Six Sigma Certification Cost

Six Sigma Certification Cost

Unless you are taking a six sigma training and certification provided by your employer, you are likely to spend some hard earned bucks on the certification exam. A typical six sigma certification cost varies between under $100 to $700 depending on the belt level and whether training is included with certification. Some six sigma training providers do not offer just certification exams and require you to pursue their training in order to be allowed to take a certification test (e.g. goleansixsigma.com). As a side note, I have to say that the fact that most six sigma certification exam providers require taking their training is a bit sketchy. You do not need to be a genius to realize that there is an inherent conflict of interest in such an approach. But anyhow, let’s not digress and get back to six sigma certification cost.
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One of the often sought after six sigma certifications are provided by the American Society for Quality (ASQ).  If you are a six sigma rookie, you can take a yellow belt exam for $339 as a non-member. For members ASQ offers a discounted $189 price tag. In case you are not successful, you can retake the exam for $129 per retake. This being said, I would not recommend spending that much money on the yellow belt certification as it only attests to one’s basic understanding of six sigma concepts and does not carry enough weight. Instead it would be a better idea to spend a bit more time on ​preparation and go after the green belt which costs just $20 dollars more at $359. You can save on this six sigma  certification cost by becoming ASQ member. For members the price is $209. Retakes would cost you $159. Once you obtain either yellow belt or green belt you do not need to recertify. Only black and master black belts are required to recertify every 3 years. You can take a black belt certification exam for $459 as a non-member. ASQ members can take the same exam for $309. Retakes cost $259. ASQ also offers a master black belt level certification for seasoned six sigma professionals which comes with a hefty price tag. The exam fee is $2150 for non-members or $1995 for members. You would also need to pay for a portfolio review process either $650 (member) or $495 (non-member). Your overall six sigma certification cost for the master black belt would be $2,800 (non-member) or $2,400 (member). The downside of the ASQ examinations is that they are not offered online but on-site, and you may need to wait before exams become available close to your location.

Goleansixsigma.com offers certification exams at yellow, green and black belt levels online. If you still decide to go after yellow belt, you can do so for $79. Green and black belt certification exams are offered in combination with training. The training and certification exam for green belts costs $699 and you do not have to recertify. In case you are not successful on your first attempt you can retake for free. For black belt candidates, the six sigma certification cost at this level is $899 and there is a prerequisite to have the green belt from goleansixsigma.com.

Similar to goleansixsigma.com the International Association for Six Sigma Certification (IASSC) offers six sigma certification exams which can be taken any time online from home. This organization seems to strive to become an impartial certification body and does not offer training. IASSC is exclusively focused on exam administration. The six sigma certification cost for the yellow belt is $195. Green belt candidates can take a certification exam for $295. The highest belt level which IASSC offers is black belt which will cost you $395. Unfortunately, if you are unsuccessful on your first attempt there is no discount for retakes. You would need to pay the full price again. The advantage is that there is no recertification requirement for yellow belt, green belt and black belt holders.

There is no single six sigma certification authority and therefore you can find a large number of organizations which administer certification exams. Although this post reviewed just a small sample of them, ASQ and IASSC seem to be some of the most recognizable and reputable. No matter which organization you choose for getting certified, you would need to prepare. If you feel that certification exams are already expensive and would like to prepare on your own, you can visit www.sixsigmatrainingfree.com for free six sigma preparation materials and practice tests. That’s how I passed the black belt exam with IASSC. With a  bit discipline and determination you can do too.

 
Read more:
What You Can Expect as a Six Sigma Black Belt Salary
About Six Sigma Certification
Why Six Sigma Certification
History of Six Sigma
Lean Six Sigma Belt Roles and Responsibilities
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