It’s a great time to be a part of the ServiceNow ecosystem.
Over the past decade, ServiceNow has evolved far beyond its IT service management (ITSM) heritage, becoming the standout enterprise workflow management provider worldwide.
Yet, it’s still expanding, making some massive moves in the CRM space and – perhaps most notably – going all-in on agentic AI.
To support its ambitions, Bill McDermott, CEO of ServiceNow, revealed ServiceNow will hire up to 3,000 new professionals in 2025.
Yet, as the CEO noted: “For every person we hire, our ecosystem is hiring ten times that number.”
As such, the opportunities are there. Maybe even 30,000 of them.
For interested candidates, there are various roles they can target and certification paths to follow.
Here’s an in-depth look at the opportunities available within the rapidly expanding ServiceNow universe.
ServiceNow Careers: What Are My Options?
As enterprise demand for AI grows, opportunities are opening up for employees in conventional roles alongside new, more specialized positions.
In terms of those more “traditional” jobs, here are some of the most common roles at ServiceNow:
- ServiceNow Administrator: Admins manage and configure the ServiceNow platform, experimenting with ServiceNow Data Fabric, workflows, integrations, maintenance, problem-solving, and even creating user profiles.
- Platform Owner or Business Lead: Responsible for overseeing the use of ServiceNow tools and resources, a platform owner champions best practices, guides decision-making, handles budgets, and addresses governance requirements.
- ServiceNow Developer: Ideal for those interested in technical roles, ServiceNow developers build and customize solutions within the platform, generating everything from custom workflows to AI agents.
- Business Analyst: For those who excel at translating business needs into technical requirements, the Business Analyst role is a great fit. These individuals gather insights from different departments and transform them into actionable specifications for ServiceNow teams.
- Project Manager: Project managers lead implementations or enhancement projects, often using Waterfall or Agile methodologies. They coordinate timelines, manage resources, and ensure that each phase of a project stays on target.
Then, there are those “specialist” positions. Typically, these roles focus on specific ServiceNow modules across its IT, customer, employee, and creator workflow apps.
Yet, there are also specialist roles to support brands working in specific industries, leveraging these apps and piecing them together to serve that sector.
With lots of clients in healthcare, finance, manufacturing, tech, government, and beyond, ServiceNow allows professionals to align their careers with the industries that resonate with them.
ServiceNow Career Guide: Salary Expectations
Ultimately, the salaries of any ServiceNow specialist can vary depending on numerous factors. Everything from a person’s level of experience to their location can impact how much they earn.
However, studies, such as the 2023 ServiceNow Salary survey report, found that ServiceNow careers generally offer a higher wage than similar, generic roles.
For instance, the average web developer usually earns about $63k per year in the US. However, a ServiceNow Certified System Administrator can expect an average salary of around $80,000 per year in some US states.
According to the latest Glassdoor data, many positions pay over $100,000 per year, as well as benefiting from extra bonuses, like flexible working opportunities.
Here’s a high-level overview:
- Entry-Level Positions: More “entry-level” positions, like the ServiceNow System Administrator role, can start with a base salary of around $75,000 to $80,000 per year in the United States. However, salaries can be lower for those without official certifications (more on that shortly).
- Mid-Level Specialists: ServiceNow developers, consultants, or those who have a few years of platform experience can usually benefit from higher compensation, starting at around $85,000 per year to about $120,000 per year, depending on project complexity.
- Senior-Level and Architect Roles: Senior professionals, such as ServiceNow architects or seasoned consultants, often see annual packages in the $130,000 to $180,000 range. Their responsibilities include strategic planning and leading large-scale implementations, justifying higher pay.
Notably, some niche areas within the ServiceNow ecosystem – such as roles related to security operations or governance, risk, and compliance – could command higher salaries, particularly going forward.
Indeed, some consultants helping brands implement AI, for instance, earn around $10,000 per month.
ServiceNow Career Guide: Key Certifications
ServiceNow offers professionals access to a range of learning resources and certifications designed to differentiate them in the job market.
Options range from “Expert Programs”, like the Certified Technical or Master Architect certificates, to micro-credentials.
The three most popular “mainline certification” paths are:
1. Certified System Administrator (CSA)
The CSA credential is one of the most popular options for beginners building a career in ServiceNow. It focuses on empowering candidates to understand how to configure, implement, and maintain the “Now” platform.
The exam covers multiple categories of knowledge, including:
- Introduction to scripting and application tools (ten percent)
- Collaboration (ten percent)
- Database administration (30 percent)
- Service automation (30 percent)
- User interface and navigation (20 percent)
Many professionals use the CSA as a launching point to move onto more specialized roles and advanced certifications, though some combine this credential with micro-certifications, such as those related to agile and test management or DevOps.
According to Payscale data, the average ServiceNow System administrator job pays around $82,495 per year – making it a great option for beginners.
2. Certified Application Developer (CAD)
The Certified Application Developer certification gives candidates the skills they need to translate business requirements into technical solutions, create new applications and user experiences, automate processes, and test workflows. It’s ideal for professionals interested in creating custom solutions with ServiceNow.
Focus areas include:
- Security and restricting access (20 percent)
- Managing applications (15 percent)
- Design and create an application (15 percent)
- Application user interface (20 percent)
- Application automation (20 percent)
- Working with external data (ten percent)
An Application Developer certification often leads to roles where innovation, creativity, and problem-solving are all crucial.
Many developers also collaborate with stakeholders to identify specific issues and then design custom solutions to address them.
For those with the right technical knowledge, the average Certified Application Developer role pays around $142,298 per year (according to Glassdoor).
3. Certified Application Specialist – Performance Analytics
Focused on the performance analytics components of the ServiceNow platform, the Application Specialist certification requires advanced knowledge of ServiceNow’s platform, applications, and implementation or configuration requirements. The exam covers:
- Configure indicators and indicator sources (26 percent)
- Data visualization (23 percent)
- Configure breakdowns and breakdown sources (22 percent)
- Data collection (12 percent)
- Architecture and Deployment (ten percent)
- Administration and solutions (seven percent)
As companies become more data-driven, particularly in the age of AI, this certification is becoming increasingly popular.
Candidates can use what they learn to analyze service desk metrics, refine customer service workflows, and create automation strategies that enhance business efficiency.
This is an excellent option for certified application specialists, who – according to Glassdoor – earn around $92,017 per year.
Additional Certifications and Their Value
Of course, that’s just a fraction of what ServiceNow has to offer from a certification perspective. There are dozens of different types of “certified implementation specialist” certifications, for instance.
Additionally, prospects can specialize in strategic portfolio management, hardware or software asset management, risk and compliance, human resources, and vulnerability response.
ServiceNow’s micro-certifications are ideal for professionals who want to demonstrate their skills in specific ServiceNow specialty products.
Options range from micro-credentials on performance analytics and predictive intelligence to those that strengthen skills using ServiceNow’s Flow designer, integration hub, or citizen developer tools.
Plus, candidates can pursue “suite certifications”, which combine multiple credentials based on various product packages.
For instance, candidates can pursue certifications related to human resources, customer service management, and even niche solutions like healthcare and life science management.
All of these certifications are available to mix and match through ServiceNow University, with varying pricing structures.
ServiceNow Career Guide: Evolving Opportunities
ServiceNow is growing fast as it strives to develop and deliver “the ultimate AI platform for business”.
As the company expands into the CRM space and leads the agentic AI wave, certification options are likely to grow.
Bill McDermott already sees a bright future ahead for both ServiceNow and its employees, aiming to turn the company into one worth $30BN.
As such, this could be the perfect time for prospects to consider doubling down on their ServiceNow credentials.
