3 Powerful Ways Smartsheet Certifications Can Boost Your Career

By earning a Smartsheet University credential, you're building marketable skills and taking a decisive step forward in your career, especially if that career is in project management.

The world of work is changing fast. The Project Management Institute (PMI) estimates that nearly 30 million new project professionals will be needed globally by 2035 as organizations race to keep up with digital transformation and AI adoption. As roles evolve, so do the skills required to succeed. The professionals who can prove those skills are the ones who get ahead.

Smartsheet University certifications help you do exactly that: stay ahead of the curve, grow with confidence, and lead through change.

Why Smartsheet certifications matter

Smartsheet powers project portfolios, PMOs, and enterprise programs at organizations of every size, and as adoption grows, so does demand for people who know how to build on the platform, not just use it.

A Smartsheet University credential proves you've developed real, applied skills. The exams are proctored, and the higher levels require evidence of actual solutions you've built. That rigor is what makes the credential credible to employers.

The timing is right for project managers, too. According to PMI's 2025 Earning Power salary survey, PMP-certified professionals in the U.S. earn a median salary 24% higher than their non-certified peers. Pairing a methodology credential like the PMP with a platform credential like the Smartsheet Professional Certification tells employers you can both manage the work and build the systems that manage it.

Benefit 1: Stand out in a crowded job market

A Smartsheet certification tells recruiters, hiring managers, and your own leadership that you have verified, in-demand platform expertise.

For project managers, that differentiation is powerful. Nearly every PM candidate lists "project management software" on their resume. Far fewer can point to a proctored certification proving they can build intake sheets, automated workflows, and executive dashboards from scratch. When two candidates look similar on paper, the certified one gets the interview.

Add your credential to LinkedIn where recruiters search for platform-specific skills, and it works for you whether you're chasing a promotion, a PMO role, or a career change into project management.

Benefit 2: Work smarter, deliver faster

“For the longest time, I felt like I was just wading my way through the system. The Builder Path completed changed that by showing me efficient workflows and unlocking features I hadn’t tapped into before. IT was a game-changer for my productivity, and I highly recommend the series to anyone looking to level up their Smartsheet skills.”

The knowledge you gain preparing for certification pays off long before exam day. Smartsheet University's learning paths go well beyond the basics, covering data connectivity, resource management, portfolio reporting, and building complete, scalable solutions.

For a project manager, that translates into everyday superpowers:

• Less manual work. Automations and connected data replace hours of status-chasing and copy-paste.
• Faster ramp-up. Stand up working solutions quickly instead of reinventing processes each time.
• Better decisions. Roll-up dashboards surface problems while there's still time to fix them.

You'll also join a global community of practitioners sharing templates and best practices, so the learning doesn't stop when the course ends.

Benefit 3: Drive measurable impact at your organization

Skilled people turn software licenses into business results. The Professional Certification specifically validates your ability to build impactful solutions, quantify their value, and drive adoption across your organization.

And the value is measurable. On average, solutions built by Smartsheet Certified Professionals save 1,300+ hours (170+ working days) and $82,000+ per solution, per year. Standout solutions have delivered 3,000+ hours saved and $180K+ in cost avoidance, and one certified professional showcased an 18% year-over-year increase in strategic initiative completion. That's time redirected to strategic work, fewer budgetary surprises, and gains that get noticed by executives and decision makers.*

That impact matters. Plenty of tools get purchased; far fewer get adopted. Certified professionals build solutions colleagues actually want to use and can measure and communicate their results. For project managers, that's the difference between "the person who runs the schedule" and "the person who transformed how we deliver work."

*Source: Smartsheet Professional Certification candidate solution data, per solution average per year.

Start your Smartsheet certification journey

Smartsheet University offers a clear, tiered learning journey with a starting point for every skill level.

You can pay per exam attempt, or purchase the Learning & Certification Pass, which bundles unlimited access to self-paced content and live, instructor-led virtual training with two attempts at each certification exam. It's the most cost-effective route if you're serious about leveling up.

Bonus for project managers: many Smartsheet University learning paths award PDUs (Professional Development Units), so the same training that earns you a Smartsheet credential can also help you maintain your PMP or other PMI certification.

The demand for project professionals who can build, automate, and scale how work gets done is only growing. A Smartsheet certification is one of the most direct ways to prove you're one of them.

Ready to get started? Visit Smartsheet University at smartu.smartsheet.com, pick the path that matches your current skills, and take the first step toward getting certified.

Sources: Project Management Institute, "Global Project Management Talent Gap" and "Earning Power: Project Management Salary Survey" (13th ed.); Smartsheet University program and certification pages (smartu.smartsheet.com).