| Professional Certification Program
The Society’s Certified Cost Estimator/Analyst (CCE/A) program provides a professional credential to SCEA members and nonmembers who demonstrate mastery of basic concepts and methods. The individuals achieving certification: 1) pass a written exam testing their knowledge and skills; 2) qualify to take the exam by demonstrating nominal levels of training and work experience. SCEA regularly offers the exam three times a year, in April, June, and November, at sites across the country and internationally.
Contact the SCEA National office at scea@sceaonline.net or at 703-938-5090 if you have any questions about these or other matters.
Interested in taking a certification exam?
The exam eligibility requirements section below provides information on qualification criteria. Qualified exam candidates should complete the exam application and review the exam information document, which provides important information on the exam and how to prepare for it. The SCEA Calendar on the SCEA General News page gives upcoming exam dates.
If you’re unsure about where and when someone is hosting an exam near you contact the SCEA National Office at scea@sceaonline.net or at 703-938-5090. If it is determined that SCEA is unlikely to offer an exam in your area in the near future, alternatives will be suggested including arranging your own exam with a local proctor; college or university; or testing service.
Interested in hosting a certification exam?
SCEA will support a certification exam at your location if you’re able to identify: 1) a qualified proctor; 2) a room available on the exam date for five hours with enough tables and chairs to accommodate “every other” seating; and 3) one or more enthusiastic, qualified examinees. Just contact the SCEA National Office two months in advance of the exam date to make the arrangements. Anyone who holds a current SCEA certification can serve as an exam proctor.
Exam Eligibility Requirements
We’ll be happy to offer you a certification exam if you’re able to satisfy one of the following qualification options. Contact the SCEA National Office if you’re not sure you satisfy any of the qualification options.
Option |
Education requirement |
Experience requirement |
A |
A four-year college degree or a graduate degree: 1) in a field of study directly related to cost estimating or analysis – e.g., accounting, economics; or 2) together incorporating ten quantitative courses – e.g., courses in mathematics, statistics, engineering usually satisfy the course requirement. |
A minimum of two years experience performing cost analysis or estimating activities in a position specifically identified within the organizational structure as requiring such performance. The position must involve cost estimating or analysis duties normally performed by a fully-qualified (journeyman) analyst or estimator. |
B |
An associate degree, four-year degree, or graduate degree in any discipline. |
A minimum of five years experience performing cost analysis or estimating activities in a position as defined by option A. |
C |
No education requirement |
A minimum of seven years experience performing cost analysis or estimating activities, in a position as defined under option A. The applicant must demonstrate their ability to pass the exam. A brief biographical sketch describing education, experience, and most relevant cost estimating or analysis performance will satisfy this last requirement. |
Applicants must provide a copy of diploma or transcripts to support their claims of education accomplishments – formal or informal transcripts will serve to document course completion; diploma photocopies will serve to document degree attainments. Those claiming non-accredited course accomplishments must provide copies of certificates of completion that include the source, subject, and hours of instruction. Each course submitted must meet the general criteria of 20 or more hours of classroom instruction.
Send a resume detailing your position titles, responsibilities, and dates in the positions to document your experience.
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Certification Exam Application
Download the certification exam application (below) and submit it with your exam fee to the certification director at:
Director of Certification
c/o SCEA/ISPA Joint Office
527 Maple Avenue East
Suite 301
Vienna, VA 22180
If SCEA has previously qualified you to take the exam submit only the first page of the application with your exam fee.
The exam fee is $125.00 for members and for military and government nonmembers; and $250.00 for other non-members. The fee is payable at the time the completed application is submitted and can be paid by check or credit card - American Express, Visa or Master Card.
SCEA reserves the right to refund only $50.00 of the fee should an applicant withdraw their application prior to the exam date, fail to take the exam at the appointed time, or fail to meet the exam eligibility requirements.
The applicant may ask SCEA to apply the fee credit to a subsequent exam rather than to make a refund.
Certification exam application
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Certification Exam Preparation
Your first step in preparing for the exam is to visit the certification site from the SCEA home page to learn everything you can about the exam. Your best resource for this is the downloadable exam information document, which describes exam day procedures, the exam format, exam content (in broad “topical” terms), study resources, and more! Review the body of knowledge and the sample exam questions and new, draft sample questions.
Start preparing at least a month or two out. One or three weeks doesn’t seem to be enough study time for most of us; and eight hour work days tend to “do in” our best intentions to “study a little every night.” Time is your best friend in this effort.
Gather together study materials for each of the topics the exam information document identifies as fair game for the exam. The exam information document lists some study resources, from SCEA’s CostPROF ©, computer-based training, to useful books and Web sites.
Review topics that are “distant memories” or that are not part of your day-to-day work experience. Make “flash cards” for concepts and terminologies for which you need continuing review.
The annual conferences are an excellent introduction for those new to the profession. They can provide a firm basis for further study and on-the-job training. For candidates planning to sit for the the certification exam within the next year, this training program offers a good opportunity to review their basic skills and establish a study program prior to sitting for the examination. The subject areas are taught by recognized practitioners in their field and generally grouped into six or seven areas totaling more than thirty classroom hours of instruction. The training track is primarily designed as a refresher for individuals with academic and job experience in, or related to, cost estimating and analysis.
If you’re attending the SCEA conference go to the training presentations and review the training notes, particularly those from the relevant “basic,” introductory sessions. If you’re not attending the conference try to locate the training notes from a prior conference. The SCEA National office may have a spare copy to sell you.
Locate someone who has already taken the exam; ask them what the exam was like and how to best prepare for it. They will give you the best opportunity to avoid “sticker shock” on exam day.
Find out if a local SCEA chapter is offering relevant training; contact the SCEA office or visit SCEA’s chapter page on the Web for information on local chapters and their activities. If they’re not currently offering training ask them “why not?”
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Certification Exam Results
SCEA will notify you of your exam results within sixty days of the exam date.
If you’re successful SCEA will issue you a numbered certification certificate. Protect the certificate as the fee for replacing a lost or damaged certificate is $25.00.
If you missed passing the exam you’ll only need to retake and pass the failed exam part to attain SCEA certification. However, after failing to pass just the missing exam part on two attempts you’ll need to retake the exam in its entirety to attain certification.
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Recertification Program
The Certified Cost Estimator/Analyst award is valid for five years. The Society has, therefore, established
a Recertification Program to permit the continued certification of estimators and analysts. Recertification
may be achieved in either of two ways - by passing successfully the regular Certified Cost Estimator/Analyst examination or by earning a prescribed number of points in specified cost estimating and analysis activities over the five year period since the last certification or recertification.
If a certified member wishes to achieve recertification by examination the procedures described above for
initial certification apply, except that the member is automatically eligible to take the examination regardless
of education and experience requirements that apply for candidates who wish to take the examination for the
first time. The same test will be taken for either certification or recertification.
Recertification based on earned points may be requested within the period extending from six months before
the fifth anniversary of the last certification/recertification to six months after it. Complete the application for
recertification-by-points. The Director of Recertification will grant recertification if the applicant has obtained
at least 30 points in appropriate cost estimator/analyst activities.
Fees: The procedures are the same as for applicants who apply to take the test for the first time. The fee for recertification-by-testing is $125.00 for members and for military and government nonmembers;
and $250.00 for other non-members. The fee for recertification-by-points is $125.00 for members and for military
and government nonmembers; and $250.00 for other non-members. Any recertification fee can be paid by
either check or credit card. We accept American Express, Visa and Master Card.
Application for recertification-by-points
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