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Pick up to 3 certifications and compare them side-by-side on cost, exam format, recertification, salary signal, quality, and domain coverage.

OffSec · professional
OSEP
Offensive Security Experienced Penetration Tester

The OffSec Experienced Penetration Tester (OSEP) is based on the PEN-300 course and addresses advanced techniques around antivirus evasion, Active Directory attacks, and living-off-the-land methods. The fully practical 48-hour exam (47:45 hrs exam + 24 hrs report) in a simulated enterprise environment is the key difference from knowledge-based certifications—it tests real attack capabilities. OSEP is considered credible proof of high-level offensive competence in red team circles, but requires solid OSCP knowledge. Together with OSED and OSWE, OSEP forms the OSCE³ trio.

Official page

Cost

Exam fee
OSEP$1,649
Annual maintenance fee
OSEP
3-year cost of ownership
OSEP$1,649

Exam mechanics

Pass mark
OSEPLab points-based (typically 100/100 across multiple targets in 48hr exam)
Retake policy
OSEP$249 fee · 0d wait
Study time
OSEP300–600 hrs
Validity
OSEP3 yrs
CPE / yr
OSEP
Delivery
OSEPonline proctored

Salary signal (US base)

Range
OSEP$140K – $215K
Median
OSEP$170,000
Premium %
OSEP
Role context
OSEPRed team operator / advanced pentester, US, 5+ years.

Quality (4-axis rubric · 0–10)

Schema quality
OSEP8.5
Practice evidence
OSEP9.0
Maintenance
OSEP7.0
Market recognition
OSEP7.5
Average
OSEP8.0

Recognition & lifecycle

Recognition
OSEPGlobal
ISO 17024 accredited
OSEP
DoD 8140 baseline
OSEP
Holders worldwide
OSEP2,500
Current version
OSEPPEN-300 (2024) (2024-06)

Domain coverage

A2Network Security
OSEP● core
A6Identity & Access Management
OSEP● core
A9Penetration Testing & Red Teaming
OSEP● core

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