Which IT certifications have the highest failure rate and why?

7 points by MyrtleD 3 days ago

Which IT certifications have the highest failure rates? And why do so many candidates struggle with them? From AWS to CompTIA, some exams consistently challenge even experienced professionals. In 2025, do coding certifications still hold value for developers, or has practical experience taken the lead?

codingdave 2 days ago

Certifications never held value for developers. They hold value other types of people:

- For the companies who offer the certs - people pay them to test to prove they have skills, then tie themselves to using that company's product. Free organic marketing.

- For consulting firms who are business partners with the company who offers the cert. More certs = better partner programs.

- For people trying to get their first tech jobs: A cert with no experience is better than no cert and no experience.

But if you are a dev, just doing your work... they are at best a training tool, at worst an outright scam.

pajamasam 17 hours ago

I would imagine OSCP has a high failure rate, but I have zero proof on that.

> In 2025, do coding certifications still hold value for developers, or has practical experience taken the lead?

The best is to do both. I had worked with AWS for years and thought I knew it well until I did a AWS Solutions Architect Professional course.

harvey9 2 days ago

Did you intend to post a link or is this askHN?

  • HenryBemis 2 days ago

    Right now this is "3." on "ask" category.

datadrivenangel 2 days ago

Probably PMP?

  • HenryBemis 2 days ago

    "Trick" to pass PMP with flying colors. Do the 35h training. Boring and uninteresting but I assume it's still mandatory.

      Then read once cover-to-cover the PMBOK. You will be tired. Your eyes will hurt. You will rethink some/many choices of your life!
  Then read a 'normal' study-book on PMP, I checked out a few but I ultimately picked from the "Head First" series. This was a fun read, made sense.
  Then read once more cover-to-cover the PMBOK.
    Then go and rock that test!
    • datadrivenangel a day ago

      Studying hard and effectively tends to be a decent trick. #lifehacks