Internet of Things Developers

High School

Use your time in high school to develop your computer skills and obtain hands-on experience. Take software development, programming, data science and analytics, database management, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence courses. Use computers as often as possible and learn about emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, computer vision, augmented and virtual reality, and quantum computing. Other useful classes include business, shop, English, mathematics, writing, and speech. Join your school’s technology club, and participate in programming competitions that are offered by school districts, nonprofit organizations, and tech companies. Try to land a part-time job at a software development firm to obtain experience and learn what it’s like to work in a professional environment.

Postsecondary Education

The majority of IoT developers have bachelor’s degrees in software development or engineering, programming, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, computer science, information technology (IT), or a related field. A few colleges and universities offer IoT degrees. For example, Florida International University was the first university to offer a bachelor of science degree in the Internet of Things. As of spring 2025, the school no longer offers an undergraduate program in IoT but continues to offer a master's program in IoT (https://ece.fiu.edu/academics/graduate). Those who are interested in advancing to supervisory and managerial positions often earn a graduate certificate or master’s degree in business or IT management.

Certification

Certificate programs (which typically last from six months to a year) in software development, programming, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, project management, and related fields are offered by colleges and universities. Some schools offer IoT-focused certificates. For example, the University of California at Irvine has an Internet of Things: Applications and Opportunities online certificate program (https://ce.uci.edu/areas/engineering/iot). Students must complete three classes: Introduction to the Internet of Things, Designing and Integrating IoT Devices, and Networking and Securing IoT Devices. The program lasts nine months. Students explore IoT use cases and applications; study a teardown of an IoT device and explore the components used to sense, take actions, and connect to the IoT; see examples of IoT cybersecurity threats; explore current IoT trends; and learn about other IoT topics. The Stanford University School of Engineering offers an online, self-paced Internet of Things graduate certificate. You can learn more about the program at https://online.stanford.edu/programs/internet-things-graduate-certificate.

Other Education or Training

Postsecondary institutions, professional associations, tech companies, and online learning platforms (e.g., Coursera, Udemy, edX) offer in-person and online courses, workshops, and webinars. For example, the IEEE Computer Society offers IoT-related webinars. The Association for Computing Machinery, CompTIA, International Association of Internet of Things, and organizations at the state and local levels also provide continuing education opportunities.