What’s the least expensive and quickest way to earn a reputable Six Sigma Black Belt certification?

To earn a Black Belt certification, there are a few options. Most of them involve completing some training (or self-study), and either taking an exam or completing a project. Some require all 3 options.

We believe that projects are the correct way to earn a certification, not exams. Exams do not match reality, and you will gain valuable experience working with a team, plus you will provide your organization with tangible benefits.

If you’ve already completed training, but didn’t complete a project, the option I’ll explain below will work well for you. I also discuss this specific situation in a previous post.

I typically recommend the following two options:

ASQ – This option works well if you’ve already taken training and have already completed an improvement project. There is some flexibility in what they require for a project. It is the quickest way to achieve a certification because you only need to submit your application (explaining the summary of a project), register for an exam, study for the exam, then pass the exam. Cost is $568 (as of Nov 2024).

OpEx Learning – This option works works well if you need training (or a refresher) and need help completing a project. The cost is very affordable, as you will get self-paced online training along with coaching support. Cost is $999 which includes project coaching and support.

To summarize, if you already have completed a project, consider submitting your project to ASQ and taking their exam. If you need a project, then sign up for OpEx Learning.

You might find some other options that don’t require a completed project. However, when I would help hire process improvement experts into our department, we looked at project experience and tangible examples of applying the tools and techniques of Lean Six Sigma to a real-life problem.

Passing an exam did not weigh very heavily into our decision.