The 20 most valuable IT certifications today

Certifications have long been a great means for IT career advancement. The right credentials can boost your salary, set you apart from the competition, and help you land promotions in your current role. In fact, IT leaders report that certified staff add a value of $30,000 per year to the organization, with a noticeable increase in productivity from employees earning certifications, according to Skillsoft. In the coming year, certifications centered around cybersecurity and cloud are some of the highest-paying and most sought-after certifications available.

But knowing which certifications can have the most impact on your career and salary can be challenging. To help, Skillsoft recently released data on the highest-paying certifications based off a survey of over 2,000 professionals for their annual IT Skills and Salary report. Following are the 20 certifications associated with the highest pay for 2025.

The 20 most valuable certifications for 2025:

1. AWS Certified Security – Specialty
2. Google Cloud – Professional Cloud Architect
3. Nutanix Certified Professional – Multicloud Infrastructure (NCP-MCI) v6.5
4. Certified Cloud Security Professional averages (CCSP)
5. Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) – Security
6. Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
7. Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) Enterprise Infrastructure
8. Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC)
9. AWS Certified Developer – Associate
10. Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP)
11. Microsoft 365 Certified: Administrator Expert
12. Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)
13. Certified Information Privacy Manager (CIPM)
14. AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate
15. Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)
16. Certified in the Governance of Enterprise IT (CGEIT)
17. Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate
18. Google Cloud – Associate Cloud Engineer
19. Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
20. Certified Data Privacy Solutions Engineer (CDPSE)

AWS Certified Security – Specialty

The AWS Certified Security certification is a specialty certification from Amazon that validates your expertise and ability with securing data and workloads in the AWS cloud. The exam is intended for those working in security roles with at least two years of hands-on experience securing AWS workloads. It’s recommended that candidates for the exam have at least five years of IT security experience designing and implementing security solutions. You’ll also need a strong working knowledge of AWS security services and features, shared responsibility model, security controls, cloud security threat models, patch management and security automation, disaster recovery controls, data-encryption methods, and more. To earn the certification, you need to pass the AWS Certified Security Specialty exam, which consists of multiple choice and multiple response questions.

Average Salary: $203,597

Google Cloud – Professional Cloud Architect

The Google Cloud – Professional Cloud Architect certification validates your ability to work with Google Cloud technologies in the enterprise and to design, develop, and manage scalable and secure business solutions in the cloud. The exam covers designing and planning, managing and provisioning, and implementing cloud architecture. You’ll also be tested on your ability to analyze and optimize business processes, design with security and compliance in mind, and ensure they work reliably. Unless otherwise stated, all Google Cloud certifications expire two years after the date received and you’ll need to recertify to maintain your status. 

Average Salary: $190,204

Nutanix Certified Professional – Multicloud Infrastructure (NCP-MCI) v6.5

This certification validates your ability to deploy, manage, optimize, troubleshoot, and scale Nutanix AOS in the enterprise cloud. The exam tests your knowledge and ability to deploy and administer Nutanix AOS nodes, blocks, and clusters using Prism Element to monitor, manage, troubleshoot, and administer AHV hosts and virtual machines. You’ll be tested on cloud concepts, managing and securing a Nutanix cluster, networking, VM creation and management, health monitoring and alerts, distributed storage fabric, acropolis storage services, data resiliency, data protection, Prism Central, and lifecycle operations.

Average Salary: $175,409

Certified Cloud Security Professional averages (CCSP)

This certification is offered through the International Information System Security Certification Consortium (ISC)² and demonstrates your knowledge and abilities when designing, managing, and securing data, applications, and infrastructure in the cloud. It’s designed for those working with cloud technology, including enterprise architects, security administrators, systems engineers, security architects, systems architects, or consultants, engineers, or managers. The certification exam covers cloud concepts, architecture, design, security, and risk and compliance. While not required, the (ISC)² recommends having at least five years of experience in IT, with at least three years in information security and one year in one or more of the six domains found in the CCSP CBOK.

Average Salary: $171,524

Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) – Security

The Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) certification, with a specialization in security, covers several areas pertaining to enterprise security. It’s designed for network security engineers, security analysts, and anyone else working with Cisco security products. There are two exams you’ll need to pass – a core exam that tests your knowledge of security infrastructure, and the concentration exam, which covers more specific details of security. You can choose from concentrations including securing networks with Cisco firewalls, implementing and configuring Cisco Identity Services Engine, security email with Cisco Secure Email Gateway, securing the web with Cisco Secure Web Appliance, implementing secure solutions with virtual private networks, automating Cisco Security Solutions, and designing and implementing secure cloud access for users and endpoints. You can pick and choose from these customizations to create your own certification path, validating the security skills you need for your career.

Average Salary: $168,159

Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)

The Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification offered through the ISC2 demonstrates your knowledge of, and skills in, IT security and information assurance. The vendor-neutral certification covers topics such as organizational structure, security and risk management, asset security, security operations, identity and access management (IAM), security assessment and testing, and security architecture and engineering. You need at least five years of cumulative, paid work experience in two or more of the eight domains included in the ISC2 CISSP Common Body of Knowledge (CBK). It’s an advanced certification best suited for those in roles such as CISO, CIO, director of security, IT director or manager, security systems engineer, security analyst, security manager, security auditor, security architect, security consultant, and network architect.

Average Salary: $168,060

Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) Enterprise Infrastructure

The Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) certification is designed for architect or systems engineers to validate they have the necessary skills to work with enterprise networks. The first exam you’ll need to pass for this certification is the Implementing Cisco Enterprise Network Core Technology exam, which covers your knowledge of implementing core enterprise network technologies. The second is the CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure Lab Exam v1.1, which tests your ability to plan, design, operate, and optimize dual-stack solutions in complex enterprise networks.

Average Salary: $166,524

Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC)

This certification offered by the ISACA is designed to validate your knowledge of building agile risk-management programs. The exam covers governance, risk response and reporting, IT risk assessment, and information technology and security. It’s designed for mid-career IT or IS audit, risk, and security professionals to prove their skills and knowledge when using governance best practices and continuous risk monitoring and reporting.

Average Salary: $165,890

AWS Certified Developer – Associate

The AWS Certified Developer – Associate certification offered by Amazon is designed for those working in a development role who have one or more years of hands-on experience developing and maintaining AWS-based applications. The exam covers your knowledge of programming languages, AWS core services, AWS architecture best practices and application lifecycle management. You’ll also be asked about developing, deploying, and debugging cloud-based applications using AWS and writing code for serverless applications. While it’s an associate level certification, it’s recommended candidates have experience with at least one programming language as well as an understanding of AWS services, the ability to use or interact with AWS services and proficiency writing code for serverless applications.

Average Salary: $165,171

Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP)

The Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP) certification is offered by the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) and focuses on validating the skills and knowledge of IT professionals who need to understand data privacy, especially with the advent of AI in the enterprise. They offer certifications for specific locations, teaching candidates the jurisdictions for that area, as well as those focused on Asian privacy, Canadian privacy, Chinese Personal Information Protection, European Data Protection, and US and Private-Sector privacy. These certifications ensure that you understand the laws, regulations, policies, and data protection regulations globally.

Average Salary: $161,439

Microsoft 365 Certified: Administrator Expert

This certification is designed for administrators responsible for deploying, managing, and implementing cloud and hybrid environments using the Microsoft 365 software suite. The exam covers topics such as how to deploy and manage a Microsoft 365 tenant, implementing and managing Microsoft Entra identity and access, managing security and threats by using Microsoft Defender XDR, and managing compliance by using Microsoft Purview.

Average Salary: $160,044

Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)

The Certified Information Security Manager certification offered by the ISACA demonstrates your skills and abilities with IS and IT security and control, and can help pave the way to an IT manager role. The CISM exam covers information security governance, information risk management, information security program development and management, and information security incident management. To qualify for the exam, candidates are required to have five or more years of experience in IS management; experience waivers are available for a maximum of two years.

Average Salary: $157,189

Certified Information Privacy Manager (CIPM)

Also offered by the IAPP, the Certified Information Privacy Manager (CIPM) certification validates that you have the knowledge and skills to design, build, and operate data privacy management programs in the enterprise. The certification is designed for any professionals responsible for integrating privacy requirements into day-to-day operations, with curriculums offered in French, German, and English. The course and exam cover topics including privacy program strategy development, law and strategy alignment, creating and using tools, privacy by design and privacy cultures, incident response, and program monitoring, measurement, and analysis.

Average Salary: $155,976

AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate

The AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate is an entry-level certification for anyone in a solutions architect role, and is the first step before earning your professional level certification. It’s intended to validate your skills and knowledge around designing and deploying scalable and efficient systems on the AWS platform. The exam covers topics around building secure, resilient, high-performing, and cost-optimized architectures. And even if it’s an associate-level certification, you’ll still want to go into the exam with a strong understanding of the AWS Well-Architected Framework and a general grasp of programming basics.

Average Salary: $155,599

Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)

Offered through the ISACA, this certification is globally recognized for IS audit control. Established in 1978, it certifies your ability to report on compliance procedures, how well you can assess vulnerabilities, and your knowledge of every stage in the auditing process. To qualify, you need at least five years of experience in IS auditing, control, or security and must complete another entry-level exam through the ISACA certification scheme. The certification covers high-level topics such as the information systems auditing process, governance and management of IT, operations and business resilience, and IS acquisition, development, and implementation.

Average Salary: $155,362

Certified in the Governance of Enterprise IT (CGEIT)

The ISACA CGEIT certification validates you have a deep understanding of IT governance, and the skills and knowledge to deal with any potential security threats. It’s designed for IT professionals working in large organizations responsible to oversee, direct, and manage the governance of IT. The exam covers the framework for the governance of enterprise IT, strategic management, benefits realization, risk optimization, and resource optimization.

Average Salary: $152,838

Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate

Microsoft Azure is a popular cloud services offering used by enterprises across every industry, and Microsoft offers several certifications to validate your skills and abilities working with Azure. The Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate certification is one of the more popular choices, with a focus on validating that you can administer an enterprise’s Azure environment. The exam covers topics including Azure identity and governance management, storage implementation and management, Azure compute resource deployment and management, and Azure resources monitoring and maintenance.

Average Salary: $148,849

Google Cloud – Associate Cloud Engineer

The Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer certification is designed for those responsible for deploying and managing enterprise solutions, and validates your ability to deploy applications, optimize infrastructure, and oversee the reliability and security of cloud-based platforms. The exam covers setting up a cloud solution environment, planning and configuring a cloud solution, deploying and implementing a cloud solution, ensuring successful operation of a cloud solution, and configuring access and security.

Average Salary: $146,533

Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)

Ethical hacker might sound like an oxymoron, but there are plenty of companies eager to hire security professionals who can help keep the company one step ahead of threatening hackers. Part of that is having a deep understanding of the tools, resources, and practices hackers lean on to exploit IT vulnerabilities. The CEH certification offers comprehensive training to help you start out as an ethical hacker. It covers the latest commercial-grade hacking tools, techniques, and methodologies employed by hackers so you understand what risks and vulnerabilities to keep an eye on when working in an organization.

Average Salary: $146,260

Certified Data Privacy Solutions Engineer (CDPSE)

The Certified Data Privacy Solutions Engineer (CDPSE) certification offered through the ISACA is designed to demonstrate you have the skills to navigate the increasing complexity of data privacy and security. It’s an experience-based technical certification that assesses your ability to implement privacy by design, resulting in privacy technology platforms and products that build trust and advance data privacy. To qualify for the exam, you need at least five years’ experience in privacy governance and architecture. But if you already hold a CISA, CRISC, CISM, CGEIT, or CSX-P certification, the two years of the experience requirement will be waived.

Average Salary: $146,033