What did you pay/do you charge for a course?

Pixelated

Moderator - CPST Instructor
Just curious. When I certified as a tech I paid $50 for the course.

Teaching it myself I charged $85 when it was in town and I had a free classroom location. If I have to travel all expenses are factored in, but I like to keep it under $200 definitely, preferably more like $150.

The above were both in Canada where there is very little public funding for this type of thing and techs are either doing it out of their own pocket, or through their work on a very piece-meal basis (a public health nurse here, a fire fighter there, someone at a community resource organization, for example).

I realize this likely varies greatly depending on regions, and coalitions, and public/private funding, but I'm curious.

And while we're at it, what would your cut-off have been if you were paying for it out of pocket?
 
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amyd

New member
I didn't pay anything when I took my course. Now, I'm working for the organization that sponsors the courses in my area. We have never charged a participant for a course and we provide lunches, etc as well. The last course we sponsored (2 weeks ago), we paid the instructor who came $1500. This didn't include manuals or the CPSAC fee.

ETA. I just realized that you had listed your charge as per participant. We pay the same regardless of numbers (except for the CPSAC fee, of course). The most recent course was for 5 participants.
 

tiggercat

New member
It was a while ago, but I paid a minimal fee that probably just covered manual/certificate. Not much, anyway.
My coalition charges $75 (just raised from $50 to cover increased costs of manual and certificate).
I am not sure what my cut off would have been, probably not more than $100. I, uh, didn't intend to do much with my certification, just wanted the information/knowledge.

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smackeen

New member
I paid $75 in June, and that involved the instructors coming over and staying two nights.

There were 5 in our class.
 

christineka

New member
I took my course approx 18 months ago. The fee was $75 +$75 for safe kids. I got a scholarship and paid nothing. We were given wonderful food and latch manuals.
 

creideamh

Well-known member
$75 total... local instructors, good food. There was like, 13 of us.

I wouldn't have paid more than $150 out-of-pocket.
 

dneul

New member
I have paid for everything cps related out of pocket. My first class I took in 2003 was $75 and included a nice embroidered polo shirt, class, certificate, and a graco comfort sport. I had to pay for my own lodging which came to $40 a night for 4 nights and we were not feed though we did have doughnuts a few times. I started my instructor candidacy last year and I paid $75 for that (in addition for the recertifications through the years) and I paid $25 for the class part this week. We do Get fed lunch and we get a tshirt. My hotel room and gas will also run $200 plus. I do not get reimbursed and do this as a hobby and a passion.
 

Avery'sMama

CPST Instructor
There is a $75 Safe Kids fee that is not negotiable. We then try to keep any site fee as low as possible, we've done nothing-$75. I would say typically we do around $25 and our local Safe Kids coalition covers the difference in the cost for food and supplies. Instructors either are paid by their employer or donate their time (which for most of us means taking vacation/personal time from work). Our classroom location is donated space too, fire departments normally, because they have bays to work in if it rains.
 

Lemonade

New member
$75 total in May. 8 of us I think. All instructors worked locally for some type of safety/child health/department of health employer. All students except me were either police officers of worked at a children's hospital.
 

xursusmaritimusx

New member
I think Rachel and I paid 175-200 back in may for our course. That's including the safe kids fee.

We got a LATCH manual too. So that was nice :)
 

Cryssy Jane

New member
xursusmaritimusx said:
I think Rachel and I paid 175-200 back in may for our course. That's including the safe kids fee.

We got a LATCH manual too. So that was nice :)

Yikes. I took my class in 2010 and I paid $75. We did not get free lunches or t shirts or anything. Just the course guide.

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xursusmaritimusx

New member
Cryssy Jane said:
Yikes. I took my class in 2010 and I paid $75. We did not get free lunches or t shirts or anything. Just the course guide.

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We didn't get free lunch either. Just small snacks that were on a table.

I realize after seeing what others paid that we might have been ripped off lol
 

tanyaandallie

Senior Community Member
We didn't get free lunch either. Just small snacks that were on a table.

I realize after seeing what others paid that we might have been ripped off lol

WOW. I cannot remember what I paid but it not $175, included drinks, lunch and the LATCH manual. I think it was $100 or less.
 

lovemy2kidstw

New member
I think I lucked out big time. I took my course in May, the $75 safekids fee was taken care of & there was no course fee. They provided lunches & drinks & brought donuts one morning.
 

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