The Top IT Certifications Paying the Most in 2023

Maintaining your skill set and earning a professional certification are two of the most reliable ways to grow your career in technology. With the help of these suggested courses, you’ll learn the skills necessary for a sizable salary.

Tech companies continue to hire despite continued worries about a future economic slump and numerous tales of layoffs. Finding qualified people, however, continues to be difficult. In the 2023 State of IT Report, published by Spiceworks, 59% of senior IT leaders (director levels and above) report having trouble finding skilled IT talent. How can you demonstrate your qualifications to a hiring manager, then?

It should come as no surprise that almost a third of everyone who responded to Spiceworks’ most recent survey stated that they planned to obtain a technical certification by 2023. With 42%, analysts, help desk specialists, and system administrators made up the majority of those looking to expand their skill set. Managers, directors, vice presidents, and C-suite executives nevertheless intend to increase their skill sets.

But which credentials are worth your time and money? Some responses to that query may be found in the most recent survey from the online technology learning business Skillsoft. It is hardly unexpected that this year’s results placed cloud services and security expertise highly. The ten certificates that are most likely to net you the money you deserve are listed below in reverse order.

Google Cloud – Cloud Digital Leader

This certification enters this list with a guarantee to pay its qualifiers an average income of $142,708, in line with this year’s focus on cloud services. The certification was introduced in 2021, making it quite recent.

You must demonstrate a solid understanding of Google’s cloud offerings and how businesses can utilise them in order to pass the Cloud Digital Leader exam. Application modernization, digital transformation, operations, and security are all included in this expertise.

There are no prerequisites for this course because it is designed for business professionals and decision-makers. In actuality, you should be “reasonably new” to cloud computing. But after finishing the course work, you’ll be reasonably knowledgeable with Google Cloud services and how they might support digital transformation. You should leave knowing how Google Cloud technologies can help to the future success of your firm if you enter with understanding of the goods, services, and industry.

Microsoft Certified – Azure Solutions Architect Expert

The Azure Solutions Architect Expert exam is another recent addition, and it’s intended to certify experts with in-depth experience creating cloud and hybrid solutions on the Microsoft Azure platform. If you decide to take it, you should be well-versed in DevOps, governance, networking, security, and virtualization. A prerequisite certification, such as Microsoft Azure Administrator or Microsoft Azure Fundamentals, is additionally required.

You must pass the Microsoft Azure Architect Design and Microsoft Azure Architect Technologies tests in order to receive the certificate. In truth, it’s a difficult road to go to reach the Solutions Architect Expert level(Opens in a new window).

Was the time spent studying worthwhile? Nearly likely. Despite being at the low end of our list, certificate holders may expect to make an average salary of $142,976 annually, according to research by Skillsoft.

Nutanix Certified Professional – Multicloud Infrastructure (NCP-MCI)

Nutanix, a fast expanding provider of cloud solutions, is maintaining its eighth-place position while delivering a variety of technologies, including as data management, hybrid clouds, multi-cloud architectures, and even desktop as a service (DaaS) options to support hybrid work. The majority of these are built using the exclusive AOS cloud platform technology of Nutanix.

IT specialists who hold the NCP-MCI certification are qualified to manage, configure, and troubleshoot any AOS instance in Nutanix’s Enterprise Cloud. Additionally, successful candidates will learn how to manage virtual infrastructure using Nutanix’s Prism Element tool and how to administer AOS network blocks, clusters, and nodes.

Passing the Nutanix Multicloud Infrastructure test is required for certification. The 75-question test is given remotely by a proctor, and Nutanix offers thorough study materials(Opens in a new window). If you pass the test, you’ll be eligible for a salary of $147,170 on average.

PMP – Project Management Professional

The Project Management Professional (PMP) certification has maintained its seventh-place ranking in the most current poll, although having somewhat decreased in value from prior years. One of the oldest and most reliable certifications an IT manager can obtain is still this one. In actuality, PMP certificate holders can anticipate higher average salaries.

The Project Management Institute (PMI) developed and oversees the programme. It’s one of the most prestigious project management certifications currently available. A certificate proves your proficiency in managing projects, covering elements like budgets, objectives, and teams.

That said, gaining this certification isn’t easy. You will be tested in the five basic lifecycle steps inherent to any project: initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, and closing. And before you become certified, you’ll need to complete at least 35 hours of related training before taking the exam. If you have a Bachelor’s degree, you’ll also need 4,500 hours of project management experience (those without a degree will need 7,500 hours).

Nevertheless, obtaining this certification is not simple. The five fundamental project lifecycle steps of initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, and closing will be the topics of your test. Additionally, you must complete at least 35 hours of relevant training before sitting for the exam in order to get certified. In addition, you’ll need 4,500 hours of project management experience if you have a bachelor’s degree (those without a degree would need 7,500 hours).

A PMP certification can therefore take years to obtain, but it is worthwhile. At this time, the average yearly salary for certified PMPs is $148,290. However, if a PMP holder advances into senior management, as many professionals do, those figures might increase dramatically.

AWS Certified Security – Specialty

This new certification combines security with cloud computing. Amazon advises that you have at least five years of experience in a security job, with two years being specifically dedicated to protecting AWS workloads, before taking the AWS Certified Security – Specialty exam.

In order to safeguard AWS workloads using third-party technologies (backups, encryption, access control, and more), you must be familiar with the security features unique to the AWS environment, including its shared responsibility model, security controls, logging and monitoring techniques, and more.

Undoubtedly, obtaining this certification is difficult. You should be qualified to work as a Security Architect at any AWS company if you pass the exam, and you can anticipate to make an average income of $149,741.

AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate

Similar to last year, the AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate qualification has dropped by two levels. However, this certification assesses your proficiency in creating systems for the cloud-based Amazon Web Services. This certification could be exactly what you need to advance in your profession if you have practical expertise with Amazon Web Services (AWS) and are accustomed to designing large, distributed systems.

The AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C02) exam is a requirement for applicants. Before taking this test, AWS advises at least a year of practical experience developing systems on AWS in addition to the pertinent training(Opens in a new window). At PSI(Opens in a new window) centres all around the country, the 80-minute exam is given. The average yearly salary for productive AWS Certified Solutions Architects is $155,020. Consider pursuing the top-ranked AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional certification, which is explained below, if you want to maximise your AWS expertise.

CISSP – Certified Information Systems Security Professional

The Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) may be the ideal qualification for you whether you work in security analysis, auditing, systems engineering, or anything else in between. This year, its ranking rose one position, possibly in response to the yearly increase in cyberattacks.

One of the most sought-after security certificates available today was developed by the International Information System Security Certification Consortium, or (ISC)2. The CISSP credential teaches applicants to be experts in information assurance, moving up from sixth position last year. These individuals are typically in charge of determining the security aspects of the overall architecture, controls, and administration of an IT organisation.

If you pass the test—for which you must have at least five years of related experience—you can anticipate an average salary of $158,191 per year. Even after receiving the certification, it’s important to remember that you will still require continuing education credits each year to keep your accreditation. This demanding criterion is a large part of why businesses value this certification so highly.

Google Cloud – Professional Cloud Architect

The 2017-released Google Professional Cloud Architect(Opens in a new window) certification fell one place in this year’s Top 10, but it is still a valuable credential for cloud engineers. With this certification, IT professionals can work as architects on the Google Cloud Platform (GCP). You can design, create, and administer resources located on Google’s cloud architecture utilising GCP technologies if you successfully complete this certification.

A thorough understanding of the Google technology solutions you’ll need to use to address various cloud scenarios is required to earn this certification. Learning Google’s tools for dependable and secure solutions will be essential for any organisation standardising on the GCP platform as cloud expertise remains in high demand. The average cloud computing professional in the United States earns over $160,000 per year, according to Skillsoft, despite the fact that just 4% of the respondents to its poll were in this field. Earnings for Google Certified Professional Cloud Architects are about $161,371 per year.

CISM – Certified Information Security Manager

The Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) certification shot back up to second rank in 2023 from sixth place the previous year. With a primary focus on information security, it was previously the discipline with the highest salaries, but it has since lagged behind its competitors, the CISSP and CRISC certifications. In the security industry this year, only CISSP is a competitive certification (see above). Information security issues are more important than ever, which is a terrible and sobering fact, especially in light of contemporary dangers like ransomware assaults.

If you earn a CISM certification, your work will be to create security standards, manage an organization’s overall IT security, and engineer security policies. You’ll be able to interact with business units outside of IT as a CISM, bringing you in direct contact with key stakeholders. The cert’s creator, ISACA, includes comprehensive learning resources(Opens in a new window). CISMs are paid generously as well. According to Skillsoft, you may earn an average of $162,347 year.

AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional

The AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional credential, another newcomer to this list, has shot to the top of the list and is the industry standard for engineers who want to design and deploy architecture on Amazon’s public cloud. You can use it to show that you have a thorough understanding of AWS technologies and processes.

You must have used AWS for at least two years and be comfortable using the command-line interface before taking the exam. You also need proficiency with AWS APIs and consoles, knowledge of at least one programming language, and experience with both Linux and Windows. Additionally, you should be aware with AWS best practises and able to offer design and deployment advice that is in line with corporate goals.

If that seems like too much work, you could choose to aim for the fifth-placed AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate certification on this year’s list. You will be rewarded, nevertheless, if you believe you can handle the requirements. You’ll make an average of $168,080 with the Professional certificate, which is $13,060 more than the average salary of an Associate certificate holder.