Top 10 IT Certifications That Guarantee You a Well-Paid Job in 2020

It is a fact that the high-paying certifications should be your top consideration in 2020 if you want to expand your career. Saying that you have to obtain at least one to enhance your career potential in the field of IT is like stating the obvious. Rather, the focus should be on the type of credentials that you need to pursue to increase your earning potential in 2020. In recent years, development in the IT sector has revealed that cybersecurity and Cloud computing are the core technical areas that any organization should pay attention to. This is highly instructive for those professionals who want to grow their career and increase their income. In this blog post, we’ll explore the top 10 high-paying certificates that can create a dynamic shift in your career growth.

1. GCP – Cloud Architect

Launched in 2017, Google Certified Professional (GCP) – Cloud Architect is one of the highest‑paying certifications in the field of Information Technology. It validates your ability to develop, design, and manage a scalable, reliable, and secure Cloud architecture. The skills developed in the course of pursuing this Google credential are in high demand as the companies are looking for the qualified hands to fill up Cloud computing job roles. The average salary of a certified Cloud architect is $160,000 per annum. So, to earn this certificate, you are required to pass the prerequisite exam.

2. AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate

This is one of the top certifications without degree that any specialist can pursue. The credential validates the skills and knowledge required for the design and deployment of scalable systems on AWS. This Amazon certificate is ideal for those professionals who deploy applications and systems or design Cloud infrastructure. To obtain it, an individual is expected to pass the relevant exam as well as be an AWS Certified Practitioner. Please note that the average annual salary of the holders of this certification is $149,000.

3. Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)

The experts with this credential earn an average of $148,000 per annum, which makes it part of the list of the high-paying certifications in 2020. CISM demonstrates the candidates’ knowledge and ability to design, assess, and manage information security of an enterprise. For the professional security technologists who want to explore the role of security managers, obtaining this certificate is a great step towards achieving the goal. The CISM certification affirms an advanced-level qualification and competence required to take up high-level management and leadership roles. The applicants also must have competence in information security governance, information security incident management, information risk management, and information security program development & management.

4. Project Management Professional (PMP)

This is the most popular and industry-recognized credential that is intended for the project managers. It equips the professionals with the knowledge and experience required to effectively identify, plan, execute, and manage projects. This certificate is a key determiner of the type of responsibility that is entrusted to a specialist as far as project management is concerned. As for the average salary of the certified experts, it is $143,000 per annum. To get this PMI credential, an examinee is required to pass one test and have prior project management experience.

5. Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)

This is one of the quick certifications for well-paid jobs that you can consider to boost your career potential. It validates the years of experience and expertise in cybersecurity. CISSP is believed to be at par with a Master’s degree in IT security. The certified professionals have the capability to design, manage, and implement advanced cybersecurity programs. With this credential, you can earn an average of $141,000 per annum. However, there are some prerequisites you have to meet before you can get it. You must have a minimum of five years of relevant paid work experience in at least two of the eight domains of CISSP, including asset security, security & risk management, software development security, communication & network security, security operations, identity & access management, security assessment & testing, as well as security architecture & engineering.

6. Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)

This is one of the oldest certificates in the IT industry that has existed since 1978. It validates one’s skills and knowledge of cybersecurity, audit, and risk. To obtain this credential, an individual must pass the exam, which covers five different domains. And as for the average income for the professionals with CISA, it is $132,000 per annum.

7. VMware Certified Professional 6 – Data Center Virtualization

This certification verifies the candidates’ skills and knowledge required to use VMware vSphere 6 to build scalable virtual infrastructure. An individual with this certificate has skills in administering, consolidating, and deploying virtualization technologies. There are prerequisites that include two to four exams, depending on your proficiency level in VMware virtualization technology. The specialists with VMware Certified Professional 6 – Data Center Virtualization earn an average of $130,000 per annum.

8. Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals

Those students who are just starting their career journey should pursue this credential as it is the first step towards getting the role-based certificates of the Expert level in the domain of Microsoft. It offers foundational skills and knowledge of fundamental Cloud theories and services, including security, compliance, trust, and privacy. It is also essential to mention that this certification is aimed at those individuals who don’t have technical skills in the field of IT. As for the salary, you can earn an average of $126,000 per annum.

9. Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate

This Microsoft certificate is designed for the Azure Cloud administrators. These professionals manage Cloud services, including networking, security, and storage. To get this credential, they are required to have extensive knowledge of services across the complete IT lifecycle. They also need competence in infrastructure applications, environments, and services. The average salary is $125,900 per annum.

10. Citrix Certified Associate – Networking (CCA-N)

This is one of the easiest credentials for the entry-level professionals. CCA‑N covers the fundamentals of NetScaler implementation. It equips the applicants with skills in troubleshooting issues that have to do with NetScaler. You can progress in the certification path by specializing in NetScaler Unified Gateway or traffic management. It is essential to mention that NetScaler is an important infrastructure piece used in the deployment of Citrix, so you will be definitely an in-demand specialist. The individuals with this Citrix certificate can earn an average of $125,200 per annum.

Conclusion

As you can see, these were the 10 highest-paying certificates of 2020 that you can pursue to build a great career in the IT industry. Think about what you need more and what technology you want to learn and go for it. Good luck!