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Certification path

Cisco certification path

Cisco's ladder is four rungs and one structural quirk. CCNA is a single exam. CCNP is two: a core exam shared by everyone in that track, plus one concentration exam you choose. Passing the core also counts as the written qualifier for the matching CCIE, which is why nobody sits a CCNP core casually.

Where to start

Sit 200-301 CCNA first — it is the only exam here with no shape to plan around. Then pick a track and take its core: 350-401 for enterprise, 350-701 for security, 350-601 for data centre.

  1. 01

    Entry

    2 exams

    Hardware and field support. Rarely a career step on its own; often a first certification for someone already racking equipment.

  2. 02

    Associate

    3 exams

    One exam each, no prerequisites. CCNA is the networking baseline the rest of the industry assumes you have.

  3. 03

    Professional core

    7 exams

    The shared exam for each CCNP track — and the written qualifier for the matching CCIE. Pass one of these and you are half a CCNP.

  4. 04

    Professional concentration

    6 exams

    The second half of a CCNP: one of these, chosen to match the work you do. Any of them completes the certification.

  5. 05

    Expert

    1 exam

    A written exam and, for CCIE, an eight-hour lab. The written is what a question bank prepares you for; the lab is bench time.

Work the whole ladder on one plan

$39.99 a month covers all 19 exams on this page and every other exam on the site — which is the point of a path. Or read 10 questions from any of them first, free.

See pricingAll Cisco exams

Common questions

Where should I start on the Cisco certification path?
Sit 200-301 CCNA first — it is the only exam here with no shape to plan around. Then pick a track and take its core: 350-401 for enterprise, 350-701 for security, 350-601 for data centre.
How many Cisco exams are there?
19 of them are covered here, arranged into 5 tiers: entry, associate, professional core, professional concentration, expert. Retired versions still in our catalogue are deliberately left off — the point of this page is what to sit next.
Do I have to take the Cisco exams in order?
Cisco's ladder is four rungs and one structural quirk. CCNA is a single exam. CCNP is two: a core exam shared by everyone in that track, plus one concentration exam you choose. Passing the core also counts as the written qualifier for the matching CCIE, which is why nobody sits a CCNP core casually.
Can I practise these before paying?
Yes — 10 free questions on every exam on this page, with no card and no account. Each also has a timed practice test of 65 questions in 130 minutes.
What does it cost to prepare for the whole path?
$39.99 a month opens every exam on this page and every other exam on the site, which is the plan that makes sense if you are working through a ladder. A single exam on its own is a one-time $19.99 for 30 days.

Other certification paths