Overview: 15 Most Valuable IT Certifications in 2023

AWS Certified Solutions Architect — Professional — this certification validates your knowledge of implementing cloud initiatives and demonstrates that you can design and evaluate applications on AWS in complex environments. 

It is important that you are familiar with the AWS Command Line Interface and AWS APIs.

Average salary: $168,000

Certified Information Security Manager: CISM — this certification is intended for IT professionals who work with or manage security at the enterprise or organizational level. To take the exam, you will need at least five years of prior work experience in information security.

Average salary: $162,000

Google Cloud — Professional Cloud Architect — this certification validates your ability to work with Google Cloud technologies in an enterprise setting, as well as design and manage secure business solutions in the cloud. 

Average salary: $161,000

Certified Information Systems Security Professional: CISSP — a vendor-neutral exam that validates your ability to design, implement, and manage a cybersecurity program.

Average salary: $158,000

AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate — this certification is intended for solution architects with at least one year of practical experience designing "highly available, cost-efficient, fault-tolerant, and scalable distributed systems on AWS." 

The exam tests your knowledge of AWS application architecture and security.

Average salary: $155,000

AWS Certified Security — Specialty — suitable for security professionals who want to validate their knowledge of AWS security services. 

It is recommended to have at least five years of experience in IT security in designing and implementing security solutions, and two years of practical experience securing AWS workloads. 

Average salary: $149,000

Project Management Professional: PMP — the Project Management Institute offers certification for advanced project managers. The exam tests knowledge of project management fundamentals and the five main stages of the project lifecycle. 

Average salary: $148,000

Nutanix Certified Professional — Multi Cloud Infrastructure: NCP-MCI — this certification validates your ability to deploy, manage, optimize, troubleshoot, and scale Nutanix AOS in the enterprise cloud. 

Average salary: $147,000

Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert — this certification validates your ability to work across multiple business units to solve complex problems by providing Azure solutions that are secure, reliable, and scalable. 

Average salary: $142,000

Google Cloud — Cloud Digital Leader — this certification is open to anyone who wants to demonstrate that they have knowledge of using Google Cloud products.

The exam covers the following knowledge areas: digital transformation with Google Cloud, innovation using data and Google Cloud, and operations.

Average salary: $142,000

Certified Information Systems Auditor: CISA — suitable for individuals responsible for auditing, controlling, monitoring, and evaluating the organization's IT and business systems. The exam covers experience in the information systems audit process, the ability to report on compliance procedures, and access to vulnerabilities. 

Average salary: $142,000

AWS Certified Big Data — Specialty — certification for those who have at least two years of experience working with AWS technologies and can perform complex big data analysis. 

Candidates taking the exam are recommended to have the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner certification or a current AWS Associate-level certification.

Average salary: $138,000

VMware Certified Professional — Data Center Virtualization 2023: VCP-DCV — this certification is most popular among system and enterprise architects. 

Average salary: $138,349

AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner — this certificate validates your skills and abilities in implementing cloud computing initiatives. 

AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner is most popular among solution architects. 

Average salary: $135,000

Cisco Certified Network Professional: CCNP Enterprise — covers all the skills and knowledge required for planning, implementing, verifying, and troubleshooting in local and global enterprise networks. 

The certification is valid for three years before you need to retake it. 

Average salary: $133,000