Certifications and licenses
Requirements, exams, official fees, and renewal rules, checked against each issuing organization or state regulator.
Professional certification
Awarded by a private organization, such as PMI, CompTIA, or CFA Institute, to show competence. Usually voluntary, though employers may require it.
State license
Issued by a government regulator and legally required to practice certain professions, such as nursing, law, or electrical work. Rules differ by state. State licensing library.
Accounting & Finance
| Credential | Type | Issuer | Example official fee | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certified Public Accountant | State license | State boards of accountancy (Connecticut State Board of Accountancy, through the CT Department of Consumer Protection); exam by AICPA and NASBA | $96 Connecticut exam application fee (NASBA) | October 18, 2026 |
| Chartered Financial Analyst | Professional certification | CFA Institute | $0 One-time program enrollment fee | October 18, 2026 |
| Certified Financial Planner | Professional certification | Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards (CFP Board) | $825 Exam registration, early bird | October 18, 2026 |
| Certified Management Accountant | Professional certification | Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) | $49 IMA student membership dues | October 18, 2026 |
| Enrolled Agent | State license | Internal Revenue Service (IRS); exam delivered by Prometric | $317 SEE fee, per part | October 18, 2026 |
| Securities Industry Essentials Exam | Licensing exam | Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) | $100 SIE exam fee | October 18, 2026 |
| General Securities Representative Qualification Examination (Series 7) | Licensing exam | Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) | $395 Series 7 exam fee | October 18, 2026 |
Business & HR
| Credential | Type | Issuer | Example official fee | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SHRM Certified Professional | Professional certification | Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) | $350 Exam fee, SHRM member, early bird | October 18, 2026 |
| Professional in Human Resources | Professional certification | HR Certification Institute (HRCI) | $100 Application fee | October 18, 2026 |
Cloud Computing
| Credential | Type | Issuer | Example official fee | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner | Professional certification | Amazon Web Services (AWS) | $100 Exam fee | October 18, 2026 |
| AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate | Professional certification | Amazon Web Services (AWS) | $150 Exam fee | October 18, 2026 |
| Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals | Professional certification | Microsoft | See issuer | October 18, 2026 |
| Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer | Professional certification | Google Cloud | $125 Exam registration fee | October 18, 2026 |
Cybersecurity
| Credential | Type | Issuer | Example official fee | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CompTIA Security+ | Professional certification | CompTIA | $150 Continuing Education fee | October 18, 2026 |
| Certified Information Systems Security Professional | Professional certification | ISC2 | $749 Exam fee (Americas, standard registration) | October 18, 2026 |
Education
| Credential | Type | Issuer | Example official fee | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Educator Certificate (Connecticut) | State license, CT | Connecticut State Department of Education, Bureau of Educator Standards and Certification | $0 Initial Educator Certificate (issuance or renewal) | October 18, 2026 |
Engineering
| Credential | Type | Issuer | Example official fee | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Exam | Licensing exam | National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) | $225 Exam fee (paid to NCEES) | October 18, 2026 |
| Professional Engineer (PE) License | State license | National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) | $400 PE exam fee (paid to NCEES), most disciplines | October 18, 2026 |
Healthcare
| Credential | Type | Issuer | Example official fee | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCLEX-RN Examination | Licensing exam | National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) | $200 Registration fee (U.S. licensure), current | October 18, 2026 |
| Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination | Licensing exam | National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) | $550 PANCE exam fee | October 18, 2026 |
| United States Medical Licensing Examination (Step 1, Step 2 CK, Step 3) | Licensing exam | USMLE, co-sponsored by the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) and NBME | $695 Step 1 application fee (2026 and 2027) | October 18, 2026 |
| Registered Nurse License (Connecticut) | State license, CT | Connecticut Department of Public Health, Practitioner Licensing and Investigations | $180 Initial application fee (licensure by examination) | October 18, 2026 |
| Physician Assistant License (Connecticut) | State license, CT | Connecticut Department of Public Health, Practitioner Licensing and Investigations | $0 Initial application fee | October 18, 2026 |
Information Technology
| Credential | Type | Issuer | Example official fee | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CompTIA A+ | Professional certification | CompTIA | $75 Continuing Education fee | October 18, 2026 |
| Cisco Certified Network Associate | Professional certification | Cisco | $300 Exam fee | October 18, 2026 |
Insurance
| Credential | Type | Issuer | Example official fee | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Resident Insurance Producer License (Connecticut) | State license, CT | Connecticut Insurance Department, Licensing Division | $140 Initial license fee | October 18, 2026 |
Law
| Credential | Type | Issuer | Example official fee | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bar Exam: Uniform Bar Examination, NextGen UBE, and MPRE | Licensing exam | National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) | $185 MPRE test fee (2026 and 2027 administrations) | October 18, 2026 |
| Attorney Admission by Examination (Connecticut) | State license, CT | Connecticut Bar Examining Committee (Connecticut Judicial Branch) | $900 Exam application fee, first filing deadline | October 18, 2026 |
Mental Health
| Credential | Type | Issuer | Example official fee | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed Professional Counselor and Professional Counselor Associate (Connecticut) | State license, CT | Connecticut Department of Public Health, Practitioner Licensing and Investigations | $200 LPC initial application fee | October 18, 2026 |
Project Management
| Credential | Type | Issuer | Example official fee | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Project Management Professional | Professional certification | Project Management Institute (PMI) | $70 Reschedule or cancel within 30 days of appointment | October 18, 2026 |
| Certified Associate in Project Management | Professional certification | Project Management Institute (PMI) | $70 Reschedule or cancel within 30 days of appointment | October 18, 2026 |
Real Estate
| Credential | Type | Issuer | Example official fee | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Real Estate Salesperson License (Connecticut) | State license, CT | Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, Real Estate Commission licensing | $80 Application fee | October 18, 2026 |
Skilled Trades
| Credential | Type | Issuer | Example official fee | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical Journeyperson (E-2) and Unlimited Electrical Contractor (E-1) Licenses (Connecticut) | State license, CT | Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, Occupational and Professional Licensing | $90 Journeyperson (E-2) application fee | October 18, 2026 |
Looking for a credential not listed here? The U.S. Department of Labor's CareerOneStop Certification Finder and License Finder cover thousands more.