Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Certification officer education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a certification officer. Certification officers usually study business, psychology, or criminal justice. 69% of certification officers hold a bachelor's degree, and 16% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 199 real certification officer resumes to see exactly what certification officer education sections show.
The most common colleges for certification officers are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online certification officer courses to help get the education required to be a certification officer.
What education do you need to become a certification officer?
What degree do you need to be a certification officer?
- Bachelor's, 69%
- Master's, 16%
- Associate, 8%
- Doctorate, 2%
- Other Degrees, 5%
What should I major in to become a certification officer?
- Business, 20%
- Psychology, 14%
- Criminal Justice, 11%
- Other Majors, 50%
Most common colleges for certification officers
| Certification officer common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 23.08% |
| Hampton University | 7.69% |
| Cairn University | 5.13% |
| Touro College | 5.13% |
| Northwestern University | 5.13% |
Best majors for certification officers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 19.6% |
| 2 | Psychology | 14.1% |
| 3 | Criminal Justice | 10.9% |
| 4 | Political Science | 5.4% |
| 5 | Accounting | 5.4% |
Best colleges for certification officers
The best colleges for certification officers are Northwestern University, New York University, and University of Pennsylvania.
A certification officer with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for certification officers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become certification officers.
1. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
2. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Enrollment
30,905
3. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Enrollment
13,871
4. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
5. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
6. University of North Texas
Denton, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,852
Enrollment
31,375
7. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,230
Enrollment
12,161
8. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
9. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Enrollment
34,637
10. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
20 best online courses for certification officers
Advertising disclosure
1. TESOL Certificate, Part 2: Teach English Now!
This specialization is the second of two specializations that make up the TESOL Certificate from Arizona State University. This Specialization builds on the theories learned in TESOL Certificate, Part 1: Teach English Now! Foundational Principles. It covers the design and implementation of reading and writing, listening and speaking, and technology enriched activities, as well as a teaching practicum. In the final Capstone Project, developed by international educators and TESOL specialists at...
2. Certified Information Systems Security Officer (CISSO)
Certified Information Systems Security Officer (CISSO) Certification Exam Prep Course...
3. Educational Psychology & Special Education (Certificate)
Informational content for educators and parents to learn about teaching and understanding exceptional children...
4. PCEP Python certification practice test
Practice for your PCEP python certification test. Pass the python certification exam in one go...
5. Mock Tests - Snowflake SnowPro Core Certification
Gauge your readiness for the certification...
6. Complete GDPR, GDPR Certification, data protection, privacy
Black Friday Edition GDPR, GDPR CERTIFICATION, GDPR Foundation, general data protection regulation, data privacy, Aug 22...
7. [COF-C02] Snowflake SnowPro Core Certification Practice Sets
Smart way to prepare for latest [COF-C02] Snowflake Snow Pro Core Certification exam. Trusted by 10,000+ Students...
8. Salesforce Administrator Certification Course
Learn how to perform Salesforce Administration with awesome examples and pass your certification exam...
9. Mindfulness for Life Coaching Success: Teacher Certificate
Transform Lives with Mindfulness & Meditation: Accredited Life Coach Teacher Certificate (2023)...
10. The Complete Salesforce Advanced Administrator Certification
A complete course covering the essentials for an advanced administrator (ADM 211) & helps pass certification (CRT 211)...
11. Salesforce Certification - Sales Cloud Consultant
Learn and get Salesforce sales cloud certified. Covers entire exam guide for Salesforce Sales cloud certification exam...
12. Ultimate SnowPro Core Certification Course & Exam - 2023/24
Learn Snowflake from scratch with a certified data engineer and ace the Snow Pro Core COF-C02 certification exam...
13. Salesforce Service Cloud Consultant Certification
Get Salesforce Service Cloud Certified. Covers entire exam guide for Salesforce Service cloud certification exam & more...
14. The Business Analysis Certification Program (IIBA - ECBA)
The Business Analysis Certification Program (IIBA - ECBA) - Concepts, Tools and Competencies...
15. GDPR Certification & Preparation to CIPP Certification Test
Guide for GDPR and CCPA compliance with free template documents and compliance checklists + Preparation to CIPP/E test...
16. Process Mapping and Flowcharts Certification (Accredited)
Complete Process Mapping and Process Flowcharts Guide - Beginners Process Mapping Specialist Certification Earn PDUs...
17. Salesforce Certification: Service Cloud Rapid Exam Prep
40 challenging, realistic practice questions with video explanations for the Service Cloud Consultant Certification...
18. Penetration Testing for the eJPT Certification
e JPT Certification Exam Coaching...
19. Salesforce Admin certification course
Pass your Salesforce Admin certification exam. Covers all topics as mentioned in Salesforce study guide...
20. Cybersecurity Warrior Certification: Cybersecurity Immersion
Cybersecurity certification Wireshark Intrusion analysis Defensive strategies Cyber Range Pentesting...
Top 10 most affordable universities for certification officers
The most affordable schools for certification officers are California State University - Bakersfield, hunter college of the city university of new york, and california state university - fullerton.
If the best universities for certification officers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for certification officers.
1. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
2. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
3. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
4. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
5. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
6. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
7. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
8. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
9. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
10. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for certification officers
The hardest universities for certification officers to get into are Northwestern University, New York University, and University of Pennsylvania.
Some great schools for certification officers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for certification officers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
4. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
5. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
6. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
7. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
8. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
9. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
10. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
Admissions rate
49%
SAT average
1,347
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for certification officers
The easiest schools for certification officers to get into are Wayland Baptist University, mount saint mary's university, and gwynedd mercy university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a certification officer without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for certification officers.
1. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
2. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
3. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
4. University of North Texas at Dallas
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
992
5. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
6. University of Baltimore
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,020
7. Bluefield College
Bluefield, VA • Private
Admissions rate
95%
SAT average
980
8. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
9. Grand View University
Des Moines, IA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,060
10. The University of Texas Permian Basin
Odessa, TX • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,046
Average certification officer salary by education level
| Certification officer education level | Certification officer salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $78,986 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $61,802 |
| Doctorate Degree | $87,339 |
Certification officer education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common executive management questions.
Search for certification officer jobs
Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025