Roadmap to Success: CCNP Routing and Switching

Roadmap to Success is a series of posts designed to help learners better understand certification pathways, career opportunities associated with those certifications, and the next steps beyond certification.

UPDATED: We updated this post on October 11, 2016, to reflect relevant changes to the CCNP Routing and Switching certification curriculum.

The Cisco Certified Network Professional Routing and Switching (CCNP R&S) is an intermediate-level certification that validates learners' expertise and experience in networking with Cisco products. It is extraordinarily popular among CBT Nuggets learners and highly sought after by the IT industry. This certification provides a lasting foundation for physical and virtual enterprise networks.

Cisco Certified Network Professional Routing and Switching (CCNP R&S)

The CCNP R&S is an intermediate-level certification and is intended to validate a learner's ability to plan, implement, verify, and troubleshoot local and wide-area enterprise networks, as well as to work collaboratively with specialists on advanced security, voice, wireless, and video solutions.

The CCNP R&S is made up of three exams, all of which are covered by CBT Nuggets training:

• 300-101 ROUTE

• 300-115 SWITCH

• 300-135 TSHOOT

In addition to the courses that map directly to the exam topics for the CCNP R&S, CBT Nuggets also offers supplemental "Hands-on Labs Exam Prep" courses to help ensure learners are well prepared for the simulation portions of the exams.

• CCNP ROUTE 300-101 Hands-on Labs Exam Prep

• CCNP SWITCH 300-115 Hands-on Labs Exam Prep

• CCNP TSHOOT 300-135 Hands-on Labs Exam Prep

Typically, learners pursuing this certification path should have 1-3 years of experience and familiarity with Cisco products. In addition, the CCNA R&S is a prerequisite to the CCNP R&S, which is considered an entry-level certification. Get started today by reviewing the CBT Nuggets playlist for the CCNP R&S.

Downloadable Study Plans

CBT Nuggets offers three study plans that map to the Cisco CCNP Routing and Switching, 300-101 ROUTE, 300-115 SWITCH, and 300-135 TSHOOT courses. These downloadable Cisco CCNP Routing and Switching study plans break down the courses and supplemental learning resources to equip learners with a strategic and manageable approach to conquer training goals. Download the Cisco CCNP Routing and Switching 300-101 ROUTE, 300-115 SWITCH, and 300-135 TSHOOT study plans.

Exam Details

While it is common for learners to complete the CCNP chronologically (ROUTE, SWITCH, then TSHOOT), Cisco does not regulate the order of completion. Learners may occasionally choose to take the exams out of order, depending on their experience and expertise. Even when learners take the exams out of chronological order, it is wise to take TSHOOT last as it is considered a culmination of the ROUTE and SWITCH exams.

• Time allotted for the exam: 2 hours (120 minutes) per exam

• Number of questions: 45-65 for ROUTE, 30-40 for SWITCH, and 15-25 for TSHOOT

• Passing score: Cisco does not publish the passing score for its exams

• Question types: Multiple choice (ROUTE, SWITCH, and TSHOOT exams); Drag and drop (ROUTE and SWITCH exams only); Simulation (ROUTE, SWITCH, and TSHOOT exams)

• Exam registration: Pearson Vue

• Exam cost: $250* per exam *Learn more about exam fees from Pearson VUE

• Exam topics: Exam topics are available for each exam:

Pearson Vue offers exam profiles that can be pretty helpful for learners pursuing the CCNP R&S.

• Exam Profile: Cisco CCNP Routing and Switching ROUTE (300-101)

• Exam Profile: Cisco CCNP Routing and Switching SWITCH (300-115)

• Exam Profile: Cisco CCNP Routing and Switching TSHOOT (300-135)

Recertification

Cisco's Professional-level certifications, including CCNP R&S, are valid for three years from the certification date. Learners can re-certify by passing any Cisco 642-XXX or 300-XXX exam, CCIE written exam, CCDE written or practical exam, or the CCAr interview and the CCAr board review.

The Next Step

The CCNP R&S is an intermediate-level certification that creates opportunities for professional advancement. Many learners who earn the CCNP R&S continue to pursue the CCIE (comprised of a written exam and a lab exam, both addressed by our CCIE certification playlist), Cisco's expert-level certification in Routing and Switching.

Others choose to diversify their certification resume by pursuing other Cisco specializations, most commonly the CCNA Security (made up of two exams: ICND1 and IINS) and CCNP Security (made up of five exams: 300-208 SISAS (retired as of 01Jan2024), 300-206 SENSS, 300-209 SIMOS, and 300-207-sitcs/300-210 SITCS).

For some learners, it is appropriate to pursue certifications outside the Cisco universe. Quite often, learners choose to pursue other networking certifications, including opportunities from Juniper and Palo Alto Networks.

For those learners interested in expanding their skill sets outside networking, options often include system administration with Microsoft certifications (commonly the MCSA Windows Server 2012, made up of three exams: 70-410, 70-411, and 70-412) or security topics including Certified Ethical Hacker (made up of just one exam: CEH v9.0) and the CISSP (made up of just one exam: CISSP 2015).

Career Considerations

Payscale.com/ provides a helpful salary guide to help learners determine appropriate pay scales for job opportunities associated with the CCNP R&S. Depending on professional experience, an employee who holds any CCNP certification can earn between $46,564 and $153,571 annually. Typical roles for those with a CCNP R&S include network engineer, senior network engineer, network administrator, network architect, and IT manager.

Cisco Certifications

Cisco certifications are layered, with each layer building upon the knowledge and skills developed at previous layers, which are structurally designed as pyramids. The layers are Entry, Associate, Professional, Expert, and Architect. Associate-level certifications include Cloud, Collaboration, Data Center, Industrial, Routing and Switching, Security, Service Provider, and Wireless.

Once learners have earned an Associate-level certification, they can pursue Cisco Certified Network Professional-level certifications. Cisco offers a variety of Professional-level certifications, including Design Professional (CCDP), Cloud, Collaboration, Data Center, Routing and Switching, Security, Service Provider, and Wireless.

Finally, learners can pursue Expert-level certifications, including Design Expert (CCDE), Collaboration, Data Center, Routing and Switching, Security, Service Provider, and Wireless.

Cisco provides an excellent certification overview that succinctly outlines each certification, its prerequisites, and related careers.

Begin exploring other Cisco certification options for which CBT Nuggets provides training to open up more professional development opportunities.

Concluding Thoughts

The CCNP R&S is a highly desirable certification that sets IT professionals apart as they enter into more advanced stages of their careers. The CCNP R&S opens doors and creates opportunities for learners to continue to advance their careers and take on exciting new professional challenges.

Watch. Learn. Conquer the CCNP R&S!

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