Elevate Your Engineering Skills with MATLAB Certification

Key takeaways

MATLAB certification can bolster credibility and open doors across engineering, science, and data‑driven industries.

• MATLAB training has a strong impact, with attendees reporting a 144 percent increase in competence and a 95 percent increase in real‑world applicability after coursework [1].

• MATLAB certification value lies in its ability to strengthen credibility and distinguish you from other developers, especially in technical fields where trust and precision matter.

• You can use MATLAB certification to expand opportunities in high‑paying fields like aerospace, automotive engineering, biotech, finance, and integrated circuit design.

Learn more about MATLAB certification, including details about MATLAB certification exams and courses, and explore its applications across various industries. Then, consider enrolling in the MathWorks Computer Vision Engineer Professional Certificate. In as little as two months, you can learn and apply the computer vision skills needed to effectively address real-world challenges experienced across many industries.

Is a MATLAB certification worth it?

Given the array of applications and capabilities MATLAB offers, a MATLAB certification can help validate your proficiency in using the platform to solve problems and innovate in various domains. The programming and computing platform is widely used by engineers and scientists for data analysis, signal and image processing, wireless communication, robotics, and more. This powerful tool includes a programming language, interactive apps, specialized libraries, and the ability to generate code automatically. 

MATLAB certification programs

MathWorks offers two MATLAB certification programs: Certified MATLAB Associate and Certified MATLAB Professional. You can take the Certified MATLAB Professional exam once you have earned the Certified MATLAB Associate credential. 

Certified MATLAB Associate certification

Becoming a certified MATLAB associate requires you to pass a 50-question, multiple-choice exam within the 90-minute time frame allotted for the exam. You can complete the exam online or at one of MathWorks’s testing centers.

To prepare for the exam, MathWorks suggests completing the MATLAB Fundamentals course, reviewing the sample exam questions provided by MathWorks, and familiarizing yourself with the topics tested. Though the cost is not readily available before registering for an account to schedule your exam, the recommended preparatory MATLAB Fundamentals course is listed as $2,250 [2].

Explore some of the topics covered on the Certified MATLAB Associate exam:

• MATLAB user interface

• Variables and commands

• Analysis and visualization with vectors

• Analysis and visualization with matrices

• Dates and times

• Tables of data

• Conditional data selection

• Analyzing data from files

• Flow control

• Writing functions

Certified MATLAB Professional certification

If you complete the associate certification and seek a more advanced option, you may consider MATLAB Professional Certification. You can take the exam at any MathWorks-owned facility and will have three and a half hours to complete the test, which includes eight performance-based problems and 25 multiple-choice questions.

In addition to the prerequisite credential (Certified MATLAB Associate), the recommended preparation for the Professional certification includes completing three MATLAB certification courses: MATLAB for Data Processing and Visualization, MATLAB Programming Techniques, and Building Interactive Applications in MATLAB. You should also become familiar with the topics tested and review the sample exam questions. The courses recommended as preparation for the certification exam range in price from $900 to $1,800 [3,4,5], and you can expect to pay $400 for the exam [6].

Learn more about the topics you might find on the Certified MATLAB Professional exam:

• Data processing and visualization: You can expect questions on importing and processing data, customizing visualizations, and working with irregular data.

• MATLAB programming techniques: You may need to demonstrate your understanding of how to structure and manage data efficiently and your ability to utilize development tools and create robust applications. Expect evaluation of your ability to structure code, verify application behavior, and create toolboxes.

• Building interactive applications in MATLAB: Be prepared to use the App Designer Environment, create and update plots, manage multiple windows and applications, and create responsive components in MATLAB.

• Writing MATLAB code: The performance-based portion of the exam calls on you to submit code written in MATLAB. Vectorization rules outlined in the exam preparation guide are a minimum requirement when submitting your code. Additionally, the exam expects you to be familiar with MATLAB functionalities, including operators, keywords, and functions. For your convenience, the exam preparation materials include a reference table of the assumed information.

Why pursue MATLAB Certification?

A MATLAB certification through MathWorks can elicit confidence from customers, peers, and employers in your work and technical skills. Certification can also enhance your credibility and set you apart from other developers.

Your MATLAB certification may even garner a higher salary and increase job opportunities. Potential employers also often view specialized certifications as a commitment to your profession. This show of dedication can lead to increased job security and enhanced career progression.

Is a MATLAB certification useful?

Attendees of MATLAB training courses report an average of 144 percent increase in competence with MATLAB after their training, with 95 percent stating that the coursework had real-world application to their jobs [1].

From artificial intelligence to computational biology to automated driving systems, MATLAB likely has the appropriate solution. With a range of applications in disciplines like biological sciences, engineering, chemistry, geoscience, neuroscience, and physics, MATLAB's use is wide-reaching, making a MATLAB certification useful for employees in a variety of industries.

Consider these five careers, all offering you the potential to earn well above the median annual salary in the US, and how proficiency with MATLAB can benefit you as you work in the field:

• Aerospace engineers use MATLAB to design, simulate, test, and deploy anything from prototypes to safety and other critical systems. You can expect a median total salary of $166,000 in a career as an aerospace engineer [7].

• Automotive engineers use MATLAB’s unique capabilities to develop, test, simulate, validate, and deploy prototypes. These processes ensure that vehicles meet safety, comfort, fuel economy, and performance requirements. Automotive engineers make a median total salary of $128,000 [8].

• Biotechnology engineers and pharmaceutical scientists take advantage of MATLAB’s capabilities to analyze and process data, develop algorithms, optimize production processes, and perform simulations for drug discovery and medical device development. If either of these careers interests you, expect to make a median total salary of $206,000 as a pharmaceutical scientist and $173,000 as a biotechnology engineer [9,10].

• Financial data scientists can use MATLAB to discover patterns, quickly import and analyze large amounts of data, create predictive models, debug code, and detect fraud. As a financial data scientist, you can earn a median total salary of $142,000[11].

• Integrated circuit design engineers use MATLAB’s Model-Based Design to accelerate the design and verification of semiconductors, which can lead to reduced development time and lower costs. In a career as an integrated circuit design engineer, you can earn a median total salary of $116,000 [12].

*All salary information represents the median total pay from Glassdoor as of April 2026. These figures include base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation.

Read more: What Is a Fintech Engineer?

Preparing for MATLAB certification: MATLAB certification course options and more

Once you have decided to move forward with your MATLAB certification, it’s time to prepare for the certification exam. MathWorks recommends specific one to three-day virtual courses that can help you prepare for your chosen exam, but these are not a requirement. You might consider watching the introductory videos or reviewing the examples and articles on topics fundamental to understanding MATLAB, which are offered for free on MathWorks’s website. Take advantage of the sample exam questions available for both certifications and familiarize yourself with the topics covered on the exam.

The professional-level exam is designed to validate extensive experience in analyzing and visualizing data, optimizing performance, and creating graphical applications, acquired over several years. In addition to working to gain this experience before taking the exam, you can read notes from the latest releases of MATLAB so you are up-to-date on new functions. You might also find referencing Code Analyzer messages from the MATLAB editor helpful. Be prepared to fix any incorrect or inefficient code flagged in the messages.

How to get MATLAB certification

Once you’re ready to proceed, you can register for your chosen exam. MathWorks certification exams are open to individuals aged 18 and over; training is encouraged but not required, and the professional exam can only be taken after passing the associate exam.

Explore our free resources for data-driven professionals

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• Bookmark for later: Switching Your Career to Become a Data Analyst

• Hear from an expert: 6 Questions with an IBM Data Scientist and AI Engineer 

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