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Compare certifications
Pick up to 3 certifications and compare them side-by-side on cost, exam format, recertification, salary signal, quality, and domain coverage.
Hack The Box · expert
HTB CWEEHack the Box Certified Web Exploitation Expert
Hack the Box Certified Web Exploitation Expert
Official pageOffSec · expert
OSWEOffensive Security Web Expert
Advanced web application exploitation — whitebox review, vulnerability chain construction.
Official pageComparing
Hack The BoxHTB CWEE
OffSecOSWE
› Cost
Exam fee
HTB CWEE$310
OSWE$1,699
Exam fee
$310
$1,699
Annual maintenance fee
HTB CWEE—
OSWE—
Annual maintenance fee
—
—
3-year cost of ownership
HTB CWEE$310
OSWE$1,699
3-year cost of ownership
$310
$1,699
› Exam mechanics
Pass mark
HTB CWEELab points-based (typically 80%+ with report submission)
OSWELab points-based (varies — typically 60+/100 with report)
Pass mark
Lab points-based (typically 80%+ with report submission)
Lab points-based (varies — typically 60+/100 with report)
Retake policy
HTB CWEE$210 fee · 0d wait
OSWE$249 fee · 0d wait
Retake policy
$210 fee · 0d wait
$249 fee · 0d wait
Study time
HTB CWEE—
OSWE300–500 hrs
Study time
—
300–500 hrs
Validity
HTB CWEE—
OSWE3 yrs
Validity
—
3 yrs
CPE / yr
HTB CWEE—
OSWE30 CPEs
CPE / yr
—
30 CPEs
Delivery
HTB CWEE—
OSWEpractical lab
Delivery
—
practical lab
› Salary signal (US base)
Range
HTB CWEE$130K – $195K
OSWE$130K – $195K
Range
$130K – $195K
$130K – $195K
Median
HTB CWEE$155,000
OSWE$155,000
Median
$155,000
$155,000
Premium %
HTB CWEE—
OSWE—
Premium %
—
—
Role context
HTB CWEESenior web-application security engineer / pentester, US, 4-6 years.
OSWESenior web/app pentester, US, 4-7 years.
Role context
Senior web-application security engineer / pentester, US, 4-6 years.
Senior web/app pentester, US, 4-7 years.
› Quality (4-axis rubric · 0–10)
Schema quality
HTB CWEE8.0
OSWE8.5
Schema quality
8.0
8.5
Practice evidence
HTB CWEE9.5
OSWE9.5
Practice evidence
9.5
9.5
Maintenance
HTB CWEE8.5
OSWE7.0
Maintenance
8.5
7.0
Market recognition
HTB CWEE6.5
OSWE7.5
Market recognition
6.5
7.5
Average
HTB CWEE8.1
OSWE8.1
Average
8.1
8.1
› Recognition & lifecycle
Recognition
HTB CWEEGlobal
OSWEGlobal · US · EU · UK
Recognition
Global
Global · US · EU · UK
ISO 17024 accredited
HTB CWEE—
OSWE—
ISO 17024 accredited
—
—
DoD 8140 baseline
HTB CWEE—
OSWE—
DoD 8140 baseline
—
—
Holders worldwide
HTB CWEE—
OSWE3,000
Holders worldwide
—
3,000
Current version
HTB CWEECurrent (2024) (2024-01)
OSWEWEB-300 (2024) (2024-01)
Current version
Current (2024) (2024-01)
WEB-300 (2024) (2024-01)
› Domain coverage
A24Exposure Management & Attack Surface
HTB CWEE·
OSWE○ touched
A24Exposure Management & Attack Surface
·
○ touched
A4Application Security
HTB CWEE·
OSWE● core
A4Application Security
·
● core
A9Penetration Testing & Red Teaming
HTB CWEE● core
OSWE● core
A9Penetration Testing & Red Teaming
● core
● core
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