The CySA+ exam voucher costs $392 USD through CompTIA's store as of 2026. That's the number most people are searching for, so let's start there — then cover every scenario where you'll pay more or significantly less.
If you fail and need a retake, you're looking at another $392. If you buy through a training bundle or use an academic discount, you can shave $80–120 off that price. And if your employer pays, there are reimbursement arguments worth making. This guide walks through all of it.
CySA+ Exam Cost: Voucher Pricing in 2026
CompTIA sets the CySA+ (CS0-003) exam at $392 in the United States. Prices vary by region due to currency adjustments — UK candidates pay roughly £319, and EU candidates see prices in the €350–€370 range.
What you're buying is a single-use exam voucher that grants one attempt at a Pearson VUE testing center or an online proctored session. The voucher is valid for 12 months from purchase date, which gives you a reasonable runway to prep without pressure.
Academic Pricing
Students and educators can purchase through CompTIA's academic program at a discounted rate — typically around $276–$309, depending on the current discount percentage. You'll need to verify academic eligibility via CompTIA's partnered verification service. If you're enrolled in a degree program or teaching IT, this is worth checking before you pay full price.
CompTIA Store vs. Authorized Voucher Resellers
Authorized resellers occasionally offer CySA+ vouchers slightly below MSRP, especially during promotional periods. Sites like ExamVouchers.com have historically listed them at $5–$15 under CompTIA's list price. The savings are modest, but the vouchers are legitimate — they come from the same CompTIA pool. Avoid third-party auction sites; CompTIA has disabled vouchers sourced from gray-market sellers before.
What the CySA+ Exam Cost Covers — and What It Doesn't
The $392 voucher covers one exam attempt. That's it. Here's what you'll need to budget separately:
- Study materials: CertMaster Learn (CompTIA's official platform) is $299–$499 depending on bundle. Third-party prep courses on Udemy run $15–$30 on sale. Practice exam packs from Whizlabs or Jason Dion run $20–$40.
- Retake fee: Full price again ($392). CompTIA does not offer a discounted retake, unlike some other certification vendors.
- CompTIA CertMaster Practice: Standalone practice test platform, ~$99 if purchased separately.
- Renewal (every 3 years): $150 CE fee or retake the current exam version.
First-time total spend for a self-studying candidate: roughly $450–$550 if you're using a good third-party course plus the exam voucher. A worst-case scenario with one retake and official CompTIA materials gets you to ~$900+.
CySA+ Exam Cost With Bundles
CompTIA sells "CertMaster bundles" that package the exam voucher with their official learning platform. The CertMaster Learn + Exam bundle runs around $599–$649. If you were going to buy their official materials anyway, this is roughly equivalent in cost to buying separately — but you get a structured learning path included.
A more common approach among working professionals: buy a highly-rated third-party prep course for $15–$30 during a Udemy or Coursera sale, do practice exams from a dedicated mock-test provider, then buy the voucher directly from CompTIA. That combination typically yields better outcomes than the official CertMaster platform at lower total cost.
Employer Reimbursement
Many employers with security teams will reimburse CySA+ exam fees under professional development budgets. The argument is straightforward: CySA+ maps directly to NICE Cybersecurity Workforce Framework job roles, and it's a DoD 8570/8140 approved baseline certification for IAT Level II and IASAE Level I roles. If your org works on government contracts or is building out a SOC, your manager likely has a budget code for this. Ask before you pay out of pocket.
Top Courses to Prepare for the CySA+ Exam
Prep course quality matters more here than for Security+. CySA+ includes performance-based questions that simulate actual SOC workflows — you can't just memorize definitions. The courses below have the highest ratings from verified learners on this site.
CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+) - CS0-003 Exam - 2026
The top-rated Udemy option (8.5/10) and the one most consistently recommended in CySA+ study communities. Covers the CS0-003 blueprint in full with hands-on labs, including threat intelligence analysis and vulnerability management workflows that appear directly on the exam.
Cybersecurity Analyst Assessment: Security+ & CySA+ Practice Course
EDX-hosted practice course rated 8.5/10. Best used in the final 2–3 weeks before your exam date — the assessment-style questions closely match the performance-based format CompTIA uses for CS0-003.
TOTAL: CompTIA CySA+ Cybersecurity Analyst (CS0-003)
Coursera's highest-rated CySA+ course (8.1/10). Strong on the security operations and incident response domains, which make up a significant portion of the CS0-003 exam weighting.
CS0-003: CompTIA CySA+ Mock Exam Course
If you've already covered the material and want timed practice tests with explained answers, this Udemy mock exam pack (8.0/10) is worth the $15. Run through it twice — once under timed conditions, once reviewing every wrong answer.
Retake Policy and What It Means for Your Budget
CompTIA's retake policy for CySA+:
- First retake: Must wait 14 calendar days after a failed attempt.
- Second retake: Must wait another 14 days.
- Third and subsequent retakes: Must wait 6 months.
- Cost per retake: Full voucher price ($392). No discount.
This matters for budgeting. If you're not well-prepared and fail twice, you've spent $784 on exam fees alone before you've passed anything. The 6-month lockout after a third failure is genuinely career-disrupting if you're working toward a deadline (a job offer, a clearance timeline, a compliance mandate).
The practical implication: don't take the exam until you're consistently scoring 80%+ on practice tests. The passing score is 750/900 (roughly 83%), and the performance-based questions are harder to prepare for than multiple choice alone. Most candidates who fail report the PBQs caught them off guard.
Is the CySA+ Exam Cost Worth It?
The career ROI math on CySA+:
- Average salary for Security Analyst roles without CySA+: $75,000–$90,000
- Average salary for roles requiring CySA+ or equivalent: $88,000–$105,000
- Salary delta: $10,000–$18,000/year in many markets
- Total first-year exam cost (prep + voucher): ~$500
At that ratio, the exam pays for itself within weeks of landing a higher-compensated role. The stronger case is for government contracting: CySA+ satisfies DoD 8570 IAT Level II, which gates access to a specific tier of federal security roles. In that context, the credential isn't optional — it's a table-stakes requirement, and the $392 voucher is a rounding error relative to the salary bands those roles carry.
The weaker case is if you're already a senior analyst or CISSP-certified. CySA+ adds little differentiation at that level. It's most valuable in the 2–5 year experience range where you have hands-on background but need a credential that signals "mid-level analyst" to HR filters.
FAQ
How much does the CySA+ exam cost in 2026?
The CompTIA CySA+ (CS0-003) exam voucher costs $392 USD through CompTIA's official store. Academic pricing is available at roughly $276–$309 for eligible students and educators. Prices in other countries are adjusted for local currency.
Is there a discount on the CySA+ exam?
Yes. CompTIA offers academic discounts for students and educators. Some authorized resellers offer modest discounts ($5–$15 below list price). CompTIA also periodically runs promotional bundles that include training materials plus the voucher. There is no discount for retakes — each attempt is charged at full price.
Does the CySA+ voucher expire?
CompTIA exam vouchers are valid for 12 months from the purchase date. If you buy a voucher and don't schedule within that window, you forfeit the $392. Schedule your exam date when you purchase — you can reschedule later, but having a date on the calendar keeps prep on track.
Can my employer pay for the CySA+ exam?
Yes. CySA+ is a DoD 8570/8140 approved certification, which makes it easy to justify under professional development or compliance budgets at organizations doing government work. Even at commercial companies, most security team managers can approve sub-$500 certification exam reimbursement under standard PD budgets. Ask HR about the process before you pay out of pocket.
How many times can you retake the CySA+ exam?
There's no hard limit on retakes, but CompTIA enforces waiting periods: 14 days between the first and second attempts, 14 days between second and third, and 6 months before a fourth attempt. Each retake costs full price ($392).
What's the difference between CySA+ CS0-002 and CS0-003 cost?
The voucher price is the same regardless of exam version. CS0-002 was retired in late 2023; any voucher purchased now will be for CS0-003. If you still have a CS0-002 voucher from before the retirement, CompTIA's policy is to honor it for the current version — contact their support to confirm your specific situation.
Bottom Line
Budget $392 for the CySA+ exam voucher plus $30–$50 for a quality prep course, and you have a realistic path to passing on the first attempt for under $450. If you qualify for academic pricing, you're closer to $320 total.
Don't skip practice exams. The CS0-003 performance-based questions are what trip people up, and the 14-day cooldown plus full-price retake cost makes underpreparing an expensive mistake. Get to 80%+ on timed mock tests before you book the date.
For most mid-career security professionals, the $392 is straightforward to justify — either through employer reimbursement or the salary delta the credential unlocks within the first year. The candidates who struggle to justify it are typically either overqualified (already at senior/CISSP level) or need the experience base to catch up to the 3–4 year recommendation before the cert adds meaningful signal.