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Computer science certifications can signal expertise and validate your skills to employers. Explore specialization areas and credentials for emerging and established professionals.
By: James M. Tobin, Edited by: Rebecca Munday, Reviewed by: Monali Mirel Chuatico
Published: June 17, 2025
The computer science job market changes rapidly. To stay relevant, you must keep up, and certifications can help.
Discover the most popular and respected computer science certifications available. Connect with options by career level or specialization, and get advice on how to choose the certification that's right for you.
Best certifications in computer science by career level
Professionals at all career stages, from beginner to expert, can benefit from computer science certifications. Ultimately, the right credential to pursue depends on your career goals.
Victoria Ivy Southhall, an IT professional with more than 15 years of experience, shares her insights on which certifications are best for new, intermediate, and leadership-level professionals.
Beginners: CompTIA IT Fundamentals
The CompTIA IT Fundamentals certification validates fundamental skills. CompTIA recommends this pre-career credential for candidates seeking to determine their career readiness, students, and career changers.
"[This certification] covers basic IT concepts such as hardware, software, and security," Southhall explains. "It will help an individual discover if a career in IT is right for them, without requiring any prior experience."
You can purchase an exam voucher for $138 or upgrade to a bundle that combines the voucher with CompTIA-backed training programs. Timeline requirements vary: You might be ready for your exam in a matter of weeks, or you may need a few months to prepare.
Mid-career professionals: Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
ISC2's Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification can help ladder-climbing professionals reach the next level. Southhall explains that this certification is globally respected and tailored to experienced professionals. It can demonstrate broad technical competence and validate deep knowledge in security architecture and risk management, opening doors to senior-level roles.
The examination covers eight information security domains and costs $749. To sit for it, you must have five or more years of qualifying work experience in at least two of the eight CISSP domain areas:
- Security and risk management
- Asset security
- Security architecture and engineering
- Communication and network security
- Identity and access management (IAM)
- Security assessment and testing
- Security operations
- Software development security
Leadership positions: Certified Information Technology Manager (CITM)
Offered by the Global Association for Quality Management (GAQM), the Certified Information Technology Manager (CITM) certification uses a complex competence framework to cover the entirety of the IT lifecycle project. An exam voucher costs $190 and remains valid for up to two attempts over 240 days.
While GAQM's CITM program has no formal prerequisites, the certification is intended for experienced IT professionals, cybersecurity engineers, and leaders seeking to level up their careers.
"CITM focuses on IT leadership, strategy, and governance," says Southhall. "This certification is perfect for professionals that are aiming to transition into executive roles, such as CIO, by putting an emphasis on high-level management skills and business alignment."
Best certifications in computer science by specialty
Information technology: CompTIA A+
CompTIA's A+ certification program brands itself as a leading certification for those looking to establish an IT career. To earn the certification, you must pass two exams that primarily focus on the technical competencies you'll need to help businesses manage hybrid online and on-site workforces.
"A+ certifies foundational skills in hardware, software, operating systems, and troubleshooting," Southhall says. "This certification is widely recognized in the IT industry and often a baseline requirement for entry-level IT roles."
An exam voucher costs $265, and your certification remains valid for three years. CompTIA recommends that you have about one year of relevant work experience, but no formal prerequisites apply.
Cybersecurity: Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
EC-Council's Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) program can help early-career professionals reach intermediate roles with further advancement potential. You don't need any particular credentials to earn the certification, but EC-Council cites technical knowledge requirements and recommends at least two years of paid IT security experience.
"CEH teaches security principles to professionals to think like hackers, which enables them to better defend against cyber attacks," explains Southhall. "It is a highly respectable certification due to its hands-on approach to ethical hacking and penetration testing."
EC-Council recommends its five-day bootcamp to CEH candidates, but you can also prepare yourself. The exam carries a $550-$650 cost, depending on whether you take it online or through Pearson VUE.
Cloud computing: AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate
Amazon Web Services (AWS) runs the Certified Solutions Architect - Associate certification program. "Since AWS is the most widely used cloud computing platform, [this certification] is highly valued," Southhall says. "It solidifies expertise in scalable, reliable, and secure cloud solutions on the AWS platform."
AWS describes this certification as an "ideal starting point" for cloud computing specialists. While AWS recommends 1-3 years of experience for participants, no formal prerequisites apply, and AWS offers extensive free prep resources. The exam costs $150, and your training timeline will vary depending on your level of existing knowledge.
Data science: Google Professional Data Engineer
Google's Professional Data Engineer certification validates your data knowledge in areas including:
- Data processing system design
- Data ingestion and processing
- Preparation and analysis
- Storage
- Data workload automation and maintenance
You don't need any particular prerequisites, but Google recommends at least three years of tech industry experience and one year of Google Cloud data design and data management experience.
"This certification is ideal for a production environment," Southhall says. "It validates the skills required for ensuring data-driven decision making, building data pipelines, and deploying various machine learning models."
You can take the certification exam online or at a testing center. A $200 fee applies.
Web development: CIW Advanced HTML5 & CSS3 Specialist
Available through Certification Partners' Certified Internet Web (CIW) branch, the Advanced HTML5 & CSS3 Specialist program validates your knowledge of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. You can qualify with a CIW Site Development Associate certification, or through independent proficiency in HTML and CSS coding.
Southhall describes this certification as a "neutral path to validating a professional's web development skills." The 75-minute, 56-question exam will test your mastery of CIW's 10-lesson, 150-hour training curriculum.
CIW's certification exams cost $175. You can use the certification to qualify for jobs involving HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript technologies for desktop and mobile websites.
How to choose a computer science certification
Given the sheer number of credentialing programs available, choosing a computer science certification can be challenging. Consider these factors to help guide your decision:
- Experience level: Limit your search to programs for professionals at your experience level. More basic certifications won't help you if you're already beyond what they offer, and you may not yet have the knowledge or skills required for more advanced credentials.
- Focus area: By selecting a focus area aligned with your skills and interests, you can put yourself in a better position to succeed on your certification exam and extract value from your investment. Area-specific certifications can also differentiate you from competitors on the job market, potentially leading to more opportunities.
- Requirements: Ideally, you'll want to choose a certification program that aligns with your current experience and also motivates you to sharpen and update your knowledge. To do this, look at the topics and concepts covered on the certification exam, and at any prerequisites you must have to qualify.
- Cost: As a final consideration, look at costs and ways to manage them. Some programs offer payment plans, which you can use to absorb costs more easily. Also, remember that certifications can double as career investments capable of augmenting your earning potential.