5 Best Wireless Certifications to Earn in 2025

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When is the wireless industry going to slow down? In just a few short years, there have been huge leaps in the 802.11 world: Wi-Fi 5 opened up the 5GHz wireless game in 2014, and Wi-Fi 6 introduced advanced features and optimizations in 2019.

Now, Wi-Fi 7 has been recently announced, operating in the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz bands. It boasts higher transfer speeds, reduced latency, and increased network capacity compared to Wi-Fi 6E.

Wi-Fi 7 is just the latest in a long string of changes that are making connectivity faster, collaboration more efficient, and production more mobile—and that's just Wi-Fi! Companies need reliable wireless networks in increasingly difficult places and configurations, and they need trained and certified administrators, technicians, and engineers to provide them.

If you're interested in being the person who dreams up, plans, and executes wireless solutions, the key is certifications. A certification proves wireless knowledge, skills, and experience better. But there aren't many wireless certs, so how do you know which one is worth it?

With all the changes happening to wireless, we've updated our list of the most important wireless certifications for IT professionals in 2025. There are a lot of familiar names, but read on to see how you can take advantage of one of the fastest-changing aspects of technology.

1. CompTIA Network+

Okay, bear with us on this one. Yes, CompTIA's Network+ certification focuses on traditional networks and knowing how to configure the network hardware typically used in wired networks. But think of networking as a building: Wireless networks and configurations are the third and fourth floors—you'll never get there if you don't have a solid foundation and the first few floors. So, if you want to start with wireless networking, start with Network+ preparation.

The Network+ is especially valuable for wireless administrators because CompTIA certifications are vendor-agnostic. That means earning one proves you're familiar with many different hardware and software combinations. In the wireless world, that's especially important since you'll often be dealing with devices, routers, and network hardware from very different technology ecosystems.

Suppose you're already secure in your networking skills. In that case, the Network+ may not be necessary before you move on to a specialized wireless certification. Still, it is an excellent place to start for any networking professional, regardless of how confident they are in their career. The Network+ exam (N10-009) is a 90-minute, 90-question exam which costs $358 to attempt.

2. Certified Wireless Specialist (CWS)

The Certified Wireless Specialist (CWS) is an excellent entry-level certification for anyone seeking to understand the fundamentals of wireless technology. Designed by the Certified Wireless Networking Professionals Organization (CWNP), this certification is tailored for professionals in sales, marketing, and entry-level support roles. It serves as an introduction to Wi-Fi and wireless technologies, equipping individuals with the foundational knowledge needed to excel in a variety of wireless networking environments.

The vendor-agnostic CWS certification focuses on the terminology and concepts surrounding the hardware, software, and technological components that make wireless networking possible. This makes the CWS especially great for people who don't need a deep technical understanding of wireless but do need to be able to talk about it. It is also great for people who want to work in IT without previous wireless training or experience.

The CWS is very entry-level, so if you're already working in tech or with wireless technologies, you can probably spend your time and energy on one of the more advanced certs in this list. The CWS exam (CWS-101) is a 90-minute, 60-question exam that costs $174.99 to attempt. It's an entry-level, knowledge-based exam.

3. Certified Wireless Technician (CWT)

The Certified Wireless Technician (CWT) from CWNP is similar to the CWS we described. The key difference is that the CWT highlights entry-level technical skills for installing, configuring, and troubleshooting wireless clients and access points. Thus, it would be less appropriate for a non-technical professional and ideal for a junior IT professional who knows they want to specialize in wireless.

The vendor-agnostic CWT is an especially good certification for junior wireless administrators because it focuses on the practical skills an employee and IT team member is expected to know. For instance, large sections of the CWT focus on reading, understanding, and following a design specification document to configure and troubleshoot access points, connections, and devices.

In addition, the Certified Wireless Technician (CWT) emphasizes a solid understanding of basic radio frequency functionality and key 802.11 features, effective use of WLAN hardware and software, and alignment of wireless solutions with organizational goals. Additionally, it focuses on practical skills for troubleshooting and maintaining wireless networks, ensuring technicians can confidently support business operations.

The Certified Wireless Technician (CWT) is the ideal entry-level certification for technical professionals looking to start a career in wireless administration. It provides foundational knowledge for those new to the field, making it a great starting point. However, if you already have substantial networking and wireless experience, you might want to consider pursuing a more advanced certification. The CWT exam (CWT-101) is a 90-minute, 60-question exam focused on core wireless concepts, and it serves as a knowledge-based credential for entry-level professionals.

4. Certified Wireless Network Administrator (CWNA)

The Certified Wireless Network Administrator (CWNA) might be the best wireless technology certification for nearly anyone. This Top 5 Wireless Certs list has been organized by level of experience so far, but if we had to choose our favorite wireless cert, it'd probably be the CWNA.

The Certified Wireless Network Administrator (CWNA) is not the most specialized or advanced wireless certification. Still, it is the perfect choice for IT professionals with a strong foundation in networking principles and wireless technologies. It is the ideal certification to advance their careers and deepen their expertise in wireless networking.

Employers who depend on wireless technologies and networks love seeing the vendor-agnostic CWNA on a resume because it represents a thorough foundation in all technical and practical wireless knowledge aspects.

The CWNA represents a firm grasp of radio frequency (RF) theory and antennas. Technical skills like deploying WLAN hardware and software are covered by the CWNA, as well as broader subjects like network design and network management. The CWNA also spends a lot of time on professional skills like WLAN security and performing site surveys.

The earlier certifications on this list were about proving your understanding of wireless networking concepts. The CWNA is the wireless certification you need to earn to prove you can do wireless networking independently. The CWNA exam (CWNA-109) is a 90-minute, 60-question exam that costs $274.99 to attempt. The multiple-choice questions are designed to test your practical familiarity with technical skills.

5. Certified Wireless Design Professional

For experienced wireless professionals who want to set themselves apart from the competition for promotions, the Certified Wireless Design Professional (CWDP) is the best wireless certification in 2025. This advanced and professional-level certification demonstrates a highly experienced grasp of every aspect of wireless network design, implementation, and troubleshooting.

Earning the vendor-agnostic CWDP and putting it on your resume is a huge asset when applying for the highest-paying wireless engineering jobs because it covers the combined technical skills and practical knowledge that come with years of experience. Employers trust that someone with their CWDP is familiar with the technical aspects of network architectures and WLAN protocols and also has the practical knowledge for advanced and complex implementations in wireless security, surveying, and validation.

The CWDP is a steep challenge, but the fact that it's challenging proves the people who earn it are committed to industry standards, intellectual curiosity, and professionalism. The CWDP exam (CWDP-304) is a 90-minute, 60-question exam that costs $349.99 to attempt. The multiple-choice exam questions test your judgment related to network principles and configuration approaches.

Best Wireless Certifications for 2025: Honorable Mentions

You may have noticed that our top five wireless certifications are vendor-agnostic. While vendor-specific certifications validate expertise with particular hardware and software combinations, they often don't address the broader administration and configuration skills that certifications like CWNP and CompTIA focus on. Vendor-neutral certifications provide a more versatile foundation, equipping professionals with the essential skills needed to work across various wireless technologies and environments.

Vendor certs are good at teaching you what knobs to turn, but vendor-agnostic certs prove you understand why you should turn them. However, some vendor certs should be considered by wireless professionals – especially if your networks run technology from one of the vendors.

The CCNA is a challenging certification exam that primarily focuses on traditional wired Cisco networks. However, it does include some topics related to navigating Cisco wireless architectures, configuring wireless access points, and managing WLAN access. If your network predominantly uses Cisco equipment, the CCNA is worth considering as a foundational certification. For those seeking to specialize exclusively in wireless, the only Cisco certification that validates advanced wireless skills is the CCIE Wireless, a highly demanding and extensive certification.

Juniper also manufactures network hardware that depends on wireless technicians to keep running. Their associate-level JNCIA design includes planning and implementing wireless capabilities into enterprise networks. To incorporate AI into your wireless management and configuration, you might want to consider the associate-level JNCIA-MistAI.

Final Thoughts on the Best Wireless Certifications in IT

Wireless technology goes far beyond simply providing office Wi-Fi access. It is critical to leverage the Internet of Things (IoT) to connect devices, enhance automation, and streamline data collection. It also encompasses mobile device management for on-the-go access, asset tracking, and inventory management for businesses handling high volumes of rapid transactions. With countless applications across industries, wireless technology continues to expand, driving innovation and creating new opportunities.

2025 is going to be a huge year for wireless technologies. Earning one of the five certs on this list of best wireless certs in 2025 will raise your chances of getting an interesting job that pays well. Once you decide which wireless cert you're pursuing in 2025, sign up for CBT Nuggets and prepare the right way.