What Certiport does

Certiport is a certification testing and credentialing division of Pearson plc (LSE: PSON), based in American Fork, Utah, founded in 1997 with 501–1,000 employees. The company operates the only Microsoft-recognized Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) certification program globally and the Adobe Certified Professional program, validating digital proficiency in Microsoft 365 / Office 2019 applications and Adobe Creative Cloud software (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign). Its portfolio has expanded to bundle credentials from Google, SAP, IBM, Meta, Autodesk, Cisco, and PMI, distributed through partnerships with educational institutions that integrate the certifications into degree curricula — most recently as a mandatory micro-credential layer at the American University of Ras Al Khaimah. The business serves primarily students aged 13–22 and the educational institutions that adopt its exams, with revenue generated through certification exam fees and institutional licensing.

The GTM motion is event-driven rather than sales-led: Certiport runs the annual U.S. National Championships (24th annual MOS edition and 13th annual Adobe edition in 2026, both held in Nashville) and the World Championship in Anaheim (July 27–30, 2026) featuring over 100 international finalists from more than 30 countries, alongside the CERTIFIED Educator Conference. These championships double as marketing vehicles and community-building franchises that funnel students and educators into the certification pipeline. Distribution is a hybrid of OEM-style vendor authorizations with nine technology companies and channel/reseller relationships with academic institutions worldwide.

The product architecture is a certification testing and assessment platform: content is licensed or co-developed with the named technology vendors; exams are delivered through Certiport-branded testing; and credentials carry the Microsoft, Adobe, and other vendor brand endorsements that confer labor-market signaling value. Revenue mechanics are described as subscription/recurring in the input, though the more plausible operational model is high-volume per-exam transactions bundled with institutional site licenses — the underlying pricing is not publicly disclosed. As a division of Pearson rather than an independent private company, Certiport does not raise external funding; no recent acquisitions, restructuring events, or leadership changes are disclosed in the available data.

Name

Certiport

Website

https://certiport.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Certiport, a division of Pearson, operates the only Microsoft-recognized Microsoft Office Specialist certification and Adobe Certified Professional program, validating digital skills for students aged 13–22 and educational institutions across 30+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Certification and Credentialing Services

NAICS

Computer Training (611420), Computer Training (61142), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Certification & Licensing Exam Management Platforms (EDAFADAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Professional Licensure & Certification Exam Prep (Bar/CPA/NCLEX/PMP, etc.) (EDAGADAD), Information Technology (IT) & Cybersecurity Certifications (EDAAANAA), Credentialing, Certification Prep & Exam Training (BPACANAJ)

Keywords

• Certification testing services
• Digital skills credentials
• Technology certification programs
• Workforce readiness credentials
• Computer-based testing

Headquarters

HQ city

American Fork

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Certification Testing Services: Certiport generates revenue through providing certification examinations and assessments for technology skills. Certifications are offered in partnership with major technology companies including Microsoft, Adobe, Google, SAP, IBM, Meta, Autodesk, Cisco, and PMI. The company serves educational institutions and individual students who seek industry-recognized credentials.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Certiport delivers computer-based certification examinations and assessments that validate digital and productivity skills for students and educators. Its portfolio centers on Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) and Adobe Certified Professional certifications, supplemented by additional credentials from Google, SAP, IBM, Meta, Autodesk, Cisco, and PMI. The company operates the only Microsoft-recognized certification program for Microsoft Office globally and runs the associated U.S. National and World Championship competitions.

Product overview

Certiport, a division of Pearson, operates as a certification testing and competency validation platform. The company's portfolio centers on two primary certification programs: Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) certification and Adobe Certified Professional certification. These programs validate digital skills across productivity software (Microsoft Office applications) and creative software (Adobe Creative Cloud). The product architecture includes not just certification exams but also associated competitive championship events at national and world levels, plus educator recognition programs. The certifications serve students ages 13-22 and are positioned as workforce-ready credentials for an AI-driven economy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS): Microsoft Office Specialist certification program - the only Microsoft-recognized certification program for Microsoft Office globally, validating students' digital skills for Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint across Microsoft 365 Apps and Office 2019 versions.
• Adobe Certified Professional

Products and services

• Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Certification Industry-recognized certification program validating proficiency in Microsoft Office applications including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint across Microsoft 365 Apps and Office 2019 versions. The only Microsoft-recognized certification program for Microsoft Office globally, offered to students aged 13-22 and delivered through educational institutions.
• Adobe Certified Professional Certification Certification program testing proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud software including Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, positioned as a workforce-readiness credential for students seeking digital design skills.
• Multi-Vendor Technology Micro-Credentials (Google, SAP, IBM, Meta, Autodesk, Cisco, PMI) Additional industry micro-credentials delivered through academic partnerships (e.g., AURAK) covering Google, SAP, IBM, Meta, Autodesk, Cisco, and PMI certifications, integrated into undergraduate and graduate degree curricula to enhance career readiness.

Quantifiable outcome

• Thousands of students aged 13-22 earn certifications annually through qualifying rounds
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• American University of Ras Al Khaimah (AURAK)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 March 2026AURAK launched a university-wide initiative in Spring Semester 2026 to integrate industry micro-credentials into all undergraduate and graduate program curricula through strategic partnerships with Coursera and Certiport. Students earn professional certifications from major technology companies including Microsoft, Google, SAP, IBM, Meta, Autodesk, Cisco, and PMI as part of degree requirements.
• MicrosoftcoreTechnology or IntegrationMicrosoft has a long-standing partnership with Certiport as the operator of the only Microsoft-recognized certification program for Microsoft Office globally. Certiport conducts Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) certification exams and championships for Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint across Microsoft 365 Apps and Office 2019 versions.
• AdobecoreTechnology or IntegrationAdobe partners with Certiport to operate the Adobe Certified Professional certification program, testing proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud software including Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. Certiport conducts U.S. National and World Championships for Adobe certifications.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Pearson VUE: Sister Pearson division operating computer-based testing for high-stakes certifications (IT, healthcare, finance). Most direct comparable given shared Pearson ownership, identical business model (authorized testing partner for third-party credential sponsors), and overlapping candidate pool, though Pearson VUE targets professional/IT certifications versus Certiport's student focus.
• Prometric: Global computer-based testing and assessment services company delivering credentialing exams for Microsoft, AWS, Google Cloud, Cisco, and others. Closely comparable in authorized-third-party certification delivery model, though broader in verticals and less focused on K-12/college student cohort.
• CompTIA: Non-profit IT trade association issuing certifications (A+, Network+, Security+) that compete for the same student/educator audience and are delivered through Pearson VUE and other test centers. Directly comparable as a competing IT certification sponsor with educational channel penetration.
• Coursera: Online learning platform offering Professional Certificates from Google, IBM, Meta, and others that increasingly compete for the same micro-credential wallet at universities. Notably co-partnered with Certiport at AURAK, illustrating the convergent competitive threat and partnership dynamic in the credentialing space.
• Kryterion: Web-based assessment delivery platform powering credentialing programs for technology and professional associations. Comparable as a smaller, direct testing-platform competitor to Certiport/Certiport's parent testing infrastructure.

Broad incumbents

• Skillsoft: Enterprise digital learning and certification prep provider offering IT, leadership, and compliance training. Comparable as a broader incumbent offering certification exam prep alongside content libraries, targeting corporate L&D budgets that increasingly overlap with academic credentialing.
• Adobe Education: Adobe's direct education program offering free Creative Cloud access and self-directed learning resources to students and educators. Comparable audience (design students) and partially overlapping curriculum, with potential to disintermediate Certiport as an authorized Adobe certification body.
• Microsoft Learn: Microsoft's free self-paced learning and certification pathway that issues Microsoft Certifications directly. The single most material competitive threat to Certiport's MOS monopoly, as Microsoft could in theory route any certification through its own platform rather than Certiport.
• Udemy: Global online learning marketplace with extensive IT and productivity certification prep content. Comparable in adjacent training/prep role for the same certifications Certiport administers, competing for budget at educational institutions.

Emerging players

• Questionmark: Assessment platform provider enabling organizations to build, deliver, and score certification exams. Comparable technology layer (testing platform) though more focused on enterprise-authored assessments than on student-skills certification.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/certiport
• Facebookfacebook.com/certiport
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/18021

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Certiport