CWI exam cost calculator: initial fees, retests and the 72% rule

Pick member or non-member, a seminar option and the retests you want to plan for. You get your total, the cost per part passed, a first-attempt budget and the real cost of a retest.

Your path to the CWI

AWS membershipSeminar choiceCode books and study materials ($)Travel, hotel and meals ($)Other fees and costs, such as time off work or other prep ($)

The exam fee ($1,255 member, $1,520 non-member) covers all the initial exam parts and is left out when your seminar choice already includes the exam. Books, travel and other costs start at zero: enter your own prices. AWS may add charges that are not on its price list, so check AWS's application instructions and put any extra fee in the other costs box.

Retests you want to budget for

Number of retests (AWS allows up to 3)

Retest 1: parts retaken

Travel and time off per retest ($)Training before a second or third retest ($)

Your totals

Total for your plan

$1,700

Cost per part passed (total ÷ 3): $566.67
If you pass first time: $1,255
Added by your retests: $445
If you used all 3 retests on every part: $4,000

First attempt, line by line

Exam or seminar package$1,255
Books, travel and other costs$0
First attempt total$1,255

The cost of a retest

Retest 1: fee $445$445

Your retests add $445, which is 35% of your first-attempt total. Each retest is paid for again, so finding the weak part before you book is the cheapest fix.

One page with each AWS fee, your own costs, your retests and the totals, with lines for your name and an approver. Hand it to your employer or keep it with your budget.

Studying for CWI Part A? Take the free 10-question check to see exactly which topics to fix first, then close the gaps with the CWI course.

Or read a full free lesson first (no signup).

Studying with a coworker? Send them the free check.

Which parts would a score report send you back to?

Optional. Enter the three part scores from a score report to apply the 72% rules and see the fee for the parts you would retake.

Part A score (%)Part B score (%)Part C score (%)

CWI exam cost estimate

Name
Employer or approver
Date

Item	Amount
Initial CWI exams, Parts A, B and C (member)	$1,255
Code books and study materials	$0
Travel, hotel and meals	$0
Other fees and costs	$0
First attempt total	$1,255
Retest 1: Part A	$445
Total with retests	$1,700
Cost per part passed (total ÷ 3)	$566.67
If all 3 retests were used on every part	$4,000

Fees are from the American Welding Society Certification and Education Program Price List, effective 1 January 2026. AWS sets the fees and can change them, so confirm the amounts when you apply.

Books, travel, other costs and retest extras are the candidate's own figures. Each part needs 72% and the average of the three must reach 72%; with a passing average, only the parts under 72% are retaken.

Reopen this estimate: https://filletgauge.com/tools/cwi-exam-cost-calculator?m=member&s=none&bk=0&tr=0&ot=0&rn=1&r1=A&ex=0&tg=0&utm_source=share&utm_medium=share&utm_campaign=tool_result&utm_content=cwi-exam-cost-calculator

What the calculator assumes

The initial exam fee covers all the initial exam parts, so the first-attempt total is one payment for A, B and C. Cost per part passed is your total divided by three, because you need all three.
Seminar options that include the exam replace the exam fee. The seminar week without the exam adds the exam fee on top.
Only fees on the AWS price list are prefilled. The price list does not include a processing charge, but AWS may add charges that are not on it, so check AWS’s application instructions and enter any extra fee in the other costs box (or in the extras per retest for a retest application).
Retest fees are the listed ones: Part A or C, Parts A and C together, Part B and all parts. For any other combination, choose “Another combination” and enter the fee from the AWS price list.
The extras per retest and the training before a second or third retest are your own numbers. They start at zero.
International candidates apply through an AWS agent who quotes their own pricing, so use this as a rough guide only.

Print a cost estimate for your employer

Press Print this estimate under your totals to get one page with each AWS fee, your books, travel and other costs, any retests you planned and the totals. It has lines for your name, an approver and the date, and a link that reopens the same numbers. Hand it in with a reimbursement request or save it as a PDF from the print dialog. Copy a link to this estimate sends the same numbers to a supervisor or a coworker.

The retest rules in plain words

You need 72% on every part and a 72% composite. With a passing composite you retake only the parts you missed (QC1 6.2.3). You get up to 3 retests within three years of the original test date. The second and third need documented further instruction first (QC1 6.2.5). The CWI retest rules guide walks through the limits and the paperwork, and the CWI exam cost guide lists every fee in one place.

Three example candidates

Each line uses the same math as the calculator, with books, travel and time off left at zero.

Candidate	Total	Per part passed
A member who sits the exam only and passes every part first time	$1,255	$418.33
A non-member on the two-week in-person seminar, who retakes Part B once	$4,585	$1,528.33
A member who sits the exam only and retakes Parts A and C together	$2,125	$708.33

The same exam-only member who needed all 3 retests on every part would pay $4,000 in fees.

Seminar options in the calculator: Initial exams with Part B training; CWI seminar and exam package; Two-week in-person seminar and exam; CWI D1.1 seminar week, exam not included.

Ways to spend less

Find your weak part before you pay for a seminar. A seminar closes gaps, but only if you know which gap you have. The free 10-question check scores you by domain in minutes.
Pick a date and a plan you can keep. See CWI seminar and exam dates by city and build a schedule with the CWI study plan builder.
Confirm you qualify first. The CWI eligibility checker shows when your education and experience meet the minimum, so you do not pay before you are eligible.
Drill the math and the gauges. The CWI math calculator, the heat input calculator, the carbon equivalent calculator and the weld discontinuity quiz are free Part A practice. For Part B, use the weld gauge trainer.
Ask your employer. If an employer pays, ask which costs it covers and when the money comes back, especially if repayment depends on passing. The how to become a CWI guide covers the full path.

Frequently asked questions

How much does the CWI exam cost?

The initial CWI exams cost $1,255 for AWS members and $1,520 for non-members. Seminar packages cost more, and books, travel and time off work come on top.

How much is a CWI retest?

A retest of Part A or Part C is $445, Parts A and C together are $870, and Part B is $385. Retaking all parts is $915 for members and $1,180 for non-members.

How many times can I retest?

You get up to 3 retests within three years of your original test date. The second and third need documented further instruction first, so budget for that too.

What score do I need to pass?

72% on each part, and the simple average of your three parts must also reach 72%. Scores are rounded down to the whole percent.

Do I pay the exam fee on top of a seminar package?

Not when the package includes the exam. The calculator leaves the exam fee out for those options and adds it when your seminar choice says the exam is not included.

Does Fillet Gauge replace the training AWS asks for before a later retest?

No. The free 10-question check and the practice course help you find and fix weak parts, but they do not serve as that documented training.