Cost · as of Nov 6, 2026
What NPD-BC costs, from eligibility to renewal
Facts checked against nursingworld.org and codeofethics.ana.org · Last checked Nov 6, 2026 · Not affiliated with ANCC, ANA, AONL, NLN or AACN.
The exam fee, checked November 6, 2026: $395, or $295 for ANA members. The full bill for the credential also includes the continuing education that makes you eligible, a possible window change or retest, and renewal 5 years later.
Open the NPD-BC practice test60 questions, mixed content domainsNurse educator certification
Every fee, with its source
| Fact | Detail | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exam fee | $395, or $295 for ANA membersBoth prices include a $140 non-refundable administrative fee. The member price needs American Nurses Association membership, claimed within 5 business days after ANCC receives the application. | ANCC: Nursing Professional Development Certification (NPD-BC)1 | |
| Membership for the discount | ANA membership; ANCC does not print the dues on its exam pagesas of Nov 6, 2026 · check ANA dues before joining for the discount | ANCC: Nursing Professional Development Certification (NPD-BC)1 | |
| Other fees | $100 to move to a new 120-day testing window (once); Prometric may charge to reschedule or cancel | ANCC Certification Handbook, effective June 2025, version 5, Oct 12, 2026 (PDF)2 | |
| Retakes | After 60 calendar days, up to 3 attempts in any 12 months, with a new retest application and feeApply at least 5 days after the exam; eligibility is checked again. ANCC does not publish the retest fee on its exam pages, handbook or retest page. | ANCC Certification Handbook, effective June 2025, version 5, Oct 12, 2026 (PDF) · ANCC: Scores and retest application23 | |
| Renewal fee | $350, or from $250 for ANA membersIncludes the $140 administrative fee. | ANCC: Nursing Professional Development Certification (NPD-BC)1 | |
| Prep from the certifying body | ANCC Readiness Test ($85, 60 questions in 75 minutes); ANA’s Nursing Professional Development Review and Resource Manual, 4th edition ($92, $64.40 for ANA members) | ANCC: Readiness Tests · ANCC: Nursing Professional Development Certification (NPD-BC)14 |
What you pay, in order
- Before you apply: the NPD continuing education that eligibility asks for, earned in the period ANCC looks back over. Its price depends on where you earn it, so check your CE transcript for NPD-focused hours you already have.
- Exam fee: $395 for non-members or $295 for ANA members; both include the $140 non-refundable administrative fee.
- Changing dates: ANCC charges for a one-time move to a new testing window ($100 window move in the table), and Prometric may add its own rescheduling fee.
- A second attempt (60 days; 3 in 12 months) starts over with a fresh application and fee. No separate retest price is published, so budget the full fee until the application shows otherwise.
- Renewal: $350 for non-members and less for ANA members, once every 5 years, plus the continuing education behind it.
- Optional prep: the $85 Readiness Test and ANA's own review manual, both priced in the table.
Is ANA membership worth it here?
The member price applies to the exam and again at every renewal. The exam page prints no dues figure, so set the two discounts against the dues ANA shows when you join.
Timing matters. The discount has to be claimed within a few business days after your application is received, and the difference isn't refunded to anyone who joins later.
The admin fee is already in the price
The $140 is part of both prices, not a line added at checkout. It is labeled non-refundable, so it is the part kept back if a refund is ever issued.
Next to the other educator and ANCC exams
The NLN's CNE for academic faculty costs $525 for non-members of the NLN. The four ANCC exams on this site share the same base prices; ANCC certifications shows the family, and the educator certification comparison sets the educator credentials next to each other.
More about this credential
- NPD-BCThe hospital staff educator credential: format, fees, domains
- NPD-BC practice testQuestions across all six domains, every option explained
- NPD-BC exam factsFormat, scoring, pass rate, booking and retests
- NPD-BC requirementsEligibility criteria, audits, practitioner vs specialist
- NPD-BC study guideWeekly plan by domain weight, ANCC reading list, traps
The NPD-BC outline
Before the first sitting
The same NPD-BC questions with every option explained, in a study app.
Paying for the credential
Is a retest cheaper than the first attempt?
No lower retest price is published. A retest is a new application, so plan on the regular fee.
Do I have to buy the Readiness Test?
No. The $85 Readiness Test is optional, and the exam page states that prep materials are not a requirement for certification and don't imply a pass.
Can I claim the member price after I apply?
Only inside the short claim window after your application arrives. Join ANA first if you plan to use the discount.
Sources
- ANCC: Nursing Professional Development Certification (NPD-BC) nursingworld.org · checked Nov 6, 2026
- ANCC Certification Handbook, effective June 2025, version 5, Oct 12, 2026 (PDF) nursingworld.org · checked Nov 6, 2026
- ANCC: Scores and retest application nursingworld.org · checked Nov 6, 2026
- ANCC: Readiness Tests nursingworld.org · checked Nov 6, 2026
Each figure is reread against its document on a fixed cycle, and the date beside a source is its latest pass. Where a number here and the document part ways, the document wins (how corrections happen).