training counts toward the 35 hours only from an ATP or another eligible source
Keeping the certifications
Budget for renewal from the start. Microsoft associate certifications renew free online every year; CompTIA certifications cost $150 in fees per three-year cycle for Security+ and need continuing education; Cisco asks for continuing-education credits or an exam every three years, and AWS for a passing exam every three years. A team that certifies in one month will renew in the same month, so diary it.
Next step
Tell us the certification, how many people, their experience and your deadline. We will reply with the option we would choose, the providers whose current offers fit, and what to ask for in a quote. We do not share your request with any provider unless you later agree to a specific introduction.
Sources
- PMI: PMP new exam and training changes (December 1, 2026), checked November 5, 2026
- Microsoft Learn: renew your Microsoft certification, checked November 5, 2026
- CompTIA: continuing education renewal fees, checked November 5, 2026
- Cisco: recertification, checked November 5, 2026
- AWS: recertification, checked November 5, 2026
Prices are published list prices we recorded on the dates shown, not quotes. How we research.