Skillsoft reveals 15 top-paying IT certifications for 2022
Demand for UK tech talent is stronger than ever, with 8.5 million open vacancies in the last year.
This increased demand is being met with swiftly rising salaries, which is exemplified in Skillsoft’s ranking of the 15 top-paying IT qualifications in 2022. Cloud and cybersecurity certifications remain the highest paying for IT professionals in EMEA.
The digital learning firm analysed data from thousands of IT professionals around the world as part of its annual IT Skills and Salary survey, resulting in a list of the top paying certifications in the industry today.
However, while the report reveals that the top certifications which have higher salaries associated with them, those figures are the culmination of several factors, Skillsoft said – including the ability to apply certified skills at work, job role, continuous professional development, tenure, and hard work.
With this in mind, the highest paying credentials were:
- CISSP – Certified Information Systems Security Professional – $104,862.96
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional – $100,718.97
- CISM – Certified Information Security Manager – $97,303.57
- ITIL Practitioner – $94,428.14
- CCDA Design – $91,428.71
- AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate – $87,540.91
- Professional Cloud Security Engineer – $87,350.77
- Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Scientist Associate – $84,039.84
- PRINCE2 Foundation – $83,279.21
- Cloud Digital Leader – $83,115.72
- Professional Data Engineer – $82,809.81
- Microsoft Certified: Azure Database Administrator Associate – $82,224.45
- CISA – Certified Information Systems Auditor – $81,364.70
- Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Engineer Associate – $80,301.18
- Professional Cloud Architect – $80,083.14
About the top three credentials:
#1: CISSP – Certified Information Systems Security Professional – $104,862.96
Earning the CISSP certification has been compared to earning a master’s degree in IT security, as it proves professionals have what it takes to effectively design, implement and manage a cybersecurity program.
The CISSP exam is based around eight domains in information security:
- Security and Risk Management
- Asset Security
- Security Architecture and Engineering
- Communication and Network Security
- Identity and Access Management (IAM)
- Security Assessment and Testing
- Security Operations
- Software Development Security
To achieve this certification, candidates also need at least five years of paid, relevant work experience in two or more of the CISSP domains.
If people lack the necessary experience, they can still take the certification exam and become an Associate of (ISC)2 if they pass. Then, they’ll have up to six years to obtain the required experience to earn the CISSP. The exam is $749 USD (up from $699).
#2: AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional – $100,718.97
The AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional (not Associate) is the second highest paying IT certification in 2022, according to the 2,500+ survey respondents in 2022.
Solutions architects are among the most in-demand job roles right now. These professionals design, deploy and support often complex cloud infrastructure, and given the need for professionals with these skills, it’s not surprising to see a certification like this landing toward the top of our list.
The AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional validates a professional’s ability in this area. AWS recommends two or more years of hands-on experience and familiarity with a scripting language, Windows, Linux and many AWS services. Earning this certification requires professionals to pass the current exam (SAP-C01). Changes to the exam are coming in November 2022 to more closely align with the AWS Well-Architected Framework. The exam costs $300 USD.
#3: CISM – Certified Information Security Manager – $97,303.57
Cybersecurity continues to remain a top priority for organisations who must protect sensitive data from ceaseless threat actors. The ISACA’s Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) certification signals to organisations and industry peers that a professional can lead security teams and efforts effectively.
CISM validates a professional’s ability to manage, design and assess an enterprise’s information security. It proves expertise in these domains: information security governance, information security risk management, information security program, and incident management.
To earn this certification, professionals must first have five years of professional work experience in the required domains before they can sit the exam, which costs $575 USD for ISACA members and $760 USD for non-members.
About the certifications list
The top-paying certifications list is the result of thousands of IT professionals sharing their data and experiences in Skillsoft’s annual IT Skills and Salary survey. The survey is distributed to millions of professionals worldwide by Skillsoft, technology providers and vendors, certification bodies and individuals.
In the coming weeks, Skillsoft will release the 2022 IT Skills and Salary Report, an in-depth research report on skills, salaries, certifications, challenges and far more. The cumulative result is thousands of responses that yield fascinating insights into the value of skills and certifications.
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