Two rungs of the same ladder
On Cisco’s map the CCNA is the associate level and CCNP Enterprise the professional level of the enterprise track. The Cisco certification path page shows the full ladder; this page measures the distance between the two rungs.
The structural difference is the one in the heading. One sitting of 200-301 earns the CCNA. CCNP Enterprise is assembled: ENCOR covers the broad enterprise core, and a concentration exam goes deep on one area. Pass ENCOR alone and Cisco awards the Cisco Certified Specialist – Enterprise Core; add any concentration and the CCNP Enterprise follows.
Cisco requires neither the CCNA nor anything else before ENCOR. The associate blueprint is still the ground floor the professional exams stand on, which is why the usual route runs through 200-301 first.
Exams, fees and validity side by side
| Point of comparison | CCNA | CCNP Enterprise |
|---|---|---|
| Level (differs) | Associate | Professional |
| Exams required (differs) | One: 200-301 CCNA | Two: 350-401 ENCOR plus one concentration |
| Exam length (differs) | 120 minutes | ENCOR 120 minutes; concentration 90 minutes |
| Exam fees (US, plus tax) (differs) | US$300 | ENCOR US$400; concentration US$300 |
| Languages (differs) | English, Japanese | ENCOR: English, Japanese |
| Formal prerequisites | None | None |
| Concentration choices (differs) | Not applicable | ENARSI, ENSDWI, ENSLD, ENAUTO, ENCC, ENNA |
| Credential from a partial pass (differs) | Not applicable | ENCOR alone: Specialist – Enterprise Core |
| Validity | 3 years | 3 years |
| Effect on a CCNA’s renewal (differs) | Passing the current 200-301 renews it | Passing ENCOR renews it (any higher-level Cisco exam counts) |
≠ marks rows where the two differ.
Sources: Cisco CCNA exam and certification pages; Cisco CCNP Enterprise page. Fees exclude tax; the amount in your currency is the one shown at checkout.
Routes from CCNA toward CCNP Enterprise
Hold the associate ground
Pass 200-301 for the CCNA, or go straight to ENCOR: Cisco lists no prerequisite for it. The CCNA study guide maps the associate topics ENCOR builds on.
Sit ENCOR (350-401)
120 minutes and US$400 plus tax, per Cisco’s CCNP Enterprise page. A pass earns the Specialist – Enterprise Core.
Pick one concentration
Six choices listed by Cisco: ENARSI, ENSDWI, ENSLD, ENAUTO, ENCC and ENNA. Each is 90 minutes and US$300 plus tax.
Keep the clock in view
Each certification runs three years from the date you earn it, so the two clocks rarely line up.
Which stage you are at
The CCNA fits the first years of network work: you are building and checking access, distribution and small routed networks, and the employer wants proof you can read a routing table and fix a trunk. It is one exam to plan for, with a fixed set of six Cisco domains and one fee.
CCNP Enterprise fits engineers who already work those topics daily and now own a specialty, such as advanced routing, SD-WAN, design or automation. The concentration lets you pick the deep end that matches the job.
On pay, the public data has a gap: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports pay by occupation, not by certification, so neither credential has a BLS figure of its own. The network engineer salary page shows what BLS publishes for the occupations themselves.
Moving from CCNA to CCNP: questions
Can I take ENCOR without a CCNA?
Yes. Cisco lists no prerequisites for CCNP Enterprise exams (Cisco CCNP Enterprise page).
What do the two certifications cost in exam fees?
CCNA: US$300 for 200-301. CCNP Enterprise: US$400 for ENCOR plus US$300 for a concentration, US$700 for the pair. All plus tax, per Cisco’s exam and certification pages.
Which concentration exams complete CCNP Enterprise?
Any one of the six Cisco lists: ENARSI, ENSDWI, ENSLD, ENAUTO, ENCC or ENNA, each 90 minutes (Cisco CCNP Enterprise page). The choice decides the specialty, not the certification name.
References
- [1]Cisco: CCNP Enterprise certification pageENCOR and concentration exams, fees, lengths, prerequisites, validity. Checked October 29, 2026.
- [2]Cisco: 200-301 CCNA exam pagelength, languages, fee. Checked October 29, 2026.
- [3]Cisco: CCNA certification page and FAQvalidity and recertification routes. Checked October 29, 2026.
- [4]Cisco: recertification policythree-year cycle, CE credits. Checked October 29, 2026.