So, you think you’re ready to dig deeper into your cybersecurity profession? An ethical hacker describes a broad category of cybersecurity skills commonly associated with penetration testing and vulnerability assessment. Becoming a Certified Ethical Hacker is not for the faint of heart, as the technical topics span advanced networking theory, data protection, and other security methodology, along with tool-based analysis of an organization’s internal and cloud-based IT infrastructure. Here are answers to frequently asked questions about Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) Certification.
Which job roles are associated with CEH certification?
CEH certification is a stepping stone to the following job roles:
- Penetration Tester/Ethical Hacker
- Vulnerability Assessor
- Information Security Analyst
- Security/Cybersecurity/Network Analyst
- Computer Forensics Analyst
- Security/Cybersecurity Engineer
- Information Security Manager
- Security Consultant
Although more experience and certification are required to advance further into ethical hacking, the CEH is ideal for entry-level jobs in penetration testing and vulnerability assessment. It is also an excellent start in cultivating the hacker mindset so critical in the current cybersecurity threatscape.
Take our free 10-question Certified Ethical Hacker sample quiz!
What is the salary for Certified Ethical Hackers?
According to PayScale, the average salary of penetration testers and security or cybersecurity engineers is $87,000. Depending on where they live, their years of experience, and education, CEHs can earn as much as $125,000 in certain cybersecurity positions.
What is the cost of the CEH certification exam?
To become a Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), you must take the 312-50 exam from Pearson/VUE at a cost of $1,199 or directly from EC-Council’s online exam platform for $950. The exam has 125 multiple-choice questions and lasts 4 hours. The sliding pass score is 60–85%, depending on which form of the exam you receive.
What are the prerequisites for the CEH certification exam?
You either need to take our official EC-Council CEH On-Demand Course or training from another Accredited Training Center. Our course includes a diagnostic, practice exam, video-based lessons, exam guide, cloud-based labs, and the official 312-50 certification voucher.
If you have at least two years of information security experience, then you can go the self-study route. However, you will need to pay $100 for an eligibility application on top of the normal exam fee. You should plan for at least 3–6 months of dedicated study, so we recommend using our standalone official 312-50 exam preparation to help you focus your efforts on the right material. We also have a general guide to help you pass the CEH exam the first time!
For recommendations on how to plan your study, please review our article on what to do before the CEH exam.
Posted by: Josh Hester