Last reviewed: September 2026. Competitor prices below are quoted from each provider's public website as checked in September 2026 and may change. This article is general information, not legal or financial advice.
If you are thinking about hiring a vocational expert for a TDIU claim, cost is usually the first question. The honest answer is that prices vary a lot, most providers do not publish them, and the price alone tells you little about whether a report will hold up with a VA rater. This guide pulls together what providers publicly say they charge, explains what a fee should cover, lists the extra charges to ask about, and covers the free options and their limits.
If you are still deciding whether you need vocational evidence at all, read when you need a vocational expert for TDIU first.
The Market Range: What Providers Publicly Say
Few vocational experts post prices. Here is what we could verify on providers' own websites in September 2026:
- TDIU Expert says "a typical vocational assessment is $1,600," with the fee depending on case complexity and the volume of medical records, and testimony quoted separately. The same page states that "across the industry, fees range from roughly $900 to over $5,000." (Source: tdiuexpert.com/pricing)
- The Disability Group says on its TDIU page to "expect to pay $1,000 to $2,500 or greater," notes it has a capped fee, and says charges can be as low as $500 depending on the case. Its veterans page gives a different range, $1,000 to $1,750, with a $2,000 maximum. (Sources: thedisabilitygroup.com/tdiu-for-veterans and thedisabilitygroup.com/veterans)
- Occupational Assessment Services (OAS) states that "the average vocational expert for VA TDIU cost is around $5k," with an additional $1,000 if the expert testifies. (Source: oasinc.org, "Why Hire a Vocational Expert for a TDIU Claim")
Taken together, published figures run from about $500 at the low end to more than $5,000 at the high end, with several providers clustering between roughly $1,000 and $2,500. Some firms bill hourly and quote only after reviewing the file, so the final price may not be known upfront.
What TDIU Vocational Services Charges
TDIU Vocational Services charges a flat $1,599 for a standard TDIU vocational assessment, the same nationwide. As listed on our pricing page, the fee includes:
- Free case fit check before you commit, to confirm a vocational opinion will actually help your claim
- Records and file review of your VA file, service records, medical history, and documented work limitations
- Structured vocational interview, 60 to 75 minutes, conducted remotely
- Transferable skills analysis of what jobs, if any, your skills and education qualify you for, and why your service-connected conditions rule them out
- Labor market analysis using DOT classifications and O*NET data
- Written vocational opinion report, formatted for VA, Board, or court submission and delivered in 5–7 business days once we have both your records and the completed interview
Reports are prepared by a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor. You do not pay before the fit check, and you only pay if we confirm your case is a fit and you decide to go ahead.
Extra Fees to Ask About
A quoted price is only useful if you know what is outside it. Whichever provider you use, ask about these before you sign:
- Complex or high-volume files. Some providers price by record volume or complexity. At TDIU Vocational Services, complex cases may require a custom quote, confirmed during the fit check.
- Rush delivery. Available here on a quoted basis. Ask any provider whether rush is guaranteed or best effort.
- Supplemental declarations or addenda. If new evidence arrives or VA raises a new reason for denial, you may need a short follow-up opinion. We quote these separately.
- Hearing testimony. Testimony at a Board hearing is commonly billed separately. We quote it separately, and OAS states about $1,000 for testimony.
- Follow-up questions. Ask whether questions from you or your attorney after delivery are included. Reasonable follow-up questions about our report's methodology and conclusions are included.
- Retainers and payment timing. Ask when payment is due, whether a retainer is required, and what happens if you stop partway.
Free Options and Their Limits
You do not have to pay anyone to file for TDIU. Two free resources come up often, and both are worth using. They are just built for different jobs.
Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs)
Accredited VSO representatives help with claims at no charge. A good VSO can file VA Form 21-8940, gather records, track deadlines, and explain your options on appeal. That is valuable, and many veterans should start there.
A VSO representative is not a vocational expert, though. Their role is representation and paperwork, not an independent analysis of transferable skills and the labor market. If VA denies TDIU because it believes you can work, a VSO may recommend outside vocational evidence for that reason.
Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)
VR&E (Chapter 31) is a free VA program that provides counseling, training, and employment services to eligible veterans. Its counselors perform vocational evaluations. Those records can matter in a TDIU claim, especially if a counselor found that a vocational goal was not currently feasible.
The limits are important. A VR&E evaluation is designed to plan rehabilitation and employment, not to answer the TDIU question under 38 CFR § 4.16. It is not prepared for your claim, you do not control its scope, and it may not address transferable skills or the labor market the way a rater needs. We cover the differences in how VR&E and vocational evaluations differ.
C&P Exams
VA pays for Compensation and Pension exams, and examiners are sometimes asked about the functional effects of your conditions on work. But the exam is a medical evaluation, and the examiner is not usually doing a vocational analysis. A short "the veteran can do sedentary work" statement is one of the most common problems we see. See how C&P exams get TDIU wrong.
Back Pay vs. the Fee: How to Think About Value
Whether a vocational report is worth paying for depends on what is at stake in your case and whether the report addresses the reason VA denied or is likely to deny. Nobody can promise an outcome, and you should be wary of anyone who does.
It can help to put the numbers side by side. VA's 100% compensation rate for a veteran with no dependents is $3,938.58 per month, effective December 1, 2025. The 70% rate for the same veteran is $1,808.45 (VA.gov, veteran compensation rates). For a veteran rated 70% who is granted TDIU, the difference is $2,130.13 per month, or $25,561.56 over twelve months. That is simple arithmetic from VA's published table, not a prediction for any claim. Your actual amount depends on your rating, dependents, and effective date.
Back pay can add to that. If TDIU is granted with an earlier effective date, VA pays past-due benefits back to that date. How far back depends on when you filed, when the evidence shows you became unable to work, and your appeal history. Our TDIU back pay guide walks through the calculation, and the effective date guide explains what drives it.
If an attorney or accredited agent represents you after an initial decision, their fee is usually a share of past-due benefits. VA regulations presume a fee of no more than 20% of past-due benefits to be reasonable (38 CFR § 14.636). A vocational expert's fee is a separate cost of developing evidence. Ask your representative how expert costs are handled.
When Paying for a Report Makes the Most Sense
- VA has denied TDIU because it found you can still work, especially in "sedentary" or "light" jobs
- You are appealing and want the employability evidence in the record before the evidence window closes
- You do not meet the percentage thresholds in 38 CFR § 4.16(a) and need extraschedular consideration under § 4.16(b)
- You work part time or in a family business and need the marginal or protected work question explained
- Your medical records document real limits, but nothing in the file explains why those limits rule out work
It may make less sense if a key condition is not yet service connected, since that is usually the first thing to fix, or if your file clearly already supports TDIU and VA simply has not decided yet. An honest provider will tell you that during a free consultation.
How to Compare Providers Beyond Price
- Credentials: Is the report written and signed by a credentialed professional, such as a CRC? See why the CRC credential matters.
- Method: Does the report review records, interview you, and cite DOT and O*NET data, or is it a template letter? Our guide to judging vocational evidence quality has a checklist.
- Turnaround: Get a delivery estimate in writing, and ask when the clock starts.
- Scope: Confirm what is included, and what costs extra, before you pay.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a TDIU vocational expert cost?
Published prices in 2026 range from about $500 to more than $5,000, with many providers between roughly $1,000 and $2,500. TDIU Vocational Services charges a flat $1,599 for a standard case, with complex or expedited cases quoted separately.
Is a TDIU vocational expert worth the money?
It depends on your case. A report is most useful when VA denies or is likely to deny because it believes you can work. It cannot fix a missing service connection, and no provider can guarantee a grant.
Can I get a vocational evaluation for free?
VR&E counselors perform vocational evaluations at no cost, but they plan rehabilitation and employment rather than answer the TDIU question. VSOs help with claims for free but do not usually provide independent vocational analysis.
Does the fee include hearing testimony?
Usually not. Many providers, including TDIU Vocational Services, quote Board hearing testimony separately. Ask any provider what is excluded before you pay.
Do I pay before finding out if I need a report?
Not with TDIU Vocational Services. The case fit check is free, and you only pay if the case is a fit and you decide to proceed.
Next Step: Get a Straight Answer Before You Spend Anything
A vocational report is only worth its cost if it answers the question VA is actually asking in your file. TDIU Vocational Services offers flat-fee, CRC-credentialed reports at $1,599 for standard cases. Review the full pricing and inclusions.
Request a free case fit check and we will tell you whether a vocational report fits your claim before you pay anything. There is no charge and no obligation.