Providers include 2- and 4-year colleges and universities of all types and the education units of various corporations (e.g., Microsoft, Cisco, Oracle, and Novell). In 2002, approximately 500 universities offered graduate certificate programs, up from 40 in 1997 (Patterson 2002). In some cases, the coursework may be applied to a degree program. Community colleges are also an important source of S&E-related certificate programs, particularly in health and computer sciences. In 2000, community colleges represented almost half of the academic providers of IT-related certificates.

Certificates can be earned through onsite or distance education and in some programs, particularly in IT, are awarded on completion of a skill-based exam, requiring no specific coursework. A Department of Education study in 2000 showed strong growth in exam-based certificates for the IT industry in the 1990s, extending well beyond the United States (U.S. Department of Education 2000b). In 1999, 5,000 sites in 140 countries were administering an estimated 3 million assessments in 25 languages. More than 300 discrete certifications have been established since 1989, when the first IT certificate (Certified Novell Engineer) was issued.