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Top 10 SAP Administrator Certifications

Photo of Brenna Goyette
Brenna Goyette
Certified Professional Resume Writer, Career Expert

Updated 15 min read

Certifications for a SAP Administrator are extremely important in the job market because they demonstrate an individual’s knowledge, skills and expertise in the field. Certified SAP Administrators are recognized as having a higher level of proficiency than those who do not have certification. Certification provides employers with assurance that the individual is capable of performing complex tasks associated with managing SAP systems. Additionally, certifications help to differentiate an individual’s qualifications from other qualified candidates, which can be especially valuable when competing for limited positions. Finally, certifications provide credibility and recognition to those individuals who seek to advance their career by demonstrating their abilities and expertise in SAP administration.

The article reviews the top certifications for SAP Administrators and explains how they can help advance a sap administrator's career.

What are SAP Administrator Certifications?

SAP Administrator Certification is a professional certification program designed to validate the knowledge and skills of experienced SAP administrators. It is offered by SAP, the world's leading provider of enterprise resource planning (ERP) software solutions. The certification is intended for professionals who are responsible for deploying, managing, and maintaining SAP systems. The certification demonstrates an individual’s expertise in the areas of system administration, security management, performance tuning, installation and configuration, system monitoring, backup and recovery procedures, and troubleshooting.

The benefits of obtaining SAP Administrator Certification include:

1. Increased credibility with employers – An individual who holds this certification will be more attractive to employers due to their proven experience and expertise in working with SAP systems.

2. Career advancement – This certification can lead to higher-level positions within an organization or even a promotion.

3. Improved job prospects – Having this certification on your resume will make you stand out from other applicants when seeking new employment opportunities.

4. Enhanced knowledge – Obtaining this certification ensures that individuals have a comprehensive understanding of SAP administration processes and best practices which can be invaluable in their day-to-day work activities.

5. Professional recognition – Being certified as an SAP Administrator adds prestige and recognition to one’s professional profile which can open up new opportunities for growth and success in their career path

Pro Tip: To earn a SAP Administrator Certification, it is important to understand the fundamentals of the SAP system and its various components. Additionally, having knowledge of database concepts, system administration and basic programming can be beneficial when taking certification exams.

Related: What does an SAP Administrator do?

Top 10 SAP Administrator Certifications

Here’s our list of the best certifications available to SAP Administrators today.

1. SAP Certified Technology Associate - System Administration (SAP HANA)

SAP Certified Technology Associate - System Administration (SAP HANA) is a certification program designed to demonstrate an individual’s ability to install, configure, and maintain SAP HANA systems. It is intended for professionals who have experience in system administration and maintenance of SAP HANA systems.

The certification exam consists of 80 multiple-choice questions that must be completed within 180 minutes. The topics covered in the exam include installation and configuration of SAP HANA systems, backup and recovery, user management, system monitoring, system tuning, and more.

To obtain the certification, candidates must first register for the exam on the SAP website. The cost of the exam varies depending on location but typically ranges from $500 to $800 USD. After registering for the exam, candidates must then complete a training course or self-study program to prepare for the exam. Once they have passed the exam, they will receive their certificate from SAP.

The certification is valid for three years after which point it must be renewed by taking a refresher course or passing another exam.

2. SAP Certified Technology Associate - System Administration (SAP NetWeaver)

SAP Certified Technology Associate - System Administration (SAP NetWeaver) is a certification that validates the knowledge and skills of professionals in system administration for SAP NetWeaver. It demonstrates that the individual has a basic understanding of the architecture, components, and tools used to administer an SAP NetWeaver system.

The exam typically takes two hours to complete and consists of 80 multiple-choice questions. To obtain the certification, you must pass the exam with at least 60% correct answers. The cost of the certification varies depending on your location and whether or not you are a member of an SAP user group. Generally speaking, it can range from $150 to $500 USD.

3. SAP Certified Technology Associate - System Administration (SAP Basis)

SAP Certified Technology Associate - System Administration (SAP Basis) is a certification that demonstrates your expertise in the installation, configuration and maintenance of SAP systems. This certification is designed for individuals who have a basic understanding of SAP Basis technology and are looking to gain more knowledge in this area.

It typically takes around 6-8 weeks to prepare for the exam, depending on your level of experience with SAP Basis. You should plan to spend at least 30 hours studying for the exam.

In order to get certified, you must first register for the exam through the SAP website. The cost of the exam varies depending on where you take it, but generally it costs between $400-$500 USD.

Once you have registered for the exam, you will need to study and review all relevant material related to SAP Basis technology. This includes books, online tutorials, practice tests and other resources available online or from your local library. After studying for several weeks, you can then schedule your exam date and take the test at an authorized testing center near you.

Once you have passed the exam, you will receive an official certificate from SAP confirming your status as a Certified Technology Associate - System Administration (SAP Basis). This certificate can be used to demonstrate your technical knowledge and skills in this area when applying for jobs or promotions within IT departments or companies that use SAP software.

4. SAP Certified Application Associate - System Administration (SAP HANA)

SAP Certified Application Associate - System Administration (SAP HANA) is a certification program designed to validate the skills and knowledge of SAP HANA system administrators. It demonstrates that the candidate has the ability to manage and maintain an SAP HANA system, including installation, configuration, security, user management, performance monitoring and troubleshooting.

It typically takes about 40 hours of study time for an experienced SAP HANA administrator to prepare for this certification. It is recommended that candidates have at least one year of experience working with SAP HANA before attempting this certification.

In order to get certified as an SAP Certified Application Associate - System Administration (SAP HANA), candidates must pass a single exam which covers topics such as installation and configuration, administration tasks, security and authorization, system monitoring and troubleshooting. The exam code is C_HANASA_15.

The cost of the exam varies depending on where you take it but generally ranges from $500-$600 USD.

5. SAP Certified Application Associate - System Administration (SAP NetWeaver)

SAP Certified Application Associate – System Administration (SAP NetWeaver) is a certification that validates the knowledge and skills of professionals in the SAP NetWeaver system administration. It demonstrates their ability to configure, manage, and monitor SAP NetWeaver systems.

It typically takes between two and four months to prepare for this certification exam. The preparation includes studying the official course materials, attending instructor-led training courses, or taking online courses. Additionally, candidates should also have hands-on experience with SAP NetWeaver system administration.

To get certified as a SAP Certified Application Associate - System Administration (SAP NetWeaver), candidates must register for and pass the C_TADM51_75 exam. This exam consists of 80 multiple choice questions and has a duration of 180 minutes. The cost of the exam is €500 plus applicable taxes.

6. SAP Certified Application Associate - System Administration (SAP Basis)

SAP Certified Application Associate - System Administration (SAP Basis) is a certification program that validates the skills and knowledge of system administrators who work with SAP solutions. This certification demonstrates an individual’s ability to install, configure, and maintain SAP systems.

It typically takes about 30 hours of study time to prepare for the exam. The exam is offered in two formats: online or at a testing center. The cost of the exam varies depending on the format chosen and the country in which it is taken. The online version costs $400 USD while the testing center version costs $500 USD.

To become certified, individuals must pass one multiple-choice exam that covers topics such as installation, configuration, system monitoring, system management, troubleshooting, performance optimization, and security.

7. SAP Certified Support Professional - System Administration (SAP HANA)

SAP Certified Support Professional - System Administration (SAP HANA) is a certification program designed to recognize professionals who have demonstrated their knowledge and skills in administering SAP HANA systems. This certification is intended for system administrators, database administrators, and IT professionals who are responsible for the installation, configuration, and maintenance of SAP HANA systems.

The certification requires passing two exams: one on the SAP HANA platform and one on the administration of the system. The exam on the SAP HANA platform covers topics such as architecture, data modeling, security, performance optimization, backup/recovery and more. The exam on system administration covers topics such as installation/upgrade/migration of SAP HANA systems, user/role management, monitoring/troubleshooting and more.

It typically takes about 3-4 weeks to complete both exams depending on your prior experience with SAP HANA. To get certified you need to register for both exams at an authorized training partner or through an online registration portal.

The cost of the certification depends on where you take the exams and can range from $500-$1000 USD per exam.

8. SAP Certified Support Professional - System Administration (SAP NetWeaver)

SAP Certified Support Professional - System Administration (SAP NetWeaver) is a certification that demonstrates an individual’s expertise in managing and troubleshooting SAP NetWeaver systems. It is designed to validate the skills and knowledge of system administrators, support professionals, and technical consultants who are responsible for the day-to-day operations of an SAP NetWeaver system.

The certification exam typically takes about 2 hours to complete and consists of multiple choice questions. The cost of the exam varies depending on the country you are taking it in, but it generally ranges from $400-$600 USD.

To become certified as an SAP Certified Support Professional - System Administration (SAP NetWeaver), you must first meet certain prerequisites such as having a minimum of 4 years experience working with SAP solutions or completing an approved training course. After meeting these requirements, you can register for the exam at the SAP website. You will then receive instructions on how to access the exam, which will be available online or at a local testing center. Once you have completed the exam successfully, your results will be sent to SAP and you will receive your certification within 6 weeks.

9. SAP Certified Support Professional - System Administration (SAP Basis)

SAP Certified Support Professional – System Administration (SAP Basis) is a certification that validates the skills and knowledge of system administrators who are responsible for managing and supporting SAP systems. This certification demonstrates an individual’s expertise in installing, configuring, and maintaining SAP applications and databases.

It typically takes around six months to prepare for the exam. The preparation process involves studying the official course material, attending training courses, and taking practice exams. It is also important to gain hands-on experience working with SAP systems.

The exam can be taken at any authorized Pearson VUE testing center or online through the SAP Learning Hub. The cost of the exam varies depending on your location but generally ranges from $500 to $1,000 USD.

In order to become certified, you must pass the SAP Certified Support Professional – System Administration (SAP Basis) exam with a score of 70% or higher.

10. SAP Certified Solution Administrator – Business Process Integration with SAP ERP 6.0

SAP Certified Solution Administrator – Business Process Integration with SAP ERP 6.0 is a certification program designed to demonstrate the knowledge and skills of individuals who are responsible for integrating business processes with SAP ERP 6.0. This certification focuses on the integration of various SAP components, such as SAP NetWeaver, SAP Business Suite, and other related technologies.

The certification exam consists of multiple-choice questions that test your knowledge of the concepts and tools related to integrating business processes with SAP ERP 6.0. The exam also tests your ability to analyze business requirements and design solutions that meet those requirements using the appropriate tools and techniques.

To get this certification, you must first pass an online assessment that evaluates your understanding of the concepts covered in the course material. Once you have passed this assessment, you will be eligible to take the certification exam. The exam can be taken at any authorized testing center or through an online proctoring service provided by Pearson VUE or Prometric.

The cost of taking the certification exam varies depending on where you take it; however, it typically ranges from $200-$400 USD per attempt.

Do You Really Need a SAP Administrator Certificate?

An SAP administrator certificate can be a great asset to have on your resume, especially if you are looking for a job in the IT industry. Having a certificate shows potential employers that you have the skills and knowledge necessary to work with the SAP software. It also demonstrates that you are committed to continuing your education and staying current with the latest trends in technology.

However, having an SAP administrator certificate is not necessarily essential for getting a job as an SAP administrator. Many employers will consider applicants who do not have any specific certifications but can demonstrate knowledge of the software through prior experience or self-study. Even if you don’t have a certificate, you may still be able to find employment as long as you can demonstrate that you understand how to use the software and its features.

Overall, having an SAP administrator certificate can certainly give you an edge over other applicants who do not have one. However, it is not absolutely necessary for getting a job in this field. You should decide whether or not obtaining a certificate is right for you based on your own career goals and needs.

Related: SAP Administrator Resume Examples

FAQs About SAP Administrator Certifications

Q1. What is the eligibility criteria for SAP Administrator certification?

A1. To become an SAP Administrator, you must have a minimum of two years’ experience in system administration or related programming and/or database management roles. You must also possess a working knowledge of SAP NetWeaver technology and its various components.

Q2. How long does it take to become certified as an SAP Administrator?

A2. The certification process can take anywhere from one to three months depending on your experience level and the type of certification you are seeking. After passing the required exams, you will receive your official certificate within four to six weeks.

Q3. What are the prerequisites for taking the SAP Administrator Certification Exam?

A3. To be eligible to take the exam, you must have a minimum of two years’ experience in system administration or related programming and/or database management roles and possess a working knowledge of SAP NetWeaver technology and its various components. You should also be familiar with the fundamentals of other IT disciplines such as networking, operating systems, databases, security, etc., as this knowledge will be helpful during the exam preparation process.

Q4. What topics are covered in the SAP Administrator Certification Exam?

A4. The topics covered in the exam include: installation and configuration of SAP systems; monitoring and performance tuning; troubleshooting; backup and restore procedures; security concepts; user management; transport management; software logistics; job scheduling; system landscape architecture; data archiving; integration with external systems; and more.

Q5. How much does it cost to get certified as an SAP Administrator?

A5. The cost for taking the certification exam varies depending on which type of certification you are seeking (e.g., Associate or Professional). Generally speaking, however, most certifications cost around $400 USD per exam attempt plus any applicable taxes or fees associated with taking an online proctored exam at a testing center near you.

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Editor

Brenna Goyette

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Brenna is a certified professional resume writer, career expert, and the content manager of the ResumeCat team. She has a background in corporate recruiting and human resources and has been writing resumes for over 10 years. Brenna has experience in recruiting for tech, finance, and marketing roles and has a passion for helping people find their dream jobs. She creates expert resources to help job seekers write the best resumes and cover letters, land the job, and succeed in the workplace.

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