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Best software development engineer certifications
The best certifications for a software development engineer are Software Engineering Master Certification (SEMC), Certified Scrum Master (CSM), and Engineer In Training Certification (EIT).
Software development engineer certifications demonstrate your competency as a software development engineer to employers. However, not all software development engineer certifications provide the same value.
Below is a list of the best software development engineer certifications. Obtaining a software development engineer certification will give you a leg up when you apply for jobs and increase your potential salary.
8 best certifications for software development engineers
| Rank | Software development engineer certification | Organization |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Software Engineering Master Certification (SEMC) | IEEE |
| 2 | Certified Scrum Master (CSM) | Scrum Allianc... |
| 3 | Engineer In Training Certification (EIT) | NCEES |
| 4 | ISTQB Certified Tester Foundation Level (CTFL) | ASTQB |
| 5 | Certified Software Manager (CSM) | SIIA |
| 6 | Associate Android Developer Certification | |
| 7 | Certified Manager of Software Testing (CMST) | ISCB |
| 8 | Java Development Certified Professional | Learning Tree... |
8 best software development engineer certifications
1. Software Engineering Master Certification (SEMC)
This professional competency certification requires successful completion of Certificates of Proficiency in twelve key knowledge areas: Software Engineering Requirements, Software Engineering Design, Software Engineering Construction, Software Engineering Testing, Software Engineering Maintenance, Software Engineering Configuration Management, Software Engineering Quality, Software Engineering Processes, Software Engineering Models & Methods, Software Engineering Management, Software Engineering Project Management, Software Engineering Economics and the successful completion of two advanced applied modules.
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? No
- More than two years of work experience required? No
- Oral or written exam required? Yes
- Renewal required? Every 3 year(s)
2. Certified Scrum Master (CSM)
A Certified ScrumMaster helps project teams properly use Scrum, increasing the likelihood of the project's overall success. CSMs understand Scrum values, practices, and applications and provide a level of knowledge and expertise above and beyond that of typical project managers. CSMs act as "servant leaders," helping the rest of the Scrum team work together and learn the Scrum framework.
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? No
- More than two years of work experience required? No
- Oral or written exam required? Yes
- Renewal required?
3. Engineer In Training Certification (EIT)
The EIT Certification, which is formally known as the Engineer In Training Certification, is simply a document, a number, granted by the individual’s state engineering board after they pass the Engineer In Training Exam. The Engineer in Training Exam (EIT Exam) is the first of two exams you will take as you move towards obtaining your Professional Engineering License (PE). This exam, which you may also hear referred to as the Fundamentals of Engineering exam (FE Exam), is developed and administered in all states (and a number of locations outside the US) by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES). The FE Exam is offered to eligible students year-round in four different testing windows.
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? No
- More than two years of work experience required? No
- Oral or written exam required? No
- Renewal required? No
4. ISTQB Certified Tester Foundation Level (CTFL)
The Foundation Level qualification is aimed at anyone linvolved in software testing. The Foundation level qualification is also appropriated for anyone who wants a basic understanding of software testing, such as project managers, quality managers, software development managers, business analysts, IT directors and management consultants.
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? No
- More than two years of work experience required? No
- Oral or written exam required? Yes
- Renewal required?
5. Certified Software Manager (CSM)
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? Yes
- More than two years of work experience required? No
- Oral or written exam required? Yes
- Renewal required?
6. Associate Android Developer Certification
Accelerate your move toward a career in mobile app development. Learn to build simple Android apps with our Android Basics in Kotlin training — no programming experience necessary. Then, take the Associate Android Developer Certification exam to gain recognition for your skills as a developer
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? No
- More than two years of work experience required? No
- Oral or written exam required? No
- Renewal required? Every 3 year(s)
7. Certified Manager of Software Testing (CMST)
The Certified Manager of Software Testing (CMST) certification establishes a worldwide standard for the assessment of the capabilities and competencies of software testing professionals that are working at, or soon will work at, the software testing management level.
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? Yes
- More than two years of work experience required? Yes
- Oral or written exam required? Yes
- Renewal required? Every 3 year(s)
8. Java Development Certified Professional
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? Yes
- More than two years of work experience required? No
- Oral or written exam required? Yes
- Renewal required? No
What is the best certification for a software development engineer?
The best software development engineer certification is Software Engineering Master Certification (SEMC). The Software Engineering Master Certification (SEMC) is awarded by the IEEE Computer Society. This certification is great to have as it shows an improvement in your competency to perform your role. You can earn this certification at the beginning of your career, as it often doesn't require a minimum education level and work experience.
Here's a bit more background on how to obtain this software development engineer certification:
- To become a certified Software Engineering Master Certification (SEMC), you need to pass the exam.
- Lucky you - certification doesn't require more than two years of work experience.
- Renew certification every 3 year.
What are some of the most in-demand certifications for software development engineers?
The most in-demand software development engineer certification is Certified Scrum Master based on all active job postings. Having this software development engineer certification will give you access to more software development engineer jobs with higher salaries.
The most common combination of software development engineer certifications include: Software Engineering Master Certification (SEMC), Certified Scrum Master (CSM), and Engineer In Training Certification (EIT).
Online courses for software development engineers to earn certifications
1. Software Engineering Immersive (Full-time)
Meet the global demand for technical problem-solvers by developing your coding skills to create full-stack web applications across multiple frameworks, incorporating functionality from third-party APIs, executing software engineering projects in an Agile development workflow, and more...
2. Data Science Immersive (Full-time)
Harness the power of data science to solve the world’s most challenging problems by developing your skills in predictive modeling, pattern recognition, data visualization, wrangling massive data sets, forecasting trends, and informing strategy across diverse industries like public policy, robotics, and FinTech...
3. Programming for Data Science with R
Prepare for a data science career by learning the fundamental data programming tools: R, SQL, command line, and git...
4. Full Stack Web Developer
Design and develop modern web applications.Students will also learn how to deploy a Flask-based web application to the cloud using Docker and Kubernetes...
5. Full Stack Web Development with C# OOP, MS SQL & ASP.NET MVC
Web development with C#, ASP.NET MVC, MS SQL, C# OOP. All gathered for full stack web development in one course!...
6. Automation framework development with Selenium C# (Advanced)
An End-to-End Selenium automation framework development course...
7. Data Science (Part Time)
Create robust predictive models with statistics and Python programming. Build confidence and credibility to tackle complex machine learning problems on the job. This course is offered in person and live online, in a remote classroom setting...
8. Python Programming (Part Time)
Gain fluency in Python — the world's fastest-growing major programming language — and start leveraging its versatile capabilities to build web and data science applications. This course is offered in person and live online, in a remote classroom setting...
9. Android Kotlin Developer
Master Android app development with Kotlin, a modern programming language that enables developers to be more concise and productive. Build professional apps for the world's most popular mobile platform using Android Studio and Kotlin...
10. Artificial Intelligence for Trading
Complete real-world projects designed by industry experts, covering topics from asset management to trading signal generation. Master AI algorithms for trading, and build your career-ready portfolio...
11. C# Console and Windows Forms Development w/ Entity Framework
C# .NET Core Console Programming Windows Forms Data-driven development OOP Git Hub SQL Entity Framework...
12. Ultimate ASP.NET Core Web API Development Guide
Learn how to create a maintainable Web API using ASP.NET Core, Entity Framework and Enterprise Level Design Patterns...
13. Front-End Web Development (Part Time)
Start building responsive websites with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript — a versatile skill set with powerful applications in a variety of design, marketing, and other tech-adjacent roles. This course is offered in person and live online, in a remote classroom setting...
14. JavaScript Development (Part Time)
Gain fluency in JavaScript — the world's most popular programming language — and start leveraging its versatile capabilities to build rich, interactive websites and applications. This course is offered in person and live online, in a remote classroom setting...
15. Data Engineer
Learn to design data models, build data warehouses and data lakes, automate data pipelines, and work with massive datasets...
16. iOS Developer
Master the Swift programming language, and create a portfolio of iOS apps for iPhone and iPad to showcase your skills!...
17. Automated Software Testing with Python
Learn about automated software testing with Python, BDD, Selenium Web Driver, and Postman, focusing on web applications...
18. Selenium in C# - Setup Simple Test Automation Framework
Learn Selenium from scratch and build Test Automation framework with minimum set of tools: C#, Nu Get, NUnit, Selenium...
19. React Development (Part Time)
Expand your JavaScript programming skills, and boost your profile at work — and on the job market. Learn to build sophisticated, scalable web applications. This course is offered in person and live online, in a remote classroom setting...
20. Intro to Coding
Discover if coding is a career fit for you In this free, two-hour livestream, explore the building blocks of the web — HTML and CSS — and learn how you can apply these programming languages to develop your own simple sites. All in real time, taught by an industry professional. Come learn the basics and gain the skills you need to write your first line of code!...