Salesforce Certifications Pathways

Introduction

Salesforce expertise ranks high in demand within the IT sector, with increasing popularity. As the premier CRM system today, Salesforce is pivotal for digital business, with its diverse applications and ecosystem establishing it as a leading platform for aspiring IT professionals seeking rewarding careers.

Pursuing Salesforce certification is an effective strategy for acquiring specialized knowledge and skills to advance your IT career. However, navigating Salesforce’s evolving certification structure, pathways, and prerequisites can be daunting. This guide provides current insights into Salesforce’s certification offerings to empower you in gaining a competitive advantage and accessing new opportunities.

Benefits of Salesforce certifications

Salesforce positions encompass a spectrum from technical roles (such as architects, developers, and implementation specialists) to those focused on marketing and sales, each demanding differing levels of proficiency with the Salesforce platform.

Obtaining Salesforce certifications can distinguish you for high-paying positions. Entry-level Salesforce administrators earn an average salary of approximately US$100,750, while senior administrators can command around US$128,000, as reported by Salesforce Ben. Moreover, a survey by Indeed.com reveals that 70% of Salesforce developers in the US find their salaries satisfactory considering the local cost of living.

Salesforce certification overview

Salesforce certifications follow a role-based structure focused on six key roles: Administrator, Architect, Consultant, Designer, Developer, and Marketer. More information regarding these certifications and their respective paths can be found below.

Salesforce Administrator certifications

The Salesforce administrator certification prioritizes administrative tasks such as defining user needs, customizing the platform, and optimizing user experience with Salesforce. This certification is available in two levels: Administrator and Advanced Administrator. Administrators can also pursue additional certifications in app development, CPQ (configure price quote), and business analysis (details provided below).

Salesforce Administrator

A Salesforce Certified Administrator oversees and sustains an organization’s Salesforce CRM system. Responsibilities include creating and adjusting user accounts, handling data, developing and managing custom fields and objects, and configuring the system to align with organizational requirements. The Salesforce Administrator certification validates a candidate’s comprehensive understanding of platform configuration and customization, along with their proficiency in utilizing its features. To achieve this certification, candidates must demonstrate competence in maintaining and adapting Sales Cloud and Service Cloud applications, managing users, data, and security settings, and constructing dashboards, reports, and workflows.

Salesforce Advanced Administrator

The Salesforce Certified Advanced Administrator possesses superior knowledge and expertise beyond that of a Salesforce Administrator. They manage intricate responsibilities such as platform customization, implementing advanced security features, and enhancing performance to meet organizational objectives effectively. To obtain the Salesforce Advanced Administrator certification, candidates must demonstrate proficiency in advanced Salesforce administrative capabilities and excel in designing sophisticated reports, dashboards, and automated processes.

Salesforce CPQ Specialist

A Salesforce Certified CPQ Specialist manages the implementation and upkeep of Salesforce CPQ solutions within an organization, focusing on precise pricing and quotation processes while offering technical support to enhance sales operations efficiency. This certification validates a candidate’s expertise in deploying Salesforce CPQ solutions, designing and configuring quoting workflows to align with customer needs, and resolving platform challenges. Those who achieve this certification demonstrate their capability in constructing bundle configurations, managing pricing structures, generating output documents, and handling renewals and amendments effectively.

Salesforce Architect certifications

Salesforce Architects devise and execute tailored solutions on the Salesforce platform to address distinct organizational requirements. Their responsibilities encompass overseeing the technical aspects of Salesforce, which involve customizing objects, fields, and validation rules, along with creating and sustaining integrations with external systems.

Salesforce Application Architect

A Salesforce Certified Application Architect specializes in designing and creating customized solutions on the Salesforce platform. This certification demands a comprehensive grasp of Salesforce capabilities and functionalities, including proficiency in modeling role hierarchies, data structures, and effective sharing mechanisms.

While there is no direct charge for this certification, candidates are required to complete four specific certifications, each associated with its own exam and fee:

• Salesforce Certified Data Architect
• Salesforce Certified Sharing and Visibility Architect
• Salesforce Certified Platform Developer I (detailed below under Salesforce Developer certification)
• Salesforce Certified Platform App Builder (detailed below under Salesforce Developer certification)

Salesforce Data Architect

A Salesforce Certified Data Architect is responsible for designing and overseeing the data architecture and integration strategies in Salesforce implementations. Their role ensures data quality, security, and integrity to meet business needs and facilitate informed decision-making. To achieve the Salesforce Data Architect certification, candidates must demonstrate proficiency in designing and implementing data solutions within the Salesforce ecosystem, including data modeling, integration, and governance.

Salesforce Sharing and Visibility Architect

A Salesforce Certified Sharing and Visibility Architect oversees the design and implementation of access controls, sharing models, and security configurations within Salesforce. Their role focuses on enabling proper data sharing across an organization while safeguarding sensitive information. This certification is intended for architects, analysts, and administrators proficient in crafting secure and scalable security models on Force.com. To attain this certification, candidates should excel in communicating technical solutions to stakeholders and ensuring project quality and success through a structured delivery framework.

Salesforce System Architect  

A Salesforce certified System Architect is dedicated to overseeing the comprehensive architecture of Salesforce implementations, encompassing custom solution design, data architecture, security, performance, and scalability. This certification places emphasis on testing, governance, and integration with external systems within an organization’s infrastructure.

While there is no fee for this certification, candidates must complete four specific certifications, each requiring its own exam and associated fee:

• Salesforce Certified Development Lifecycle and Deployment Architect
• Salesforce Certified Identity and Access Management Architect
• Salesforce Certified Integration Architecture
• Salesforce Certified Platform Developer I (details provided below under Salesforce Developer certification)

Salesforce Development Lifecycle and Deployment Designer

A Salesforce Certified Development Lifecycle and Deployment Designer oversees the planning and execution of development, testing, and deployment procedures for Salesforce projects. This credential is tailored for individuals adept at implementing DevOps, Application Lifecycle Management, and governance practices to meet client needs effectively.

Salesforce Identity and Access Management Designer

A Salesforce Certified Identity and Access Management Architect is responsible for designing and implementing security measures and access controls in Salesforce implementations. This credential showcases a candidate’s expertise in evaluating identity architecture and developing secure, high-performance access management solutions on Customer 360.

Salesforce Integration Architect

A Salesforce Certified Integration Architect devises and executes integration strategies connecting Salesforce with external systems, ensuring smooth data interchange and enhancing business processes using APIs, middleware, and related technologies. The Salesforce Integration Architect certification exam demonstrates a candidate’s ability to articulate technical solutions to technical stakeholders and implement a structured project delivery framework that guarantees quality and successful outcomes.

Salesforce B2B Solution Architect

A B2B (business-to-business) Solution Architect develops and deploys solutions tailored for businesses operating within a B2B framework, utilizing Salesforce to streamline business processes, enhance customer engagement, and foster organizational growth. Prior to pursuing this role, candidates must first obtain the Salesforce Application Architect certification (referenced above). Following this, candidates must pass the Salesforce B2B Solution Architect exam, which evaluates their capacity to design and implement multicloud B2B solutions that effectively deliver business benefits to clients.

Salesforce B2C Solution Architect

A Salesforce Certified B2C Solution Architect develops and executes solutions tailored for businesses operating in a B2C (business-to-consumer) environment, utilizing Salesforce to enrich customer experiences, strengthen relationships, and stimulate growth. After completing the three required certifications (as outlined in the chart below), candidates must pass the Salesforce B2C Solution Architect exam. This exam assesses their capability to design and implement multicloud solutions, along with their comprehension of the Salesforce Customer 360 Vision and Platform.

Salesforce B2C Commerce Architect

A B2C Commerce Architect devises and executes commerce solutions tailored for businesses in a B2C (business-to-consumer) environment. The B2C Commerce Architect Certification targets candidates skilled in creating global websites that cater to multiple brands and channels using established design principles and integrating storefronts. The certification also focuses on candidates knowledgeable about the commerce ecosystem and solution architecture, encompassing key integrations to meet client business requirements and streamline process flows.

Salesforce Heroku Architect

A Salesforce Certified Heroku Architect designs and deploys scalable, secure, and high-performance applications on Heroku, utilizing the platform’s features to deliver essential business solutions. This certification is tailored for Heroku Consultants or Partners who are proficient in building scalable applications on Heroku and applying best practices within enterprise environments. They are also adept at integrating Heroku applications with Salesforce through database connections, APIs, and event systems.

Salesforce Technical Architect

A Salesforce Certified Technical Architect designs and oversees the implementation of complex Salesforce solutions at an enterprise level, ensuring alignment with organizational business objectives and technical requirements. Before attempting the exam, candidates must meet the following hands-on experience requirements:

– Over five years of experience in implementing software solutions across the full software development lifecycle, including development.

– Over three years of experience in an architect role.

– Over two years of experience on the Lightning Platform, with at least one year in a lead architect capacity, implementing Salesforce applications and technologies.

Candidates must also complete the prerequisites for the Salesforce Application Architect and Salesforce System Architect certifications (as described above).

To achieve the Salesforce Technical Architect certification, candidates must successfully complete the following steps:

1. Architect Review Board Evaluation: Candidates must analyze and propose solutions to a hypothetical scenario and present their solution to a panel of evaluators. This presentation is followed by a question-and-answer session with the evaluators.

2. Architect Review Board Exam: Candidates must pass this exam to finalize their certification process.

Technical Architect Review Board Exam:

Salesforce Consultant certification

Salesforce provides 10 certifications tailored for customer-facing consultants who specialize in designing and deploying solutions within their specific domains. Additionally, consultants can pursue certification in Salesforce Marketing Cloud, which falls under Salesforce Marketing Certifications.

Salesforce Business Analyst

A Salesforce Certified Business Analyst acts as a liaison between business needs and technical solutions, leveraging their Salesforce expertise to analyze, design, and propose solutions that enhance organizational success. The Salesforce Business Analyst Certification assesses a candidate’s proficiency in gathering requirements, engaging with stakeholders, and contributing to the development of solutions that facilitate business enhancements.

Salesforce Education Cloud Consultant

A Salesforce Certified Education Cloud Consultant is responsible for designing and deploying solutions tailored for the education sector using Salesforce Education Cloud. This certification validates that a candidate has practical consulting experience within the education industry and possesses deep expertise in Salesforce applications, including their application in various customer scenarios typical to the sector.

Experience Cloud Consultant

A Salesforce certified Experience Cloud Consultant develops and deploys solutions utilizing Salesforce Experience Cloud. This involves utilizing the platform’s capabilities to elevate customer experiences and optimize business operations. The Salesforce Experience Cloud Consultant certification is intended for candidates who have practical experience consulting on Experience Cloud in client-facing positions and demonstrate proficiency in resolving platform challenges.

Salesforce Field Service Consultant

A Salesforce Field Service Consultant implements and enhances the Field Service module within Salesforce Service Cloud. This role involves collaborating with clients to customize and configure FSL (Field Service Lightning) for their field service operations, including scheduling, dispatch, and mobile workforce management. Ongoing support is also provided to maintain the effectiveness of Field Service solutions. The Salesforce Field Service Consultant certification acknowledges professionals who specialize in designing tailored Salesforce solutions for clients, and who administer and configure Salesforce applications directly on client environments.

Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud Consultant

A Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud Consultant plays a pivotal role in assisting nonprofit organizations in leveraging Salesforce to streamline their operations. This role includes collaborating with clients to assess their requirements, customizing Salesforce accordingly, delivering training and support, and ensuring efficient utilization of the platform to achieve organizational objectives. Possessing this credential signifies that candidates can effectively design and deploy Nonprofit Cloud solutions that contribute to sustained customer success.

OmniStudio Consultant

A Salesforce OmniStudio Consultant designs and deploys solutions utilizing Salesforce OmniStudio, collaborating closely with clients to grasp their business needs and tailor the platform accordingly. The Salesforce OmniStudio Consultant certification is suitable for candidates with a minimum of one year of Salesforce experience in roles such as Business Analyst, Business Consultant, Solution Architect, Delivery Manager/Director, Project Manager, Product Manager, Program Manager, or UX Designer.

Salesforce Pardot Consultant

A Salesforce Pardot Consultant assists organizations in optimizing their use of the Salesforce Pardot marketing automation platform to maximize returns on investment. This role involves collaborating with clients to assess their requirements and leveraging the platform to enhance lead generation efforts. The Salesforce Pardot Consultant certification is designed for professionals with extensive experience in implementing Pardot and who possess the ability to articulate Salesforce administration concepts relevant to Pardot features.

Salesforce Sales Cloud Consultant

A Salesforce Sales Cloud Consultant assists organizations in utilizing Salesforce Sales Cloud to streamline their sales processes. Responsibilities include customizing and configuring the platform, conducting user training and support, and implementing effective sales management strategies. To earn the Salesforce Sales Cloud Consultant certification, candidates must demonstrate proficiency in designing and implementing Sales Cloud solutions, which involves application and interface design, as well as managing and designing analytics for tracking purposes.

Service Cloud Consultant 

A Salesforce Service Cloud Consultant designs and deploys customer service solutions using Salesforce Service Cloud, collaborating with clients to grasp their business needs and customize the platform accordingly. The Salesforce Service Cloud Consultant certification acknowledges professionals who specialize in designing solutions for contact centers and implementing analytics solutions for performance metrics tracking. This credential validates expertise in designing, developing, and deploying Service Cloud functionalities.

Saleforce Tableau CRM & Einstein Discovery Consultant

A Salesforce Tableau CRM & Einstein Discovery Consultant assists organizations in leveraging Salesforce CRM, Tableau, and Einstein Discovery tools to enhance customer relationship management, data visualization, and data-driven decision-making. This consultant offers expertise in implementing, customizing, and integrating these technologies, along with providing training and support. The Tableau CRM & Einstein Discovery Consultant certification is designed for professionals with experience in data ingestion processes, security implementation, access management, and dashboard development.

Salesforce Marketing certification

Salesforce also provides certifications tailored for marketing professionals, including two focused on Salesforce’s B2B marketing automation platform, Pardot. Alongside these specific certifications, marketers can also pursue Marketing Cloud Developer certifications (included in Salesforce Developer Certification) and Pardot Consultant certification (included in Salesforce Consultant Certification).

Salesforce Marketing Cloud Administrator

A Salesforce Marketing Cloud Administrator oversees and customizes Salesforce Marketing Cloud to fulfill the organization’s requirements for marketing automation and communications. Responsibilities include configuring email templates, managing data, setting up integrations, and monitoring performance. The Salesforce Marketing Cloud Administrator certification assesses a candidate’s proficiency in executing administrative tasks within Marketing Cloud, ensuring alignment with business objectives.

Salesforce Marketing Cloud Consultant

A Salesforce Marketing Cloud Consultant assists organizations in leveraging Salesforce Marketing Cloud to achieve their marketing objectives. Responsibilities include identifying client requirements, designing and implementing solutions, and offering continuous support and training. To obtain the Marketing Cloud Consultant certification, candidates must demonstrate proficiency in configuring and deploying Salesforce Marketing Cloud Email application tools, resolving platform issues, and devising solutions for executing both tactical and strategic email campaigns.

Salesforce Marketing Cloud Email Specialist

A Salesforce Certified Marketing Cloud Email Specialist designs, implements, and refines email marketing campaigns through Salesforce Marketing Cloud, ensuring precise delivery of tailored messages to enhance engagement and achieve business objectives. This certification is intended for individuals proficient in email marketing best practices, encompassing content creation, subscriber and data management, delivery strategies, and analytics within the Marketing Cloud Email application.

Salesforce Pardot Specialist

A Salesforce Pardot Specialist oversees and enhances the utilization of the Salesforce Pardot marketing automation platform within a company. Responsibilities include customizing and configuring the platform to align with business requirements, developing and launching marketing campaigns, analyzing and reporting campaign effectiveness, and integrating the platform with other sales and marketing tools. To achieve the Pardot Specialist certification, candidates must demonstrate proficiency in designing and executing marketing campaigns within Pardot, and possess expertise in email marketing, lead generation, and lead qualification.

Salesforce Designer certification

Salesforce offers two certifications under the Designer credentials: one centered around User Experience and the other around Strategy Designing.

Salesforce User Experience Designer

A Salesforce User Experience (UX) Designer is responsible for enhancing the user interface (UI) and overall usability of Salesforce. This role involves conducting user research, prototyping, testing, and implementing user-centered design solutions that align with business needs. The UX Designer credential is aimed at candidates with foundational expertise in problem-solving and design, utilizing fundamental UX concepts and leveraging Force.com’s core features effectively.

Salesforce Strategy Designer

The Salesforce Strategy Designer assists in formulating and visualizing sales and customer success strategies using Salesforce. This role involves addressing systemic challenges, mapping out ecosystems, fostering alignment among stakeholders across organizations, and integrating user insights to promote innovation. The Salesforce Strategy Designer Certification verifies candidates’ proficiency in crafting comprehensive solutions that align with business objectives and user needs. Holders of this credential also demonstrate expertise in driving innovation throughout product lifecycles.

Salesforce Developer certifications

Salesforce developer certifications are designed for professionals who create customized applications on the Force.com platform. This certification track includes the Salesforce Certified Platform App Builder, which can also be pursued within the Salesforce Administrator track. Developer certifications in this track include two-tiered platform developer credentials and one specifically focused on developing ecommerce solutions.

Salesforce B2C Commerce Developer

A Salesforce B2C Commerce Developer is responsible for designing, constructing, and managing the e-commerce platform that facilitates interactions between businesses and their customers. They develop custom features and integrate the platform with other systems to enrich the customer experience and boost sales. Candidates for this role should possess extensive experience as full-stack developers specializing in Salesforce B2C Commerce Digital. The B2C Commerce Developer certification is tailored for individuals skilled in setting up development environments, manipulating digital data models, managing site content, configuring sites using Salesforce Business Manager, extending site functionality with scripts, interfacing with external applications, optimizing site performance, and resolving technical issues.

Salesforce Industries CPQ Developer

A Salesforce Industries CPQ Developer specializes in tailoring and deploying Salesforce CPQ solutions for clients across various sectors such as Manufacturing, Healthcare, and Financial Services. Their role focuses on automating pricing, discounts, and product bundles to streamline the quoting and proposal process, ensuring adherence to industry regulations. The Industries CPQ Developer certification is designed for candidates with expertise in developing configure, price, quote applications specifically for Salesforce Clouds such as Communications, Media, Energy, and Utilities.

Salesforce JavaScript Developer I

A Salesforce JavaScript Developer I develops and deploys custom JavaScript code within Salesforce to address precise business requirements, utilizing JavaScript, Apex, and other programming languages. They build, test, and implement custom applications, automations, and integrations. The Salesforce JavaScript Developer I certification is designed for individuals who possess expertise in developing front-end and/or JavaScript applications for web stacks. This certification process includes two components: the JavaScript Developer I exam and the Lightning Web Components Specialist Superbadge, which evaluates practical skills in Lightning Web Component development.

Salesforce Marketing Cloud Developer

A Salesforce Marketing Cloud Developer designs and deploys marketing automation solutions through Salesforce Marketing Cloud, collaborating with stakeholders to grasp business needs and devise impactful marketing campaigns. The Salesforce Marketing Cloud Developer certification targets individuals capable of creating personalized marketing assets like emails, landing pages, and forms using HTML, CSS, and AMPscript. To achieve this certification, candidates must demonstrate proficiency in SQL and possess experience with Marketing Cloud APIs.

Salesforce OmniStudio Developer

A Salesforce OmniStudio Developer designs, builds, and manages bespoke applications using Salesforce Lightning, Apex, and Visualforce. They are also responsible for configuring and customizing components within Salesforce OmniStudio. The Salesforce OmniStudio Developer certification showcases a candidate’s proficiency in developing cloud applications using OmniStudio’s declarative development tools. These tools include FlexCards, OmniScripts, Integration Procedures, DataRaptors, Expression Sets, Decision Matrices, and Industry Consoles.

Salesforce Platform Application Builder

A Platform App Builder develops customized applications using tools like Apex, Visualforce, and Lightning components. The Salesforce Platform App Builder certification is intended for individuals aiming to demonstrate their expertise in designing, constructing, and launching tailored applications on the Lightning Platform. This includes tasks such as creating, managing, and enhancing data models, ensuring application security, implementing business logic, and automating processes.

Salesforce Platform Developer I

A Platform developer designs and implements business logic and user interfaces using the programmatic features of Lightning. The Salesforce Platform Developer I certification is designed for individuals who have proficiency in developing custom applications on the Lightning platform.

Salesforce Platform Developer II

A Salesforce Platform Developer II constructs customized solutions using Apex, Visualforce, and other programming languages. They play a pivotal role in conceptualizing, coding, validating, and deploying sophisticated business requirements to meet organizational needs. To earn the Salesforce Platform Developer II certification, candidates must demonstrate expertise in advanced programmatic capabilities of the Force.com platform and data modeling. This includes proficiency in developing intricate business logic and interfaces within the platform. The certification process entails a multiple-choice exam, a programming assignment, and an essay exam. Successful candidates must showcase their ability to design, develop, test, and deploy sustainable, robust, and reusable programmatic solutions adhering to Apex design patterns and object-oriented best practices.