What Is a Salesforce Certification? Discover the Certifications Offered + How to Get One

A Salesforce certification is a globally recognized credential that qualifies you to implement Salesforce best practices for your organization. Salesforce offers over 40 primary certifications (some requiring prerequisite certifications) to demonstrate your expertise in different Salesforce roles. 

See the Salesforce certifications list, organized by the roles to which they correspond below:

•These certifications apply to more than one Salesforce role. 

3 entry-level Salesforce certifications 

In this section, you’ll find breakdowns of three entry-level Salesforce certifications. We classify entry-level certifications as ones that don’t require prior certifications or other prerequisites beyond a general working knowledge of the Salesforce platform.   

These certifications span different roles—administrator, developer, and marketer—to give you an idea of possible starting points for pursuing a credential. For each breakdown, we’ve included the Salesforce certification cost, exam outline, exam format, passing score, and a link to the exam guide as provided on Trailhead, Salesforce’s academy for building skills and getting certified.  

Use these breakdowns as a model for your research process. 

1. Salesforce Certified Administrator 

• Cost: US$200 

• Exam outline: configuration and setup (20 per cent), object manager and Lightning app builder (20 per cent), sales and marketing applications (12 per cent), service and support applications (11 per cent), productivity and collaboration (7 per cent), data and analytics management (14 per cent), workflow/process automation (16 per cent)

• Exam format: 105 minutes to complete 60 multiple choice/multiple select questions and five non-scored questions 

• Passing score: 65 per cent 

• Exam guide: Click here.

2. Marketing Cloud Email Specialist

• Cost: US$200 

• Exam outline: email marketing best practices (10 per cent), content creation and delivery (24 per cent), marketing automation (26 per cent), subscriber and data management (26 per cent), insights and analytics (14 per cent)

• Exam format: 90 minutes to complete 60 multiple-choice questions and five non-scored questions 

• Passing score: 67 per cent 

• Exam guide: Click here. 

3. Platform App Builder 

• Cost: US$200 

• Exam outline: Salesforce fundamentals (23 per cent), data modelling and management (22 per cent), business logic and process automation (28 per cent), user interface (17 per cent), app deployment (10 per cent) 

• Exam format: 105 minutes to complete 60 multiple choice/multiple select questions and five non-scored questions 

• Passing score: 63 per cent

• Exam guide: Click here. 

4 reasons to get Salesforce certified 

In addition to the fact that Salesforce certifications are globally recognized credentials, certifications have several career benefits, as explored below. 

1. Salesforce skills are in demand across various industries. 

Salesforce software is customizable to meet the needs of many types of businesses. In your job search, you may find that employers across various industries are looking for candidates with Salesforce skills. 

For example, here is what's happening on LinkedIn as of May 2024:

• Over 3,000 job listings in Canada seek people with a Salesforce certification or at least some experience using this software [1]. 

• Industries hiring Salesforce professionals include consulting, auditing and tax services, IT management, career support services, athletic manufacturing, and more.    

Given these figures, your Salesforce certification may increase in value over time and qualify you for various job opportunities.

2. A Salesforce certification keeps your skill set up to date. 

While you can build skills through regular use of Salesforce’s tools, getting Salesforce certified—and maintaining your certification—means your skills reflect the latest updates to the tool. In addition, preparing for a certifying exam can help structure your learning process so you cover all areas of the software’s functionality for your desired role. 

3. You can enhance your job performance. 

Just as getting Salesforce certified can help you find employment, getting a certification while employed can help you do your job more effectively. Your employer may have ideas for integrating a Salesforce certification and the skills that come with it into your role.  

4. There is potential to earn a competitive salary.

You may be able to earn a salary that is competitive in today’s marketplace. According to Glassdoor, the average annual salary of Salesforce administrator in Canada is $67,356 [2]. Salesforce architects earn an average of $74,052 [3]. 

How to get Salesforce certified 

Follow the five steps below to earn your Salesforce certification. 

1. Select a Salesforce certification. 

The first step in getting Salesforce certified is researching and selecting a certification that best fits your desired role, career goals, and skills you want to build. 

Refer to the table above as a starting point, and then study Trailhead’s information page in more depth to discover the skills you’ll learn in the certifications you’re considering and any requirements or prerequisites for taking a certifying exam. For example, the marketing cloud administrator certification is a prerequisite for getting the marketing cloud consultant certification. 

2. Register for the exam on Trailhead. 

When you’re ready to register for a Salesforce certification exam, you must create a Webassessor™ account. Then, you can schedule the exam and pay for registration. Here are two important pieces of information to review: 

• Cost. One is the cost to take or retake each exam. For example, each Administrator exam costs US$200 for the first sitting and US$100 to retake.  

• Location. The other is the procedure for taking the exam onsite or remotely. For either option, you’ll need to familiarize yourself with the requirements. For example, to take an exam online, you’ll need a built-in webcam, microphone, and Kryterion Sentinel Secure software downloaded onto your device. 

3. Prepare for your exam. 

Before taking the exam, spend as much time preparing and learning about using Salesforce in your role as possible. You can prepare in several ways:  

• Sign up for a Salesforce certification training webinar through Trailhead.

• Review the guide for your chosen exam. 

• Learn through Trailhead’s library of modules and projects.  

• Join the Trailblazer community to connect with other Salesforce learners, ask questions, and learn skills. 

• Take a practice test designed for your chosen certification, such as the one for the Salesforce Certified Administrator.

• Take Salesforce courses through other programs, such as Coursera’s Salesforce Sales Operations Professional Certificate.

4. Take the Salesforce certification exam.

Arrive online or onsite for your scheduled exam. Make sure you are well-rested and prepared to take your exam. 

5. Maintain your certification. 

To maintain your certification after passing the exam, you’ll need to complete Trailhead maintenance modules, demonstrating your skills are current with the latest software updates. 

Read more about Salesforce certification updates here. 

Get started in Salesforce with Coursera. 

Online courses can be a great way to gain skills and knowledge in Salesforce, discover career opportunities, and start your Salesforce certification journey. Explore these course options: