Getting SOLIDWORKS certified means passing an online, proctored exam that tests your ability to model parts and assemblies in the software. The program has three main tiers, starting with the associate level and building up to expert, and you can take every exam from your own computer using the TesterPRO Client software. Here’s what each level involves, what it costs, and how to prepare.
The Three Certification Levels
SOLIDWORKS certifications follow a clear progression. Each level builds on the one before it, and employers generally recognize higher tiers as proof of deeper CAD proficiency.
- CSWA (Certified SOLIDWORKS Associate): The entry-level credential. It covers basic part modeling, assemblies, and drawing fundamentals. This is where most people start, and it’s designed for anyone with roughly six months of SOLIDWORKS experience or equivalent coursework.
- CSWP (Certified SOLIDWORKS Professional): A mid-level certification that tests more advanced part modeling, configurations, and assembly techniques. The problems are harder and the time pressure is tighter. You need to hold a CSWA before sitting for the CSWP.
- CSWE (Certified SOLIDWORKS Expert): The top-level credential. To qualify, you must already hold the CSWP and pass several advanced specialty exams (such as sheet metal, weldments, surfacing, or mold design) in addition to the core CSWE exam. This is the certification hiring managers notice most on a resume for senior design roles.
Beyond these three core tiers, SOLIDWORKS also offers standalone specialty certifications in areas like simulation, CAM, and electrical design. These are separate tracks, but the CSWA-to-CSWP-to-CSWE path is what most people mean when they talk about “getting SOLIDWORKS certified.”
What Each Exam Costs
Both the CSWA and CSWP exams cost $99 each when purchased individually through the SOLIDWORKS Certification Center. The specialty and expert-level exams are priced separately and can add up if you’re pursuing the full CSWE path, since you’ll need to pass multiple advanced exams on top of the core ones.
If your employer has an active SOLIDWORKS subscription (covering SOLIDWORKS Design, SOLIDWORKS xDesign, or DraftSight), you may be able to skip paying out of pocket entirely. Subscription customers can redeem up to three free certification exam vouchers twice per year for every seat of SOLIDWORKS on subscription. DraftSight subscribers get one voucher twice per year per seat. These vouchers cover all associate-level and professional-level exams, though expert-level exams are excluded. Licenses for SOLIDWORKS for Makers, SOLIDWORKS Machinist, and education or student editions do not qualify.
To claim free vouchers, log into your Certification Center account, navigate to the “Your Credits” tab, then “Subscription Offer,” and click “Lookup My Licenses.” You’ll authenticate with your 3DEXPERIENCE ID, then select which exams you want vouchers for. Before you do this, confirm with your company’s SOLIDWORKS administrator that you’ve been added as a contact to your organization using the same email tied to your 3DEXPERIENCE ID.
How to Register and Take the Exam
All SOLIDWORKS certification exams are taken online through the TesterPRO Client software, which you install on the same machine where SOLIDWORKS is running. There’s no need to travel to a testing center. You’ll need a working installation of SOLIDWORKS (the exam will have you actively modeling in the software to answer questions), a stable internet connection, and the TesterPRO Client downloaded from the Certification Center.
To register, create or log into your 3DEXPERIENCE Certification Account. From there you can browse available exams, apply a voucher or pay the fee, and schedule your test. Once you launch the exam through TesterPRO, the software presents questions and a timer. For the CSWA, expect roughly three hours of allotted time. The CSWP segments are shorter individually but collectively take longer because the exam is split into multiple sections.
If you don’t pass on your first attempt, there is a mandatory waiting period before you can retake the exam. Plan on at least 14 days between attempts, and note that retakes cost the same as the original exam unless you have another voucher available.
Preparing for the CSWA
The CSWA tests your ability to build parts from engineering drawings, create simple assemblies, and answer questions about mass properties and dimensions of the models you create. You won’t be selecting answers from memory. You’ll be opening SOLIDWORKS, building what the exam describes, measuring the result, and choosing the answer that matches.
The most effective preparation is hands-on practice. Work through the built-in SOLIDWORKS tutorials (Help > SOLIDWORKS Tutorials) to make sure you’re comfortable with sketching, extrusions, cuts, fillets, and mates. Then practice building parts from dimensioned drawings under a time constraint. Free sample exams are available through the Certification Center, and they mirror the format of the real test closely enough to be your best study tool.
Pay particular attention to mass properties. Many CSWA questions ask you to report the mass of a part given a specific material. If you forget to assign the correct material before checking mass properties, you’ll get the wrong answer. Practice this workflow until it’s automatic: assign material, rebuild, then evaluate.
Moving Up to the CSWP
The CSWP is a significant step up. The modeling tasks are more complex, the tolerances for correct answers are tighter, and the exam is divided into three segments that you take separately. Segment 1 focuses on advanced part modeling. Segment 2 covers configurations and design changes (you’ll modify existing models and report new dimensions or mass values). Segment 3 tests assembly skills, including mates, interference detection, and replacing components.
Because you can take each segment independently, many people spread the CSWP across a few weeks, tackling one segment at a time. Each segment must be passed individually, and you need all three to earn the credential. This structure also means a failed segment doesn’t force you to redo the ones you’ve already passed.
To prepare, go beyond basic tutorials. Build complex, multi-feature parts from scratch using practice drawings you find online or in SOLIDWORKS prep books. Get comfortable with in-context editing, design tables, and equations, since the exam rewards people who can modify models quickly rather than rebuilding from scratch when dimensions change.
Reaching Expert Status
The CSWE requires holding the CSWP plus passing a set of advanced specialty exams. You’ll choose from topics like sheet metal, weldments, surfacing, mold tools, and drawing tools. The exact number of specialty exams required can vary, so check the current requirements in the Certification Center before planning your path.
Each specialty exam focuses narrowly on its topic and assumes you already have professional-level modeling skills. Surfacing, for example, will test lofts, boundary surfaces, and trimming workflows that rarely appear in basic part modeling. If you don’t use a particular specialty in your daily work, budget extra study time for it.
Is Certification Worth the Effort?
SOLIDWORKS certifications won’t replace a strong portfolio or relevant work experience, but they serve as a quick, verifiable signal to employers that you know the software. For job seekers, especially recent graduates or people switching into mechanical design, a CSWA or CSWP on your resume helps get past initial screening. Hiring managers in product design, manufacturing, and engineering consulting regularly list SOLIDWORKS certification as a preferred qualification in job postings.
For people already employed, pursuing certification through your company’s subscription vouchers costs nothing but time, and the preparation process itself tends to sharpen your skills. Many users discover features and workflows during exam prep that make their daily modeling faster. Even if no one at your company requires the credential, the efficiency gains from structured practice often pay for themselves.