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Best IT Certifications

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As businesses continue to rely on increasingly complex information systems, the need for experienced IT professionals continues to grow. Individuals with IT certifications are even more sought-after since the rigorous exams and certification prerequisites showcase both deep knowledge and real-world experience.

There’s also evidence that IT certifications can boost earning potential. A recent survey showed that 23% of IT professionals received salary increases of up to 20% after getting certified.

We looked at over a dozen popular IT certifications and chose the best—those with the highest demand, earning potential, and opportunities for advancement. These are our top picks. 

Best Overall : Google Certified Professional Cloud Architect


Google

 Google

Pros & Cons
Pros
  • In high demand

  • High average salaries

  • Low cost

Cons
  • Recertification required every two years

  • Google Cloud's relatively limited market share

Why We Chose It

As a company-sponsored certificate, professionals seeking GCP certification should go straight to Google for training. Google offers an exam guide, sample exam questions, and a number of free online training resources for GCP certification. 

While Amazon Web Services (AWS) owns 32% of the cloud marketplace versus Google Cloud Platform’s (GCP) 7%, Google is increasingly appealing to newer startups with modern modular applications compatible across any cloud environment. As a result, GCP certification is in high demand and commands one of the highest IT salaries, averaging over $161,000 per year.

As more and more businesses leverage the power of the cloud, they are finding it difficult to find qualified candidates to fill cloud IT positions. GCP certification caters to this need by showing that an individual has the skills to design, develop, and manage a secure, scalable cloud architecture using GCP technologies.

The GCP exam takes two hours to complete, costs $200, and can be taken online or at a local test center. GCP certification is valid for two years, and then an individual will need to get recertified by taking the exam again.

Google recommends at least a year of Google Cloud experience for anyone wanting to take the GCP certification exam as well as three years of experience in the industry.

Runner-Up, Best Overall : AWS Certified Solutions Architect—Associate


Amazon Web Services

 Amazon Web Services

Pros & Cons
Pros
  • Market dominance

  • High average salaries

  • Low cost

Cons
  • A wide breath of experience is required to have the skills to pass

Why We Chose It

As a company-sponsored certificate, professionals seeking AWS should turn to Amazon Web Services for training. The company says that the program is best for those with experience in AWS, "strong on-premises IT experience and understanding of mapping on-premises to cloud," and "experience working in other cloud services.” The progam offers an exam guide, sample questions, a practice exam, and other training resources.

Despite the growing popularity of GCP, AWS remains the most recognized and widely used cloud provider. AWS Solutions Architect certification indicates that an individual has "knowledge and skills to compute, networking, storage, and database AWS services as well as AWS deployment and management services," is capable of "deploying, managing, and operating workloads on AWS as well as implementing security controls and compliance requirements," and more. This popular and lucrative certification can command a salary of around $150,000 per year.

The AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate exam takes 130 minutes to complete, costs $150, and is available at Pearson VUE testing centers as well as in a proctored online format.

Best for Security Managers : Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)


ISACA

 ISACA

Pros & Cons
Pros
  • High average salaries

  • Online testing option

  • Extensive study guides and exam prep

Cons
  • High cost

  • Annual renewal fee

  • Continuing education requirements

Why We Chose It

The Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA) offers the Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) certification for professionals looking to make the move from security technologist to IT manager. A CISM’s role is to design and engineer security protocols and manage a company's security. The salary for this position typically comes in at about $160,000 per year. 

The CISM exam costs $575 for ISACA members and $760 for non-members, and can be taken online or at a local test center. It costs an additional $50 to request a certificate once the exam has been passed. Individuals can apply for a certificate within the first five years of passing the exam. 

The requirements for retaining CISM certification include a minimum of 20 continuing professional education (CPE) hours per year, a minimum of 120 CPE hours for a three-year reporting cycle period, and an annual renewal fee.

Best for Risk Management : Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC)


ISACA

 ISACA

Pros & Cons
Pros
  • High average salaries

  • Extensive study guides and exam prep

Cons
  • High cost

  • Annual renewal fee

  • Continuing education requirements

Why We Chose It

As an organization-sponsored certificate, professionals seeking CRISC certification should turn to ISACA for training. The organization’s training and prep include an online review course, practice questions and explanations database, practice quizzes and study groups.

Yet another offering from ISACA, the Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC) certification is for individuals looking for a security manager or director position. Certification shows that the individual is skilled at identifying and managing IT risk and implementing and maintaining information systems controls. The average salary for a CRISC-certified professional is around $160,000.

The CRISC exam costs $575 for ISACA members and $760 for non-members; it's available online or at local test centers. It costs an additional $50 to request a certificate once the exam has been passed. Individuals can apply for certification within five years of passing the exam. 

The requirements for maintaining CRISC certification include a minimum of 20 CPE hours per year, a minimum of 120 CPE hours for a three-year reporting cycle period, and an annual $45 renewal fee for ISACA members or $85 for non-members.

Best for Project Management : Project Management Professional (PMP)


Project Management Institute

 Project Management Institute

Pros & Cons
Pros
  • High average salaries

  • Online testing option

  • Extensive study guides and exam prep

Cons
  • High cost

  • Four-year degree or extensive experience among prerequisites

  • Recertification requirements

Why We Chose It

As an organization-sponsored certificate, professionals seeking Project Management Institute (PMI) certification should turn to PMI for training. The organization offers a variety of Project Management Professional (PMP) exam preparation resources including an exam outline, handbook, and sample questions.

This PMP certification is administered by the PMI for individuals who want to expand their skills as project managers. Certification shows that an individual has the skills to define, plan, and manage complex projects and teams. The average salary for a certified PMP is almost $150,000.

Prerequisites for the PMP certification include a four-year degree, three years of experience leading projects, and 35 hours of project management education/training or CAPM Certification. Alternatively, an individual can apply for certification with a high school diploma or an associate's degree, five years leading projects, and 35 hours of project management education/training or CAPM Certification.

The fee for the PMP is $405 for PMI members and $575 for non-members. PMI requires PMP certificate holders to earn 60 Professional Development Units (PDUs) over three years to maintain their certification.

Best for Cybersecurity : Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)


(ISC)2

(ISC)2

Pros & Cons
Pros
  • High average salaries

  • Extensive study guides and exam prep

  • Highly sought after

Cons
  • High cost

  • Extensive experience or education among prerequisites

  • No online testing option

Why We Chose It

As an organization-sponsored certificate, professionals seeking Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification should turn to (ISC)2 for training. The organization offers training and prep for the CISSP exam including study guides, practice tests, a self-paced review course, and virtual and in-person instructor-led training.   

The International Information System Security Certification Consortium (ISC)2 is considered by some to be the world's leading IT security organization; it specializes in training and certifications for cybersecurity professionals. The organization’s CISSP credential is one of the most sought-after cybersecurity certifications worldwide and showcases an individual’s skill in designing, implementing, and managing a best-in-class cybersecurity program. Professionals working in information security management earn an average salary of nearly $160,000. Other positions using this certification may earn even more.

Prerequisites for CISSP certification include a minimum of five cumulative years of paid, relevant work experience in two or more of the CISSP Common Body of Knowledge (CBK) domains. Individuals without these requirements can still take the exam and complete the work experience after. A four-year college degree or regional equivalent or an additional credential from (ISC)2 counts as one year of the required experience.

The CISSP exam costs $749, is 250 questions long, and takes six hours to complete. Exams are available at local Pearson VUE testing centers. Certification holders are required to pay a single annual maintenance fee of $125, which is due each year upon the anniversary of their certification date. Individuals must meet continuing education requirements to remain certified.

Best for Business Needs : Information Technology Infrastructure Library Foundation (ITIL)


Project Management Institute

 Project Management Institute

Pros & Cons
Pros
  • High average salaries

  • Online testing option

  • Training available

  • No prerequisites

  • Certification does not expire

Cons
  • Somewhat high cost

Why We Chose It

As an organization-sponsored certificate, professionals seeking ITIL certification should turn to AXELOS for training. The organization offers a directory of ITIL training providers through its educational portal, PeopleCert. 

Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) is a set of practices for IT service management that focuses on aligning IT services with the needs of businesses. Its aim is to establish best practices for controlling or reducing IT costs, improving IT services, and balancing IT resources. 

Since 2013, ITIL has been owned by AXELOS, which currently accredits licensed examination institutes for ITIL Foundation certification. Professionals with ITIL Foundation certification earn an average salary of $95,000.

The ITIL Foundation certification exam costs $495, takes an hour to complete, and can be taken online or at a local test center. There are no prerequisites to take the exam, and an ITIL certificate never expires.  

Final Verdict

Our top overall IT certification is Google's Certified Professional Cloud Architect certification. It won't break the bank but certified programmers can expect it to help them find a relatively high salary. There are quite a few other options as well, however; if you're a security manager or interested in risk management you may want to go with ISACA, for example, or the Project Management Institute if you want to bone up on your project management skills.

Compare Providers

Certification Prerequisite Cost Length of Certification
Google Certified Professional Cloud Architect 1 year of Google Cloud experience and 3 years industry experience $200 2 years
Amazon Web Services Certified Solutions Architect 1 or more years experience with the technology $150 N/A
ISACA Certified Information Security Manager 5 years relevant work experience $575-$760 3 years
ISACA Certified in Risk and Information Control 3 years work experience $575-$760 3 years
PMI Project Management Professional 3 years of experience, 35-hours of project management and college degree $405-$575 3 years
(ISC)2 Certified Information Systems Security Professional 5 years of experience $749 3 years
ITIL Foundation Certification No experience needed $495 Never expires

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is IT Certification?

IT certifications provide proof of an individual’s particular level of expertise in a specific IT field of knowledge. The certificates are often attained with a set of prerequisites that showcase minimum education and real-world requirements. They always include passing a rigorous exam that indicates a detailed depth of knowledge of the particular IT specialization. 

IT certifications rarely help individuals enter IT fields, but rather expand the knowledge and career options for professionals already in IT jobs. These can range from professionals who want to move into new specializations like cloud architecture and cybersecurity to management positions like security and risk management.

What Does an IT Certificate Include?

All IT certifications require passing an exam, and many also require a minimum of one to five years of real-world experience in a particular area of specialization. Most certifications need to be renewed every one to two years and require a certain amount of continuing education hours to ensure that the knowledge of their certified professionals is up-to-date.  

Many of the certifications we reviewed are offered exclusively by particular companies or organizations that either require or offer membership. These memberships can provide educational resources for recertification and new certification including practice exams and instructor-led training.

What Is the Cost of an IT Certification?

The main cost of IT certification is the exam, which can range from $150 to $760. Free and paid certificate training courses are generally available, as well as free continuing education classes. Most certifications need to be renewed every one to two years, with renewal fees ranging from $45 to $200, and require a certain number of continuing education hours.

How Much Do Certified IT Professionals Earn?

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that median salary for IT professionals in 2021 was $97,430. While many certifications focus on hands-on development, a number are also available for professionals who want to move into managerial roles.

Is Becoming Certified Worth It?

Businesses are becoming increasingly reliant on complex technologies, which in turn increases the demand for skilled IT professionals who can work with those technologies. Certifications give businesses the confidence of knowing that they’re hiring skilled IT professionals with real-world experience and in-depth knowledge, instead of recent graduates with little more than classroom experience.

IT certifications are essential for any professional looking to pursue other IT career opportunities or to gain essential IT skills (and higher salaries) in their current specialization.

How We Chose the Best IT Certifications

We looked at over a dozen IT certifications before choosing the top seven. We were guided by certifications that commanded the highest salaries since that indicated both the need and career opportunities for those professionals. However, we also tried to cover the most sought-after certifications in each field, including cloud development and security management. Finally, we made sure to include foundational certifications (like ITIL) as well as certifications for up-and-coming technologies (like GCP).   

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