During the past thirty years, a number of major professional associations in the purchasing and materials management field have developed professional certification programs. These organizations have continued to keep pace with the needs of the profession. This article provides an overview of the major certification programs and identifies changes made during recent years. The features analyzed focus on the critical requirements for certification—education, experience, examinations, professional contributions, costs, and recertification. The author also reviews the key elements of each program and analyzes the major changes made in each during the past five years.