Find Your Exam

Azure Administrator (AZ-104)

Use AWS Free Tier for hands-on practice

Microsoft

$165·~70% pass

Medium1 year (renewal required)

Use Microsoft Learn free modules

Google Cloud Professional Architect

Google

$200·~50% pass

Kubernetes Administrator (CKA)

Focus on case studies provided by Google

CNCF

$395·~50% pass

Practice on killer.sh simulator (included)

AWS Cloud Practitioner

Amazon Web Services

$100·~85% pass

Easy3 years

Best entry point to AWS certifications

AWS Developer Associate

Amazon Web Services

$150·~65% pass

Strong Lambda and API Gateway knowledge required

AWS SysOps Administrator

Amazon Web Services

$150·~60% pass

AWS Solutions Architect Professional

Master CloudWatch metrics and alarms

Amazon Web Services

$300·~30% pass

Very Hard3 years

Requires deep multi-service integration knowledge

Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-305)

Microsoft

$165·~50% pass

Hard1 year (renewal required)

Requires AZ-104 or equivalent experience

Azure Developer Associate (AZ-204)

Microsoft

$165·~55% pass

Hard1 year (renewal required)

Strong C# or Python knowledge helps

Azure Data Engineer (DP-203)

Microsoft

$165·~50% pass

Hard1 year (renewal required)

Master Azure Synapse Analytics

Google Cloud Digital Leader

Google

$99·~80% pass

Easy3 years

Best entry point for Google Cloud

Google Cloud Professional Data Engineer

Google

$200·~50% pass

Databricks Data Engineer Associate

Master BigQuery inside and out

Databricks

$200·~65% pass

Master Delta Lake fundamentals

Snowflake SnowPro Core

Snowflake

$175·~70% pass

Power BI Data Analyst (PL-300)

Understand virtual warehouses and scaling

Microsoft

$165·~65% pass

Medium1 year (renewal required)

Master DAX formulas and calculations

Tableau Desktop Specialist

Tableau/Salesforce

$100·~75% pass

Master basic chart types and when to use them

CompTIA Security+

CompTIA

$392·~70% pass

CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker)

Use Professor Messer free videos

CISSP

ISC2

$749·~25% pass

Very Hard3 years

Think like a manager, not a technician

EC-Council

$950-$1199·~60% pass

CISM (Certified Information Security Manager)

Build a home lab with VMs

ISACA

$575-$760·~50% pass

OSCP (Offensive Security Certified Professional)

Focus on management perspective, not technical

Offensive Security

$1,599-$2,499·~25% pass

Very HardNo expiration

24-hour hands-on practical exam

CompTIA CySA+

CompTIA

$392·~70% pass

Focus on threat detection and analysis

CompTIA PenTest+

CompTIA

$392·~65% pass

PMP (Project Management Professional)

Hands-on penetration testing focus

PMI

$405-$555·~60% pass

Hard3 years (60 PDUs needed)

Understand PMBOK Guide 7th edition

PRINCE2 Foundation

AXELOS/PeopleCert

$300-$400·~75% pass

MediumLifetime (Foundation), 3 years (Practitioner)

Learn the 7 Principles, Themes, and Processes

Certified ScrumMaster (CSM)

Scrum Alliance

$995-$1395 (includes training)·~98% pass

Medium2 years (renewal $100)

Attend accredited 2-day training (required)

GRE (Graduate Record Examination)

ETS

$220·N/A (score-based) pass

GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test)

Master vocabulary with flashcards (Magoosh, Manhattan)

GMAC

$275·N/A (score-based) pass

$60-$85·N/A (score-based) pass

Master Data Sufficiency question type

SAT

College Board

MediumScores used for admissions

Use Khan Academy free prep (official partner)

IELTS

British Council/IDP

$245-$310·N/A (band score) pass

$200-$245·N/A (score-based) pass

Practice all 4 sections equally

TOEFL iBT

ETS

$59·N/A (score-based) pass

Integrated tasks require note-taking skills

Duolingo English Test

Duolingo

CPA (Certified Public Accountant)

Take at home - ensure quiet environment

AICPA

$1,000-$3,000 total·45-60% pass

Very HardOngoing CPE required

Pass all 4 sections within 18 months

CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst)

CFA Institute

$2,500-$5,000 total (all levels)·~40% Level 1 pass

Very HardLifetime (annual dues)

300-400 hours study per level

Series 7

FINRA

$300·~72% pass

HardOngoing (firm sponsorship required)

Must be sponsored by FINRA member firm

Bar Exam (USA)

State Bar Associations

$500-$1,500·40-80% (varies by state) pass

Very HardState-specific

Barbri or Themis for comprehensive prep

LSAT

LSAC

$215·N/A (score-based) pass

$665·~93% (now Pass/Fail) pass

Logic Games can be mastered with practice

USMLE Step 1

NBME/FSMB

Very Hard7 years for licensing

Now Pass/Fail since January 2022

MCAT

AAMC

$330·N/A (score-based) pass

Very Hard2-3 years (school dependent)

Use AAMC official materials (essential)

NCLEX-RN

NCSBN

$200·~87% (first-time) pass

HardOne-time (license renewal varies)

UWorld or Kaplan for question banks

UPSC Civil Services (IAS/IPS/IFS)

Union Public Service Commission

~$15 (INR 100)·~0.2% pass

~$1.50 (INR 100)·~3% pass

Read NCERT books for basics

SSC CGL

Staff Selection Commission

Civil Service Fast Stream

Master quantitative aptitude shortcuts

UK Government

Free·~3-5% pass

HardAnnual recruitment

Practice online tests on CS Jobs portal

CLAT (Common Law Admission Test)

Consortium of NLUs

~$50 (INR 4,000)·~2% pass

NDA (National Defence Academy)

Legal reasoning section is crucial

UPSC

~$1.50 (INR 100)·~3% pass

HardTwice yearly

Strong in Mathematics is essential

UGC NET

National Testing Agency

~$15 (INR 1,100)·~6% pass

HardTwice yearly

Paper 1 is common for all subjects

IBPS PO (Probationary Officer)

Institute of Banking Personnel Selection

~$10 (INR 850)·~2% pass

~$10 (INR 750)·~1.5% pass

Master quantitative aptitude shortcuts

SBI PO

State Bank of India

RRB NTPC (Railway Recruitment)

Highest competition among bank exams

Railway Recruitment Board

~$6 (INR 500)·~3% pass

HardPeriodic recruitment

General awareness very important

CTET (Central Teacher Eligibility Test)

CBSE

~$12 (INR 1,000)·~15% pass

JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test)

Child Development and Pedagogy crucial

Japan Foundation

$60-$80·~35% (N1), ~50% (N2) pass

HSK (Chinese Proficiency Test)

N2 minimum for most jobs in Japan

Hanban/Confucius Institute

$35-$75·~70-85% pass

TOPIK (Korean Proficiency Test)

HSK 4 required for most Chinese universities

NIIED

$40-$55·~50-60% pass

TOPIK I (1-2) vs TOPIK II (3-6)

DELE (Spanish)

Instituto Cervantes

$110-$185·~70-85% pass

B2 recommended for professional use

DELF/DALF (French)

French Ministry of Education

$100-$350·~75-85% pass

Goethe-Zertifikat (German)

B2 for university admission in France

Goethe-Institut

$150-$350·~70-80% pass

$68-$93·N/A (score-based) pass

B1 for visa, B2-C1 for university

ACT

ACT Inc.

MediumScores used for admissions

Science section tests reasoning, not science knowledge

GED (General Educational Development)

GED Testing Service

$30-$40 per subject·~80% pass

AP Exams (Advanced Placement)

Four subjects: Math, Science, Social Studies, Language Arts

College Board

$98 per exam·~60% score 3+ pass

~$10 (INR 650-750)·~25% qualify for Advanced pass

Score of 3+ typically earns college credit

JEE Main

NTA (National Testing Agency)

NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test)

Computer-based test (CBT) format

NTA

~$20 (INR 1600)·~50% qualify pass

CAT (Common Admission Test)

Physics, Chemistry, Biology (Botany + Zoology)

IIMs

~$25 (INR 2300)·~1% get IIM calls pass

GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering)

Computer-based test with 3 sections

IITs/IISc

~$20 (INR 1700)·~17% pass

Very Hard3 years

Computer-based test, paper-specific

UKCAT/UCAT

UCAT Consortium

£75-£115·N/A (score-based) pass

£75-£130·N/A (score-based) pass

5 sections: VR, DM, QR, AR, SJT

BMAT

Cambridge Assessment

ENEM (Exame Nacional do Ensino Medio)

3 sections: Aptitude, Scientific Knowledge, Essay

INEP

R$85 (~$17)·N/A (score-based) pass

Free for UAE students·Varies by subject pass

Digital version (ENEM Digital) available

EmSAT

UAE Ministry of Education

Gaokao (Digital Subjects)

Computer-based standardized test

Ministry of Education

~¥100 (~$14)·~80% enter some university pass

Free·N/A (score-based) pass

Some provinces now have digital components

CSAT (Suneung)

KICE

ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank)

Digital components being introduced

State Education Authorities

Included in school fees·N/A (ranking) pass

$60-$85·N/A (score-based) pass

Based on Year 12 results

Singapore A-Levels

SEAB/Cambridge

~S$120·~93% pass pass

Very HardLifetime

Some components now computer-based

SAT

College Board

$18-$20·N/A (score-based) pass

Fully digital since 2024 - 2 hours 14 minutes

PSAT/NMSQT

College Board

Medium1 year

Digital format matching new SAT

SSAT (Secondary School Admission Test)

EMA

$160-$300·N/A (percentile-based) pass

ISEE (Independent School Entrance Exam)

Digital and paper options available

ERB

$130-$205·N/A (stanine scores) pass

$800-$1200 total·~80% diploma pass pass

Computer-based at Prometric centers

IB Diploma Exams

International Baccalaureate

Very HardLifetime

Six subject exams + Extended Essay + TOK

Cambridge IGCSE

Cambridge Assessment

$50-$150 per subject·~90% A*-G grades pass

$100-$200 per subject·~97% A*-E grades pass

Computer-based options expanding

Cambridge A-Levels

Cambridge Assessment

~£50 per subject·~97% grade 1+ pass

AS and A2 components

GCSE

AQA/Edexcel/OCR

Free-£150·~20-25% pass pass

Taken at age 15-16 in Year 11

11+ Exam

GL/CEM/School-specific

Taken at age 10-11

ISEB

Entry to independent schools at 11+ or 13+

JAMB UTME

Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board

₦4,700 (~$6)·~70% pass

$30-$50·~65% 5+ credits pass

Fully computer-based since 2013

WAEC (WASSCE)

West African Examinations Council

Rp 200,000 (~$13)·~15-20% pass

Computer-based and paper options

SNMPTN/UTBK

LTMPT

Very Hard1 year

UTBK: Computer-based aptitude test

Saber 11

ICFES

~$30·N/A (score-based) pass

Computer-based national exam

COMIPEMS

Metropolitan Commission

~$20·~85% pass

Medium1 year

Computer-based exam

Zhongkao

Provincial Education Bureaus

~¥50·~85% pass

JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test)

Digital components in some provinces

Japan Foundation

$60-$70·N5: ~50%, N1: ~30% pass

HSK (Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi)

5 levels: N5 (easiest) to N1 (hardest)

Hanban/Confucius Institute

$30-$80·~70% pass

TOPIK (Test of Proficiency in Korean)

6 levels (HSK 1-6), now expanded to 9

NIIED

$40-$55·~60% pass

TOPIK I (levels 1-2) and TOPIK II (levels 3-6)

DELE (Spanish Language)

Instituto Cervantes

$110-$240·~75% pass

DELF/DALF (French Language)

A1-C2 levels (CEFR aligned)

France Education International

$100-$350·~80% pass

$65·N/A (score-based) pass

DELF (A1-B2), DALF (C1-C2)

Duolingo English Test

Duolingo

$200-$250·N/A (score-based) pass

100% online, take from home

PTE Academic

Pearson

Cambridge English (FCE/CAE/CPE)

Fully computer-based including speaking

Cambridge Assessment

$200-$280·~70% pass

Medium2-4 years (renewal required)

FCE (B2), CAE (C1), CPE (C2)

Real Estate License Exam

State Real Estate Commissions

$50-$100·~60% pass

Computer-based at Pearson/PSI centers

PHR/SPHR (HR Certification)

HRCI

$395-$595·~60% pass

Computer-based at Pearson VUE

SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP

SHRM

$300-$475·~70% pass

Google Analytics Certification

Computer-based testing

Salesforce Administrator

Salesforce

$200·~65% pass

MediumAnnual maintenance

Online proctored or test center

Google

Free·~80% pass

Medium12 months

Completely online and free

HubSpot Certifications

HubSpot Academy

Free·~85% pass

All online and completely free

Cisco CCNA

Cisco

$330·~60% pass

Online proctored or test center

Scrum.org PSM I

Scrum.org

$150·~85% pass

Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS)

Online exam, take anytime

Microsoft/Certiport

$100-$150·~80% pass

$246 per exam (2 exams)·~75% pass

Performance-based exam in live application

CompTIA A+

CompTIA

Two exams: Core 1 (220-1101) and Core 2 (220-1102)

CompTIA Network+

CompTIA

$358·~70% pass

Single exam (N10-008)

ITIL 4 Foundation

PeopleCert/Axelos

$363·~80% pass

Online proctored exam available

Terraform Associate

HashiCorp

$70.50·~70% pass

Docker Certified Associate

Online proctored via PSI

Mirantis (formerly Docker)

$195·~65% pass