Training and certifications

Exploring training and certifications in the Salesforce universe

Whatever the Salesforce role, use our guide to benchmark your salary or contact rate, or to uncover what you should be paying employees in your team.

One of the great things about Salesforce is that it’s constantly evolving, adding in new functionality all the time. For Salesforce professionals to succeed in their roles, they need to be constantly learning and staying up-to-date with changes in the ecosystem. The good news is that Salesforce is famous for its dedication to learning, offering a number of avenues Salesforce pros can go down to boost their skills and invest in their professional development.

Official Salesforce Certifications are one of the most popular, but there’s also a huge range of course and micro-accreditations you can pursue through self-paced learning platforms like Trailhead.

Learning new skills is not just a fantastic way to develop as a professional, however. It’s also a key aspect of what employers can offer to help increase employee satisfaction, loyalty, and productivity in a highly competitive talent market. In this section, we’ll take a deep-dive into the certifications that Salesforce professionals are earning, what skills they’re looking to build, and what really makes a professional more valuable in the Salesforce universe.

What percentage of candidates hold a Salesforce certification?

Have a certification 82%
Do not have a certification 10%
Currently working towards a certification 7%

Have a certification 80%
Do not have a certification 13%
Currently working towards a certification 7%

Have a certification 86%
Do not have a certification 9%
Currently working towards a certification 6%

The number of certified professionals is now 82%—reflective of the figure from our last survey, and up from 78% in 2023, and 76% in 2022.

Top Salesforce certifications held by candidates

0 %

Salesforce Certified
Administrator

0 %

Salesforce Certified
Platform App Builder

0 %

Salesforce Certified
Sales Cloud Consultant

4	Salesforce Certified Platform Developer I	32%
5	Salesforce Certified Advanced Administrator	28%
6	Salesforce Certified Service Cloud Consultant	25%
7	Salesforce Associate Certification	24%
8	Salesforce Certified Business Analyst	21%
9	Salesforce Certified Sharing and Visibility Architect	18%
10	Salesforce Certified Data Architect	17%

A whopping 97% of Salesforce certified pros are completing the Trailhead maintenance modules related to their certification.

What other certifications do professionals hold?

Only 6% of respondents hold either a MuleSoft (3%) or Slack (3%) certification, and only a few respondents hold a Tableau certification.

Does holding a Salesforce certification make you a more valuable professional?

Yes 83%
No 8%
Not sure 9%

The majority (83%) of respondents with certifications believe they make you a more valuable candidate—but this is slightly down from 86% in our previous survey.

Maximizing value: How might certifications make candidates more valuable to employers?

Certifications are a recognized proof of proficiency, adding credibility and showing a base level of competence

“Holding a certification ensures baseline of knowledge for the cert topic. It doesn’t show mastery, but rather an understanding of concepts and terminology.”
Technical Architect, United States

“Certifications are a good way to prove your knowledge, regardless of experience.”
CRM Manager, United States

They are used by hiring managers and recruiters as a validation of skills

“I have been involved in the sourcing and hiring of Salesforce professionals and while working as a Salesforce professional, it is a solid litmus test to weed out the inexperienced or set a training and support plan for newbies. It’s not foolproof…but, overall, certifications are good predictors of success.”
Functional Consultant, United States

“For those that are less familiar with the ecosystem and are hiring Salesforce professionals, it provides a form of validation that gives the hiring manager confidence that a person has expertise in the area(s) he/she is looking for.”
Application Manager, United States

Some businesses often seek certified professionals

“Consultancies desire professionals with certifications and multi-cloud familiarity.”
Director, United States

Undertaking a certification demonstrates a dedication to continued learning and professional development

“Gaining a cert demonstrates that you put in the time and effort to get one. This shows dedication and willingness to learn.” Administrator, United States

Certs provide you with knowledge of the platform that you might not otherwise have

“Earning the certification requires you to learn about parts of the product that you may not use on a regular basis. It also shows to the industry that you have achieved a certain benchmark.”
CRM Manager, United States

Obtaining a certification allows you to stay current with technological advancements and industry standards

“A Salesforce certification is the first step to demonstrating my expertise and commitment to the platform, ensuring I am up to date with best practices and industry standards.”
Project Manager, Switzerland

Certs coupled with experience is more valuable

“I believe that, coupled with practical hands-on experience, certifications demonstrate your knowledge of Salesforce best practices and expertise in the area you are certified in.”
Technical Architect, United States

Summarizing the sceptics: Why don't respondents believe that certifications make candidates more valuable to employers?

Three recurring themes from our last study highlight our respondents’ reasons for considering that certifications do not add value to a candidate:

“Professional experience and a corresponding project portfolio are more important than holding a certification.”
Solution Architect, Germany

What are the main benefits you can gain from undertaking a certification?

A way to verify my skills with Salesforce products	58%
Better career progression opportunities	47%
Better marketability to employers/enhanced professional profile	44%
Recognition from my employer that my skills adhere to a professional standard	42%
Increased efficiency at my job	40%
Improved and increased industry knowledge	40%
Added skills and value to my organization	40%
More trust from my employer	31%
A transferable industry qualification	30%
More respect from co-workers	30%

How does gaining a certification impact on your salary?

I believe my salary has increased since gaining a certification 65%
I haven't experienced a change in my salary since gaining a certification 35%

Those who reported earning a salary increase post-certification received an average raise of 18%, that’s a decrease of 2% from our last survey.

Are employers contributing towards the cost of certifications?

Yes, they paid for my certifications in full 58%
Yes, they partially paid for my certifications 16%
No, I paid for my certifications 23%
Other 4%

Yes, they paid for my certifications in full 53%
Yes, they partially paid for my certifications 13%
No, I paid for my certifications 29%
Other 5%

Yes, they paid for my certifications in full 62%
Yes, they partially paid for my certifications 21%
No, I paid for my certifications 14%
Other 2%

‘Other’ responses include assistance from a college program.

What Salesforce certifications can boost your pay?

Once again, the Technical Architect certification tops our list of certifications most likely to increase a candidate’s earning potential, according to Salesforce professionals.

0 %

Salesforce Certified
Technical Architect

0 %

Salesforce Certified
System Architect

0 %

Salesforce Certified
Platform Developer II

Salesforce Certified Application Architect	22%
Salesforce Certified Platform Developer I	22%
Salesforce Certified Integration Architect	17%
Salesforce Certified CPQ Specialist	17%
Salesforce Certified Advanced Administrator	15%
Salesforce Certified Data Architect	14%
Salesforce Certified Javascript Developer I	10%

What motivates a Salesforce professional to get certified?

We also asked those professionals who are not currently certified or actively pursuing a certification what would encourage them to undertake one. While most of the top motivations for obtaining a certification still center on financial benefits, respondents in this survey cited time off for training as their main incentive. This contrasts with our previous survey, where employer-funded certifications was the top motivator for most respondents.

Paid time off to attend training or study	54%
Employer funding for certifications	45%
Discounted certifications	34%
The promise of a pay increase after gaining certification	34%
The incentive of a promotion or a new role after gaining certification	30%
If it was a requirement of my role	29%
The incentive of learning new skills	25%
None of the above	11%
Other	2%

What are the barriers to achieving a certification?

Interestingly, 47% (up from 38% in our last survey) of professionals have previously begun studying for a certification but stopped before taking the exam. Reasons given for not sitting the exam include:

Lack of time to study because of a high workload

61%

Lack of time to study because of personal commitments

33%

Lack of motivation

25%

Procrastination

23%

Struggles with self-directed learning

14%

Worried I wouldn’t pass the exam

11%

Found the course material too complex/difficult to understand

None of the above

Other

‘Other’ responses include a change in career direction.

What training and development would Salesforce professionals like?

0 %

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning training

0 %

Training and certifications in project management methodologies such as PRINCE2 or PMP, as well as Agile/Scrum methodologies

0 %

Leadership and management training

Data-driven decision making	33%
Strategic planning and goal-setting	31%
Change management strategies and techniques	28%
Cybersecurity training and certifications	22%
Training in communication and interpersonal skills, including public speaking	21%
Negotiation and conflict resolution techniques	20%

Risk management and contingency planning	19%
Training to improve emotional intelligence	19%
Time management techniques	18%
Diversity, equity, and inclusion training	10%
Customer service skills	7%
Other	3%

Note for employers

Supporting your employees’ development and helping them build new skills is a win-win for both professionals and their organizations. With new technologies emerging all the time, making sure your employees stay ahead of the curve will enable you to access the skills you need on your team to deliver for your customers and stay competitive in your industry.

A robust learning and development strategy will help on the talent front too. The best Salesforce talent is constantly itching to learn new things, get to grips with new features and products, and grow their careers in exciting directions. Offering training and upskilling opportunities throughout your Salesforce professionals’ careers is vital if you want to hold on to skilled people.

Whether you’re paying for certifications or giving professionals dedicated time to learn, investing in development now will pay off in spades over time, putting you in pole position to attract and retain great talent that will grow with your business.

Note for job seekers

Understanding the L&D trends of your peers can help you to understand which skills are becoming essential in the jobs market. By comparing your experience with others, you can identify areas where you need to upskill to remain competitive, or you might discover that you are ahead of other candidates, possessing skills that are highly valued.

LinkedIn poll

Salesforce professionals shared their preferred methods for learning new Salesforce skills*. Consider integrating these approaches into your team’s L&D programs or using them to strengthen your own learning and development strategy.

*Data from a poll conducted on Mason Frank’s LinkedIn in July 2024.

Trailhead

64%

Blogs or product guides

13%

Certifications

12%

Conferences and events

11%

Conclusion

Certification remains a massive priority for Salesforce professionals, with 9/10 respondents either holding one or working towards one. And with 83% believing that certifications make you a more valuable professional, it’s easy to see why they continue to be so popular.

Certifications have always been a useful tool for employers, helping them add skills to their team and size up the expertise of potential candidates when hiring. And with almost two-thirds of certified professionals stating that they received a pay increase after earning their accreditation, it appears that organizations are rewarding their employees for their dedication to upskilling.

One way employers could show their appreciation for this commitment to upskilling even more, however, is by providing employees with more time to work on their professional development. Despite a significant 58% of employers now funding their professionals’ certifications in full, it seems that many budding learners are struggling to find the time to study. In fact, 47% of professionals told us that they’d started studying for a certification but had to give up before taking the exam, up from 38% last year. Sixty-one per cent of these respondents cited a high workload as the main reason they’d been unable to find time to learn. And with 54% of respondents citing paid time off to study as the thing that would most encourage them to earn a certification, it’s clear that making sure professionals have dedicated and protected L&D time is key to helping professionals grow and bring new skills into their team.

Why not explore even more of our content:

Skills and experience

Discover the most popular and in-demand skills in the Salesforce universe

Where to go to learn about Salesforce

Unearth the best learning resources for leveling up your professional development

Salesforce Trailhead

Find out the benefits of learning through Trailhead, and what badges professionals are earning to get ahead

MASON FRANK’S
CAREERS AND HIRING GUIDE
KEY FINDINGS 2025

Our key findings report contains highlights from this year’s Careers and Hiring Guide, plus our salary tables to allow you to compare your compensation or benchmark your teams’ salaries or rates no matter their role in the Salesforce ecosystem.