Mine costs $20,000 every 5 years.
Why does a clearance actually cost anything?
The full scope investigation takes a lot of hours. For a TS, the initial background scope is ten years—all locations; family, finances, character references. It’s not undertaken lightly as the cost can exceed $50k. Contract companies pay for them directly, but obviously prefer to hire people with the proper clearance. Military and civil service clearances cost a bit less than commercial, but the gaining agency still pays for it.
Originally, the investigations were performed by DoD or FBI, but they have been contracted out for decades. Pulling them back to DoD is one step to regain some control and accountability. The relaxation of personnel standards spearheaded by Clinton and Obama reduced the overall scope and limited denials for drug use, financial hazard, foreign influence, and sexual misconduct (or proclivity) to a large degree. The old standards would have rightly excluded half of Clinton’s and most of Obama’s administrations.
Try to get one and you'll see what's involved. The investigators who go out into the field and knock on the doors of the references you put down on your SF 86 to interview them and ask about you don't work for free. Neither do the pencil pushers who do the credit checks against your accounts (oh yes, you give them permission to do so), or the security investigators who look into any criminal history to help them make the final determination.
A friend of mine's clearance was held up for *many* months because his brother - HIS BROTHER - in the 80s joined some Skinhead group dedicated to overthrowing the government. He swore he did it as a joke, and never paid any dues.