12/5/2001 -- Sources have told MCPMag.com that beginning Jan. 4, 2002, U.S. pricing for Microsoft exams through Prometric and VUE testing centers will increase 25 percent to $125. Microsoft's exam pricing hasn't changed in about seven years.

The increase comes at a time of global recession, and speculation is that the increase will help to offset the added cost of maintaining the certification program's quality. Andy Barkl, MCT and owner of WeTrainIT in Glendale, Arizona, notices that Microsoft is following suit with other certification programs. "Cisco exams were just raised to $125 also and CompTIA exams always have been more expensive than most."

The increase is likely to affect international pricing. Georges Thibault, an MCT in Quebec, Canada, calls the increase "ridiculous." He notes that the exchange rate can translate to about $200 Canadian. "Why does Microsoft have to make the certification process so expensive?"