Will a NetSuite certification increase your salary?

The question at hand: will investing time in a NetSuite certification help increase your salary more than other lifelong learning alternatives?

Becoming a successful NetSuite professional is about having the correct experience, as well as the willingness to update your skill set to excel in your preferred area of the technology. As the market continues to grow, so will the demand for skilled specialists. Being proactive as a lifelong learner is an excellent way to keep your foot in the door to new and exciting opportunities.

NetSuite actively encourages lifelong learning for NetSuite specialists by providing a diverse range of NetSuite qualifications to help with career progression. But let’s find out has that has benefited the NetSuite working community.

What is the benefit of earning a NetSuite certification?

As digital transformation continues to sweep the business world, more and more organizations are looking to NetSuite to help boost efficiency: in our recent salary survey, we found 79% of respondents expect their workload to increase in the coming year.

With that uptake in usage, demand for tech professionals with NetSuite experience is growing.

As well as adding additional NetSuite talent to their teams, many businesses using the software are also seeking to help their existing staff upskill and build on their knowledge. The number of employers paying for their employee’s NetSuite certifications was up 127% on last year. Given this move towards nurturing in-house tech skills, it’s hardly surprising that our data also showed a rapid increase in professionals gaining a NetSuite certification, with 68% of our respondents reported having at least one qualification to their name; an increase of 66% on 2018’s numbers.

So, how can gaining a NetSuite qualification help professionals take advantage of that demand?

First and foremost, having a certification on your resume can increase your market value. Around half of our salary survey respondents noticed an increase in their salary after gaining a NetSuite certification. How much of an increase you could see will vary on your current role, and which certifications you earn, but 58% of those NetSuite pros who landed a raise saw a 20% increase in their pay — 3% reported a salary increase of 100%.

But salary bumps aren’t the only reason to get certified. A huge 85% of certified survey respondents believed that gaining a NetSuite certification made them more valuable in the job market. This could be due to the status that comes with being certified within the NetSuite professional network, a greater sense of marketability, and the confidence needed to find a better job with perks that reflect their post-qualification skillset.

Salaries for certified NetSuite professionals

Unsurprisingly, the most popular certification amongst our NetSuite professionals is the SuiteFoundation qualification. The SuiteFoundation certification helps professionals further their understanding of the fundamental components of the NetSuite dashboard.

The badge is a base-level certification recommended for administrators, developers, and consultants. Let’s take a look at what you can expect to earn in each of these popular NetSuite roles.

NetSuite Developer salary

NetSuite certifications are highly respected among the developer community, but that’s not saying a developer should put all their eggs in the certification basket. A good NetSuite developer should focus on gaining experience within the market, particularly with NetSuite APIs.

The community also suggests that being NetSuite certified is a necessity for those looking for jobs in the early stages of your career.

NetSuite offers three certifications tailored towards enhancing the career of a developer. The leading NetSuite qualification is SuiteFoundation, a fundamental qualification for developers. This is followed by more advanced certifications: SuiteCloud Developer and SuiteCommerce Developer.

If you’re trying to get your foot in the door or develop your NetSuite career, it’s probably worth investing in certifications. Or better yet, negotiate with your current employer to see if the company would invest in the qualification for you.

A typical NetSuite Developer’s salary varies from $78,000 – $154,000 (USD) depending on your location in the US and experience.

NetSuite Consultant salary

If you wish to climb up the career ladder, progressing as a NetSuite Consultant is a great career choice. As the NetSuite ecosystem is a fairly broad market that requires a knowledgeable specialist in the majority of areas, there are plenty of opportunities for a consultant.

If you’re a consultant considering a career in NetSuite, we recommended investing in NetSuite qualifications and developing an intermediate understanding of all areas of the NetSuite industry.

The recommended certifications for a consultant are ERP Consultant, SuiteFoundation, and NetSuite Administrator. Once you become NetSuite certified, you’ll receive access to the NetSuite Certification Program benefits, like being eligible to join an exclusive community of professionals and gaining free access to NetSuite beta training.

According to our 2019 salary survey, a Functional Consultant can earn between $93,000 and $137,000, whereas a Technical Consultant’s salary averages between $98,000 and $139,000.

NetSuite Administrator salary

For any NetSuite Administrator, developing and expanding your knowledge on current and existing cloud-based features is one of the essential parts of the job. You’ll need the ability to educate end-users on NetSuite’s current and upcoming functionality while ensuring that the organization as a whole is obtaining maximum benefit from its investment in NetSuite.

We discovered in our salary survey that 70% of hiring companies favor certified candidates. Taking the NetSuite Administrator’s exam can expose you to new areas of the market, as well as demonstrate to your future employer a willingness to augment your skillset as a NetSuite Administrator. 

Earning NetSuite qualifications as Administrator may or may not directly increase your salary, but either way, it’ll allow you to position yourself as a more distinguished NetSuite professional. That, in turn, can increase your choice of roles, and access to other benefits like flexible hours and remote working. 

The average income for an Administrator has increased across the country, with a mid-level NetSuite Administrator salary ranging from between 95,443 to $101,423.

Renewing your NetSuite certifications

It’s clear that being certified can be beneficial to developing your career within the NetSuite market. But getting certified isn’t a one-and-done effort. Maintaining your certifications is an ongoing process. To stay ahead in the market, we recommend renewing your qualifications every three years, as well as regularly taking quizzes to ensure you stay informed about NetSuite’s latest trends and features.

The perks of renewing your certifications may not directly affect your salary, but, it will validate and uphold your expertise.

The secret to being an in-demand NetSuite professional

Being NetSuite certified is a great tactic to optimize the acceleration of your career, refine your existing knowledge of NetSuite, and demonstrate to potential employers that you have a willingness to learn and develop your skills.

Nevertheless, with the rate of NetSuite adoption consistently growing, the market has become fiercely competitive, with businesses warring over the most talented members from the pool of NetSuite candidates. As much as being certified is useful to a professional, it should not be used as a solo tactic to stand out amongst the hiring market.

Your future employer’s hiring strategy will consist of finding a well-balanced combination of both hard and soft skills. As a strong NetSuite candidate, you should be able to show adept technical skills gained through previous experience, degrees and NetSuite qualifications. However, at the same time, you’ll need to demonstrate a variety of great examples of communication and collaboration skills.

Will a NetSuite certification help increase your salary?

Becoming NetSuite certified could very well have an impact on your salary, but as mentioned previously, remuneration isn’t the only benefit that certification can offer when it comes to the development of your NetSuite career.

The key to having a high-paying job in any industry is to demonstrate a readiness to develop your skills and work your way up the career ladder. Unlike other markets, the NetSuite certification program provides you with a platform to help you achieve this.

But remember, you shouldn’t rely solely on qualifications to accelerate your career: try to find a well-balanced combination of tactics to stay on top of the NetSuite candidate pool and gain the salary of your dreams.