Top 11 Sharepoint Developer Certifications

Certifications are important for a SharePoint developer in the job market because they demonstrate to employers that the developer has the necessary skills and knowledge to be successful in their role. Certifications also provide validation of the developer’s technical proficiency and offer a way to differentiate themselves from other applicants. Furthermore, certifications can help support career advancement opportunities and give the developer an edge when applying for jobs within their field.

The purpose of this article is to review the top certifications for Sharepoint Developers and explain how they can help to advance a Sharepoint Developer's career.

What are Sharepoint Developer Certifications?

SharePoint Developer Certification is a specialized credential offered by Microsoft that validates an individual’s expertise in developing and deploying business solutions using the SharePoint platform. The certification demonstrates a deep understanding of the technology and its related development tools, as well as an ability to apply those skills in the workplace. With this certification, developers can demonstrate their knowledge and experience to employers, clients, and other stakeholders.

The certification process starts with passing an exam that covers topics such as SharePoint architecture, design, implementation, managing sites and content, customizing applications, debugging code and more. After passing the exam, individuals must prove their abilities through a practical project or laboratory exercise. Once these requirements are met, Microsoft will issue a SharePoint Developer Certificate.

The benefits of obtaining a SharePoint Developer Certification are numerous. It helps validate an individual’s skillset and provides them with a competitive edge when applying for jobs or promotions. It also allows developers to stay up-to-date on the latest trends in SharePoint development and ensures they can remain productive in their current roles or transition into new ones with ease. Additionally, it gives companies peace of mind knowing that their employees have been certified by one of the most respected companies in the industry.

Pro Tip: When preparing for a SharePoint Developer Certification exam, be sure to familiarize yourself with the platform's core concepts and features, as well as its development environment. Additionally, practice coding on the platform and use online resources such as tutorials and forums to help you stay up-to-date on best practices.

Related: What does a Sharepoint Developer do?

Top 11 Sharepoint Developer Certifications

Here’s our list of the best certifications available to Sharepoint Developers today.

1. Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert

Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert is a certification that demonstrates an individual’s expertise in designing, building, and managing applications and services on Microsoft Azure. This certification is intended for IT professionals who have advanced experience and knowledge of cloud technologies and the ability to design solutions that run on Azure.

It typically takes about 6-12 months to get this certification, depending on your level of experience with Azure. To get certified, you must first pass two exams: AZ-300 (Microsoft Azure Architect Technologies) and AZ-301 (Microsoft Azure Architect Design). These exams are designed to test your skills in designing, deploying, monitoring, and managing applications on the Azure platform.

The cost of the exams varies by country but generally ranges from $165-$165 USD per exam. Additionally, there may be additional costs associated with training or other preparation materials.

2. Microsoft Certified: SharePoint Developer Associate

Microsoft Certified: SharePoint Developer Associate is a certification that validates a professional’s skills in developing and customizing SharePoint solutions. This certification is designed for developers who have a strong understanding of the SharePoint platform, including its collaboration capabilities, user experience, development tools, and deployment options.

It usually takes about six months of preparation to get this certification. The recommended way to prepare for the exam is to take an instructor-led course or self-study using Microsoft Learning materials. The exam costs $165 USD and can be taken at any Pearson VUE test center. It consists of 40-60 questions covering topics such as working with web parts, customizing solutions with server-side code, creating client-side applications, developing apps for SharePoint, and managing identity and permissions.

3. Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE): Productivity Solutions Expert

Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE): Productivity Solutions Expert is a certification that proves an individual's expertise in designing, implementing, and managing solutions based on Microsoft products. It is designed for IT professionals who specialize in the productivity suite of applications such as Exchange Server, SharePoint Server, Skype for Business Server, and Office 365.

To get the MCSE: Productivity Solutions Expert certification, individuals must first pass two exams: Exam 70-347: Enabling Office 365 Services and Exam 70-345: Designing and Deploying Microsoft Exchange Server 2016. Both exams are available through Prometric or Pearson VUE testing centers.

The cost of each exam varies depending on location and currency exchange rates but typically ranges from $100 to $150 USD per exam. The total cost of both exams can range from $200 to $300 USD.

It usually takes around three months to prepare for the exams. This includes studying the material provided by Microsoft as well as taking practice tests to familiarize yourself with the format of the actual exam questions. Additionally, it is recommended that you have at least one year of experience working with Office 365 before attempting either exam.

4. Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA): Office 365

Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA): Office 365 is a certification that validates an individual’s skills in deploying, configuring, and administering Office 365 services, including the Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, Skype for Business Online, and Office 365 ProPlus. It requires passing two exams to earn the credential.

How long does it take to get MCSA: Office 365?

The time needed to prepare for and pass the exams will vary depending on your experience level and how much time you can dedicate to studying. Generally speaking, it could take anywhere from 1-3 months of dedicated study time to prepare for and pass both exams.

How do I get MCSA: Office 365?

You must first register with Microsoft and then purchase vouchers for each exam. You can then schedule your exams through a Pearson VUE testing center or online proctored exam.

How much does MCSA: Office 365 cost?

The cost of the two exams will vary depending on where you purchase them from. Generally speaking, each exam voucher costs around $150 USD.

5. CompTIA Cloud+ Certification

CompTIA Cloud+ is a vendor-neutral certification that validates the knowledge and skills required to maintain and optimize cloud infrastructure services. It is designed for IT professionals who have at least two years of experience working with cloud technologies, including storage, networking, virtualization, security and disaster recovery.

The exam typically takes 90 minutes to complete and consists of 100 multiple-choice questions. To obtain the certification, individuals must pass the CompTIA Cloud+ exam (CV0-002). The exam fee is $319 USD.

To prepare for the exam, individuals should take CompTIA's official training course or self-study using recommended resources such as study guides and practice exams. Additionally, individuals can attend instructor-led training courses offered by approved third-party providers.

6. CIW Web Development Professional Certification

The CIW Web Development Professional certification is a comprehensive credential that validates an individual’s knowledge and skills in web development. The certification is designed to assess the ability of a professional to create, manage, and deploy websites and web applications using multiple technologies.

The CIW Web Development Professional certification consists of two courses: CIW Site Development Associate and CIW Advanced HTML5 & CSS3 Specialist. The Site Development Associate course covers topics such as website design principles, HTML coding techniques, website management tools, content management systems, and more. The Advanced HTML5 & CSS3 Specialist course focuses on advanced web development techniques such as responsive design, animation with JavaScript, multimedia integration, and more.

In order to obtain the CIW Web Development Professional certification, an individual must pass both courses with a score of 70% or higher. Depending on the individual's learning style and experience level with web development technologies, it may take anywhere from 6-12 months to complete both courses.

To get started with the CIW Web Development Professional certification program, individuals must first purchase a voucher for each course from the CIW website. Each voucher costs $225 USD (plus applicable taxes). Once purchased, individuals will receive instructions on how to register for their chosen course(s) via the Pearson VUE testing center.

Once all requirements are met and both exams have been passed successfully, individuals will be awarded their official CIW Web Development Professional certification.

7. Zend Certified PHP Engineer

Zend Certified PHP Engineer is a certification program for professional web developers who use the Zend Framework, an open-source framework for developing web applications in PHP. The certification is designed to validate a candidate's knowledge and skills in using the Zend Framework. It is administered by Zend Technologies, the company that created the Zend Framework.

The certification exam consists of 70 multiple choice questions and takes approximately 90 minutes to complete. The exam covers topics such as object-oriented programming, database access, security, performance tuning, web services, and more. Candidates must have at least 3 years of experience working with the Zend Framework in order to be eligible for the exam.

In order to get certified as a Zend Certified PHP Engineer, candidates must register for the exam on the Zend website and pay a fee of $195 USD. After registering, they will receive instructions on how to prepare for and take the exam. Once they have successfully completed the exam, they will receive their official certification from Zend Technologies.

The cost of getting certified as a Zend Certified PHP Engineer is $195 USD plus any applicable taxes or fees that may apply depending on where you are located.

8. Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA)

Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA) is a certification program offered by Red Hat, Inc., the leading provider of open source enterprise solutions. The RHCSA certification is designed to demonstrate an individual’s ability to configure, deploy, manage and troubleshoot Red Hat Enterprise Linux systems.

The RHCSA exam typically takes two hours and consists of multiple choice questions. To become certified, individuals must pass the RHCSA exam with a score of at least 70%. The cost of the exam varies depending on the country but generally ranges from $400 to $500 USD.

To prepare for the exam, individuals should have a basic understanding of Linux system administration and be familiar with Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 or higher. It is also recommended that individuals take a course or attend training prior to taking the exam. Red Hat offers several courses and training programs specifically designed to help individuals prepare for the RHCSA exam.

9. Oracle Database 12c Administrator Certified Professional

Oracle Database 12c Administrator Certified Professional (OCP) is a certification program that verifies an individual’s expertise in administering and managing Oracle Database 12c. It is designed to validate the technical knowledge and skills of database administrators, who are responsible for the installation, configuration, maintenance, and performance of Oracle databases.

Getting certified as an Oracle Database 12c Administrator requires passing two exams: 1Z0-062: Oracle Database 12c: Installation and Administration and 1Z0-063: Oracle Database 12c: Advanced Administration. The first exam tests your knowledge of basic database administration tasks such as installing and configuring the database, creating users, managing security, and performing backups. The second exam covers more advanced topics such as configuring high availability solutions, implementing data replication strategies, monitoring performance metrics, troubleshooting issues with the database, and using advanced features like Real Application Clusters (RAC).

The time required to get certified depends on your experience level. If you are new to database administration or have limited experience with Oracle databases then it may take several months to prepare for the exams. However, if you have extensive experience working with Oracle databases then it may only take a few weeks or even days to prepare for the exams.

In order to get certified as an Oracle Database 12c Administrator you must purchase an exam voucher from Oracle University which costs $245 USD per exam ($490 USD total). You can then register for the exams at any Pearson VUE testing center near you. Once both exams have been passed successfully you will be awarded your OCP certification by Oracle University.

10. Citrix Certified Professional – Virtualization (CCP-V)

Citrix Certified Professional – Virtualization (CCP-V) is a certification program offered by Citrix that is designed to validate an individual's knowledge and skills in the areas of virtualization, networking, storage, and system administration. It is targeted at IT professionals who want to demonstrate their expertise in managing and deploying Citrix technologies.

The CCP-V certification requires individuals to pass two exams: the 1Y0-311: Citrix XenApp 6.5 Advanced Administration Exam and the 1Y0-312: Citrix XenServer 6.0 Administration Exam. Both exams are administered through Pearson VUE testing centers.

In order to be eligible for the CCP-V certification, candidates must have at least one year of experience working with XenApp or XenServer products. Additionally, they must have completed a course from a Citrix authorized learning center or have passed the CXA-206: Implementing a Citrix XenApp 6 Infrastructure exam.

It typically takes about three months to prepare for the CCP-V certification exams depending on an individual's level of experience with virtualization technologies. The cost of taking both exams varies depending on location but usually ranges from $200-$400 USD per exam.

11. Amazon Web Services (AWS) Certified Solutions Architect – Associate

Amazon Web Services (AWS) Certified Solutions Architect – Associate is a certification program from Amazon Web Services (AWS). It is designed to validate an individual’s technical skills and knowledge in designing and deploying scalable, secure, and cost-effective solutions on the AWS platform.

The certification exam consists of multiple-choice and multiple-answer questions that test an individual’s understanding of the core AWS services, such as Amazon EC2, Amazon S3, Amazon VPC, Amazon RDS, etc. The exam also covers topics related to security, networking, storage, database design and implementation.

The duration of the exam is 130 minutes and it costs $150 USD. To get certified as an AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate one needs to pass the exam with a minimum score of 720 out of 1000.

To prepare for the certification exam one can take advantage of various online resources such as official AWS training courses or practice exams offered by third-party providers like A Cloud Guru or Linux Academy. Additionally there are books available that cover all topics related to the certification exam such as "AWS Certified Solutions Architect Official Study Guide" by John Stamper or "AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional Exam Guide" by Anthony Sequeira.

Do You Really Need a Sharepoint Developer Certificate?

No, you do not need a Sharepoint Developer Certificate in order to become a successful Sharepoint developer. While having a certificate can certainly demonstrate expertise and knowledge of the platform, it is not necessary for success.

The most important skill for a Sharepoint developer is the ability to understand business needs and be able to create solutions that meet those needs. This requires knowledge of the platform, as well as experience with development processes such as coding, debugging, testing, and deployment. A certificate may demonstrate a basic level of understanding of the platform but it will not necessarily give you the skills needed to be successful.

In addition, there are many resources available online that can help you learn about Sharepoint development without needing a formal certification. These include tutorials and training courses that can provide an introduction to the platform. With these resources and some practice, you can gain the same level of understanding as someone who has taken a formal course or earned a certificate.

Ultimately, whether or not you need a Sharepoint Developer Certificate depends on your goals and objectives. If you want to demonstrate expertise in this field then taking a course or obtaining certification may be beneficial; however if your primary goal is to develop applications for businesses then gaining hands-on experience through practice is likely more important than any certificate or degree.

Related: Sharepoint Developer Resume Examples

FAQs About Sharepoint Developer Certifications

1. What are the requirements for becoming a SharePoint Developer?

Answer: The most common requirement to become a SharePoint Developer is having at least two years of experience developing solutions in the Microsoft Office 365 and SharePoint Online platforms. Additionally, having knowledge of HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and C# is also beneficial.

2. Do I need any prior certifications to become a SharePoint Developer?

Answer: No, prior certifications are not required to become a SharePoint Developer. However, having certifications may help you stand out from other applicants when applying for jobs or contracts.

3. What type of certification should I get as a SharePoint Developer?

Answer: The Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA) certification is the most popular certification for aspiring SharePoint Developers. This certification covers topics such as designing and configuring SharePoint sites and Office 365 applications.

4. How do I earn a MCSA certification for SharePoint Development?

Answer: To earn an MCSA certification for Sharepoint Development, you must pass three exams: Exam 70-339 (Managing Microsoft Sharepoint Server 2016), Exam 70-346 (Managing Office 365 Identities and Requirements), and Exam 70-347 (Enabling Office 365 Services).

5. Are there other certifications available besides the MCSA?

Answer: Yes! Other certifications include the Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE) Certification in Productivity Solutions Expert, which covers topics such as deploying messaging solutions with Exchange Server 2016; and the Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) Certification in Developing ASP .NET MVC Web Applications, which covers topics related to designing and implementing web applications using ASP .NET MVC 5.