Worth going for CWI with a 30% pass rate on first try?

[Kaplanwelds]

I've been welding for some years and seriously considering the CWI certification, but after looking into it more, I'm having second thoughts. The exam is $1,325 (non-member), six hours long across three parts, and from what I'm reading, only about 30% pass all three sections on the first attempt.
That means there's a real chance I drop over a grand just to fail Part B and have to pay again for a retake. Plus everyone keeps saying you need 6 months of solid prep to even have a shot at passing and that's half a year of my free time studying code books.
Is the CWI credential really worth this much risk and investment?

 

[Eddie36]

It really depends on what you want to do career wise, cos looking to move into inspection or QC roles, CWI opens a lot of doors and usually pays for itself pretty quick. But if you're happy welding and don't need it for a specific job opportunity, might not be worth the stress
Anyone here who has taken it ?

 

[Alan]

It’s definitely a grind and not something to jump into lightly. If your goal is moving into inspection or QC, the CWI is worth the time and money because it opens doors you just can’t get even from welding day-to-day. But if you’re happy sticking to hands-on work, it’s totally reasonable to skip it. How much do you want the career jump versus just welding steady?

 

[ElinG68]

The pass rate's definitely discouraging, but I think the real variable here is your market. CWI opens doors for some guys in contract work, does nothing for others depending on what shops in your area actually care about. Before you commit to six months of prep, might be worth just asking around locally what employers are looking for.