How to Become a Certified Software Tester

Key takeaways

• When planning your path to becoming a certified software tester, start by researching available pathways from professional and membership organizations such as ISTQB and IIST, which issue popular credentials.

• To become a certified software tester, start by exploring certificate programs that allow you to demonstrate specialized skills.

• Some certified software tester certification options include the Certified Agile Software Test Professional (CASTP) and ISTQB Security Testing Certification.

Certified software tester salary data from Glassdoor shows a median total pay of $104,000 [1]. Find out more about how you can become a certified software tester with six options from the ISTQB and IIST that can help you gain a respected credential to validate your skills with this article.

Afterward, if you want to build your software tester skills, consider enrolling in the IBM Back-End Development Professional Certificate. You’ll have the opportunity to learn how to master the most up-to-date back-end development skills in as little as six months. Upon completion, you’ll have earned a shareable career credential for your resume.

What is a certified software tester?

A certified software tester is a software quality management professional who has successfully passed an exam or completed a course of study, validating their ability to work on software development teams and projects.

How to become a certified software tester

You can choose from many different options to become a certified software tester, including certifications from professional and member organizations. Certificate programs can help you demonstrate specialized skills and, in some cases, demonstrate that you have the knowledge for the job role you desire, even if you don’t have a formal degree. You may also consider the two organizations that offer certified software tester certification, including the IIST and the ISTQB.

Certified software tester salary

According to Glassdoor’s estimates for the average salaries of software testers, certified software testers can earn more money on average than their non-certified counterparts. The average median total pay for a software tester is $88,000 [2]. Comparatively, the median total salary for a certified software tester is $104,000 [1]. These figures include base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation.

International Institute for Software Testing (IIST) certifications

The IIST is an organization with the goal to “advance the software testing and quality assurance professions by promoting and recognizing professionalism through education” [3]. It offers certifications for varying levels of skills and experience in the field of software testing and training programs to help you prepare for successful certification. Two of the certifications they offer for QA and software testing professionals include the Certified Software Test Professional Associate Level and the Certified Agile Software Test Practitioner.

1. Certified Software Test Professional - Associate Level (CSTP-A)

The Certified Software Test Professional - Associate Level (CSTP-A) is a program that can help you learn the skills to succeed on a software testing team or validate your existing skills for potential employers, whether you have professional experience already or not. The CSTP-A is the first of three software certifications offered by the IIST, and after you’ve earned it, you can go on to earn your Certified Software Test Professional Practitioner Level credential and your Certified Software Test Professional Master Level credential.

Requirements: You do not need to have prior knowledge of software testing or experience in the field to qualify for the CSPT-A exam, although you will need to complete three days of training.

Who should take this exam? The CSPT-A certification is appropriate for professionals considering a role in software testing or who want to learn the complete set of industry-standard skills for working in this role.

Cost: The exam and the training modules cost $995 to access online content and an additional $50 for a certification fee [4].

2. Certified Agile Software Test Professional (CASTP)

The Certified Agile Software Test Professional (CASTP) certification demonstrates that you have the skills to contribute to the fast pace of Agile software development projects in a quality assurance or software testing role. This certification comprises two levels: the Practitioner Level (CASTP-P) and the Master Level (CASTP-M). After successfully earning your CASTP-P, you can earn your Certified Agile Software Test Professional Master Level credential.

Online self-paced courses are typically priced at $295 per module [5]. Alternatively, you can enroll in all four courses simultaneously for a bundled price of $1,780, which includes the training and the associated exams and graduation fees for each module [6]. Upon successful completion of all modules and exams, there is a $50 graduation fee to obtain the certification. Additional fees, such as graduation or certification fees, may apply depending on the specific certification program.

Requirements: To qualify for the CASTP-P exam, you will need to first earn the Certified Software Test Professional Associate Level and complete one year of software testing work experience. You will also need to complete three courses through the IIST: Agile Development Methodologies, Agile Requirement Exploration and Requirement Management, and Agile Test Design and Test Execution.

Who should take this exam? This exam is appropriate for software testing professionals who want to learn skills for Agile software development teams or for software testing managers interested in bringing Agile principles to their team.

Cost: IIST's certification programs require candidates to complete four courses covering a comprehensive body of knowledge specific to each certification. The total cost depends on the number of required courses and the chosen method of training.

International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISTQB) certifications

The International Software Testing Qualifications Board is a professional membership non-profit organization that offers certifications and training material for software testing professionals, as well as setting the standard for industry certification in the software testing industry. They offer certifications in seven different levels of knowledge and experience:

• Core Foundation

• Core Advanced

• Specialist Level (divided into subsections: Technologies and Approaches, Quality Characteristics and Test Levels, Testing in Particular Domains)

• Expert Level (divided into subsections: Improving the Test Process and Test Management)

Two ISTQB certifications include the Certified Tester Foundation Level Certification (CTFL) and the Certified Tester Security Tester Certification (CT-SEC).

1. Certified Tester Foundation Level Certification (CTFL)

The Certified Tester Foundation Level (CTFL) demonstrates that you have passed an exam covering the industry-standard level of foundational knowledge required for software testing. This certification is the entry-level credential for ISTQB, and you will need to earn it to qualify for any other certifications offered through the organization.

Requirements: You do not have to complete prerequisites before taking this exam.

Who should take this exam? This exam is appropriate for individuals currently working in software testing or those considering a career in software development. If you work in a related role to software testing and could benefit from working knowledge of software development fundamentals, this certification may also be an appropriate choice for you.

Cost: $229 [7]

2. ISTQB Certified Tester Security Tester Certification (CT-SEC)

After you earn your CTFL, you can qualify to move to more advanced credentials, such as the ISTQB Certified Tester Security Tester (CT-SEC) certification. This credential covers the tools and industry standards you’ll need to succeed in security testing, including the goals and strategies of testing, how security testing fits into the overall software development life cycle, and how to evaluate security testing. Completing this certification will give you the chance to consider security testing from multiple perspectives, such as risk and human factors.

Requirements: You will need to earn your Foundational Level Certification, as well as at least three years of professional or academic experience, to qualify for the exam.

Who should take this exam? This certification may be most appropriate for any professional working in a role that benefits from understanding the foundational concepts of software testing, including testers, test engineers, test managers, software developers, project managers, and other professionals involved in the software development process.

Cost: $249 [7]

Read more: What Does a Software Developer Do? (And How to Become One)

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