6 Certifications of a Highly Paid IT Professional in 2023

The desire to increase one’s income is a factor that unites most of mankind. Often, it can be quite a hurdle to move upwards and get your desired remuneration. You always have to play to the demand. And there is always a demand for knowledge. Hence, working on your skill sets and knowledge base is a great way to increase your salary.

Research shows a correlation between certifications and skill improvement and larger pay rises. The typical pay increase for an IT professional in the year 2020 was $5,000. However, when raises were a result of new abilities or certificates, that figure jumped by a significant margin. If you are an IT professional and you get a raise because you have developed new abilities or because you have earned certifications, the average increase in your income is $12,000; if you get a raise because you have earned certification, the average increase in your salary is $13,000.

To get an IT certification, all you have to do is decide on one, prepare for the exam, take the exam, update your resume, and start reaping the benefits! This is all easier said than done. Picking the right certification is a big decision, and this article is here to help you with that decision. When it comes to preparing for the exam, Readynez has your back. So all you have to do is select the exam and kickstart your career.

Which IT certification is right for you?

The first step in appreciating the significance of certificates is gaining an understanding of what they are. Certifications are physical representations that acknowledge and authenticate an individual's knowledge and skill in a certain field. Certificate programs require participants to complete a predetermined amount of study and training over a set amount of time. Once completed, a certificate of completion is provided. Individuals who wish to become competent in a particular skill or activity might benefit from participating in certificate programs. After completing a series of classes in a particular field, you may be eligible to get a certificate.

Certificates can be earned in a variety of subject areas, including business, literary, and technical sectors. Graduate certificates are also an option. For instance, Amazon Web Services (AWS) certifications are intended for cloud computing professionals who are interested in pursuing employment with AWS.

Another thing to keep in mind about certifications is that some of them require renewals.

Certificate Renewals

Renewing your certification is necessary because, like other types of qualifications, IT certificates may eventually become invalid. Many certifications from CompTIA and Cisco for entry-level positions, for example, are good for three years. It is recommended that you keep track of how long your certification will be valid so that you can make appropriate preparations. Taking a recertification test or participating in activities that count toward continuing education might be two of the requirements for maintaining certification.

Why Get Certified?

It is no secret that the labor market is constantly evolving and the levels of competition for trained and certified professionals are on the rise. Naturally, this has made it increasingly difficult for businesses in the information technology sector to attract and keep the best employees.

As the skills gap continues to have an impact on businesses in crucial sectors such as cloud computing, data science, and cybersecurity, companies are looking for individuals who have credible credentials that confirm their expertise and aptitude. Certifications are acknowledged as reliable confirmations of their talents, giving certified experts greater power in the market.

There is a continued demand for cloud and cybersecurity professionals due to the continuous need for people who possess these abilities. And the demand ensures that these positions are high paying and a great launchpad for career success.

6 IT Certificates that may lead to higher salaries

So if you think you’re ready to take the leap and get certified, the next step is to identify which certification is best suited to you. Below is a list of 6 of the highest-paying certifications for IT professionals. The average annual salaries mentioned are as per a survey by Skill Soft.

1. AWS CERTIFIED SOLUTIONS ARCHITECT – PROFESSIONAL

AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional is one of the highest-paying IT certifications in 2022.

AWS solutions architects build, implement, and support cloud infrastructures, which can be quite complicated, but this position is in great demand at the moment. Since there is a high need for people who possess these abilities, it should not come as a surprise that a certification such as this one is at the top of this list.

Prerequisites

• Some IT industry work experience or a degree in the IT field.
• Some experience with Linux system administration is advisable but not required.
• Basic understanding of databases.
• Working knowledge of distributed systems and multi-tier architectures
• Familiarity with general networking and cloud computing concepts

Average Annual Salary: $168,080.36

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2) CISM - Certified Information Security Manager

The CISM certification verifies an individual's competence to manage, plan, and evaluate the information security of an organization. It demonstrates competence in various information security-related areas like information security governance, information security risk management, information security program, and incident management.

The test costs 575 USD for ISACA members and 760 USD for non-members.

Prerequisites
This course requires evidence of a minimum of 5 years of information security work, with a minimum of 3 years of information security management work experience in three or more practice analysis areas. The work experience must be gained within the 10 years preceding the application date for certification or within 5 years from the date of originally passing the exam.

Substitutions:

Two Years

• Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) in good standing
• Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) in good standing
• Post-graduate degree in information security or a related field (e.g., business administration, information systems, information assurance)

One Year

• One full year of information systems management experience
• Skill-based security certifications (e.g., SANS Global Information Assurance Certification (GIAC), Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE), CompTIA Security+)
• The experience substitutions will not satisfy any portion of the three-year information security management work experience requirement.

Average Annual Salary: $162,347.07

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3) Google Cloud - Professional Cloud Architect
Google Cloud - Professional Cloud Architect, a credential that validates a professional’s ability to design cloud architecture keeping in mind compliance and security.

This certificate verifies not just the ability to manage implementation but also the capacity to provide infrastructure, enhance procedures, and a variety of other skills. It is suggested that professionals have at least three years of experience before taking the test to get this certification. At least one of those years should have been spent building and managing systems using Google Cloud.

The exam costs $200 and professionals have two hours to complete the exam. The certification lasts for two years before professionals must recertify.

Prerequisites

• Familiarity with application development, systems operations, Linux operating systems, and data analytics/machine learning helps understand the technologies covered.
• Basic proficiency with command-line tools and Linux operating system environments
• Systems Operations experience including deploying and managing applications, either on-premises or in a public cloud environment
• Knowledge and experience with GCP, equivalent to GCP Architecting Infrastructure
• Knowledge of cloud solutions, equivalent to GCP Design and Process
• Industry experience with cloud computing

Average Annual Salary: $161,371.46

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4) PMP: Project Management Professional
Projects majorly depend on how they are managed. Hence it is no surprise that skilled project managers are in great demand. They help define, organize, and manage projects from end to end.

The Project Management Institute (PMI®) Project Management Professional (PMP) is one of the best certifications of its kind. It provides employers and customers with a level of assurance that a project manager has both experience and knowledge.

Prerequisites

To obtain the PMP credential, you need to have either:

A secondary degree (high school diploma, associate’s degree, or the global equivalent) with at least five years of project management experience, with 7,500 hours of leading and directing projects and 35 hours of project management education.

OR

A four-year degree (bachelor’s degree or the global equivalent) and at least three years of project management experience, with 4,500 hours leading and directing projects and 35 hours of project management education.

Average Annual Salary: $148,290.32

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5) Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert

These architects collaborate with people from around the company, including stakeholders, developers, and others, to find answers to the complex problems that prevent Azure solutions from being safe, scalable, and dependable.

The AZ-305 exam costs USD 165.

Prerequisites
Microsoft recommends that professionals looking to get this certification have experience in Azure administration and development, DevOps, networking, virtualization, security, governance, and more.

Average Annual Salary: $142,975.98

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6) CISA - Certified Information Systems Auditor

Certified Information Systems Auditor specialists act as the channel between technical, legal, and compliance teams. They ensure that firms secure personal information and manage risk effectively and economically.

This certification has been around since 1978, making it one of the oldest and most prestigious credentials. It can be found on the American National Standards Institute website.

Earning this certification means you meet the minimum requirements and pass the exam. The exam costs USD 575 for ISACA members and USD 760 for non-members.

Prerequisites

A minimum of five years of professional information systems auditing, control, or security work experience (as described in the job content areas) is required for CISA certification.

Substitutions and waivers of such experience may be obtained as follows:

• A maximum of one year of information systems experience OR one year of financial or operational auditing experience can be substituted for one year of information systems auditing, control, or security experience
• 60 to 120 completed university/college semester credit hours (the equivalent of a Bachelor’s degree) can be substituted for one or two years, respectively, of information systems auditing, control, or security experience
• Two years as a full-time university instructor in a related field (e.g., computer science, accounting, information systems auditing) can be substituted for one year of information systems auditing, control, or security experience

Average Annual Salary: $142,336.58

In Conclusion

Before deciding on a certain certification program, take into account the appropriateness of the certificate. When searching for the most suitable certification courses for yourself, take into consideration your likes and preferences. The second major aspect that should be on your mind is making plans and committing to working towards your desired certification. Other essential aspects to take into account in this scenario are the selection of reliable resources and instructional materials to learn from. After all, the certification will have a significant impact on your job, and because of this, you can't take any chances with it.

At Readynez, we believe that adapting to the constant disruption of new technologies demands intelligent ways to embed new skills at the core of transformation to activate value for your business. And the way to do this is through constantly upgrading your skillsets and expanding your wealth of knowledge. With this in mind, we create courses to help you get the most out of your chosen certification process and climb the ladder to success. We are building skills solutions to make your digital transformation simple.

Have a look at our wide range of courses to start your certification journey!