ITCareerFinder examines salary data and hiring trends to uncover the top-paying IT certifications and why they demand a premium.

This article will be updated annually with the latest credentials and wages.

Do IT certifications really pay off? It depends.

According to the IT Skills and Certifications Pay Index published by analyst firm Foote Partners LLC, tech certifications continued their three-year plunge in value during the third quarter of 2021 and are now at their lowest point since early 2013.

However, there are still some IT certifications that employers are willing to pay extra for.

To ensure that you invest in the training and certifications that offer the highest return on investment, here are this year's highest-paying IT certifications.

• SANS/GIAC Security Expert (GSE)

  The GSE certification is the most prestigious and valuable credential, topping Foote Partners’ recent list of highest-paying certs. However, it’s also among the most difficult to earn.

  With companies everywhere looking for solutions to burgeoning cyber security issues, GSE's rigorous, hands-on exam, lab exam, and experience requirements – covering general security skills, incident handling, intrusion detection, and analysis – sets it apart and makes it particularly valuable for individual contributors said David Foote, Foote Partners’ chief analyst & CRO.

  In fact, employers are willing to pay high salaries and median cash bonuses or premiums equivalent to 13% of base salary to tech workers and leaders who get GSE certified.

  For example, according to Foote Partners’ 2022 IT Professional Salary Survey, the average total cash compensation (including premiums) for certified cyber security specialists is $108,703, while certified senior-level specialists earn $133,161. Meanwhile, PayScale reports that the average salary for GSE-certified information security analysts is $100,000 and $189,000 for penetration testers.

  Before you start spending that extra cash, note that the prerequisite baseline for the GSE is GSEC, GCIH, and GCIA, with two Gold certifications.

• GIAC Exploit Researcher and Advanced Penetration Tester (GXPN)

  Clearly, the demand for penetration testing skills and certifications will remain constant in the future, driven by regulation, compliance, and ongoing business risk, Foote said. That’s why employers are willing to pay median cash bonuses or premiums equivalent to 12% of base salary to professionals who attain the GXPN certification. Moreover, PayScale puts the average salary for GXPN certified IT pros at $107,000.

  The GXPN certifies that network and systems penetration testers, incident handlers, application developers, and IDS engineers have the knowledge, skills, and ability to conduct advanced penetration tests, model the behavior of attackers and improve security in the popular Windows and Linux environments.

  Applicants need to pass a 3-hour proctored exam to earn the highly valuable GXPN.

  Related: Best Pentesting Certifications

• GIAC Security Leadership (GSLC)

  For current information security managers, security professionals with leadership responsibilities, or IT pros looking to move into management, earning the GSLC certification can boost your career and help you score a median cash bonus equivalent to 12% of base salary. The 3-hour proctored exam covers management issues related to the overall security lifecycle, including governance and technical controls, incident response, staff, projects, application security, and more.

  Currently, managers of information security with the GSLC earn average total compensation of $147,080, while lead IT security specialists earn $152,143 and directors of information security earn $200,006 according to the 2022 IT Professional Salary Survey. PayScale puts the average salary at $111,000 with senior leaders earning close to $200,000.

  Best of all, applicants can qualify through a combination of practical work experience, IT training, college courses, or self-study.

• InfoSys Security Architecture Professional (ISSAP/CISSP)

  “With millions of people working from home and connecting to an organization’s internal network remotely, the role of security architect is more important than ever,” Foote said.

  Companies are having to “rearchitect everything” to increase security and reduce the risk of cyber-attacks and data breaches, he expanded.

  It’s no wonder that the CISSP with the architecture extension has increased in value. According to Foote, security architects can command premium pay equal to 12% of base salary and total cash compensation of $130,770, leaving little doubt that the ISSAP certification is a worthwhile investment for professionals who want to build on their expertise in information security architecture.

• InfoSys Security Engineering Professional (ISSEP/CISSP)

  If you have two or more years’ experience in engineering and already hold the CISSP, obtaining your ISSEP certification can lead to greater opportunities and higher wages. This in-demand cert has increased in value by 33% over the last six months and commands average pay premiums of 12% on top of average annual base salaries of $151,000, according to PayScale.

  To sit for the ISSEP examination, you must be a CISSP in good standing and have two years cumulative, paid work experience in one or more of the five domains of the CISSP-ISSEP CBK.

• Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)

  Most IT pros start their journey to ISSEP or ISSAP concentration by earning a valuable core security credential and prerequisite, the CISSP certification. This baseline, vendor-neutral cert – which covers 8 vital domains of information security – can benefit the careers of everyone in IT.

  To illustrate, PayScale lists some 350 job tiles under the CISSP with an average salary of $117,000. If you want to specialize in cyber security, The New York Times reports that there will be 3.5 million unfilled jobs globally by 2021, up from one million positions in 2014.

  Suffice to say, showing employers that you not only understand security concepts, principles, and tools but also the most pertinent issues around cyber security will greatly increase your power at the salary negotiation table.

• Six Sigma Master Black Belt

  Having a Six Sigma Master Black Belt certification signals to employers that you have the skills and knowledge to manage projects successfully, a passion for quality and process improvement, and the ability to lead and coach team members. In fact, because of its focus on improving profitability, many companies are actively recruiting Six Sigma Black Belts, and market demand is higher than ever.

  Speaking of profitability, the market value increase for Six Sigma Master Black Belt certification was 9.1% in the six months through July 1, 2021, and the average total compensation was listed at $169,170 in Foote Partners’ IT Salary Survey.

  Applicants are required to pass an exam, have a minimum of 4 years experience executing Six Sigma Projects in a Black Belt Capacity (or equivalent), and submit a project for review on a pass/fail basis.

• Certified Scrum Master

  Why is Scrum the most popular Agile framework for iterative software development? Because it’s easy to implement and it works. While product owners, project managers, developers, and also trainers and coaches can benefit from certification, the World Economic Forum ranked scrum master 6th in their list of product development jobs of tomorrow. And employment data firm Burning Glass predicts a 37.9-percent increase in demand for scrum masters over the next decade.

  What’s more, according to Foote Partners’ data, certified scrum master certification holders can command 11% in median pay premiums or bonuses above base salaries averaging $96,785.

• PMI Program Management Professional (PgMP)

  How does an experienced and successful project manager take their career to the next level? By becoming a program manager. However, even though program management is a well-paid next step, becoming proficient at managing multiple related projects is not easy.

  Earning PMI's Program Management Professional certification can help you move forward with confidence, demonstrate your competency to prospective employers and earn median pay premiums of 11% above base salaries that range up to $134,000. Plus, both high school and college grads can qualify by meeting the hands-on experience requirements and passing two evaluations.

• CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+)

  Data shows that earning CompTIA's intermediate-level CySA+ certification may help you earn more money and elevate your career no matter which role, area of specialization or industry you pursue. For example, InfoSec puts the national median salary for someone with CySA+ certification at $74,952 per year, but as high as $152,806 depending on your location and role.

  Plus, the hands-on, performance-based, and multiple-choice assessment is also approved by the U.S. Department of Defense to fulfill Directive 8570.01-M requirements. This means that earning the CySA+ certificate can help you qualify for sought-after jobs in the state and federal government.

  After validating that you have the skills, techniques, and knowledge to prevent, detect, and combat cyber security threats inside and outside of the organization, employers will reward you with bonuses or premium pay ranging from 8% to 13% of base salary according to Foote Partners.

• Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP)

  With Gartner forecasting that worldwide spending on public cloud services will grow 23.1% in 2021 to total $332.3 billion in the wake of the pandemic, earning the CCSP certification is a great way to show that you know how to secure critical assets in the cloud and earn median annual pay premiums of 11%, regardless of your level or position.

  Although PayScale puts the average salary for CCSP-certified pros at $118,000, the sky’s the limit. IT managers can earn base salaries of $185,000, while CTOs can rake in $250,000 and up.

  While the CCSP isn’t for newcomers, showing commitment to ongoing development can demonstrate your leadership potential to employers and lead to new and exciting career opportunities. Explore the best CCSP bootcamps to learn more about preparing for this lucrative certification.

Final Thoughts

While many IT certifications can enhance your resume and raise your market value, it’s clear that companies are most concerned about advanced persistent threats and protecting valuable data and information. Until supply catches up with demand, earning any one of these cyber security certifications can give you a competitive advantage and the best opportunity to earn high salaries, bonuses, and upward mobility.

Methodology

Our list of the top-paying IT certifications is based on data from the latest Foote Partners’ IT Skills and Certifications Pay Index and the firm’s IT Professional Salary Survey. The reports are based on compensation data provided by 3,805 private and public-sector employers in 83 American and Canadian cities who report pay for over 300,000 technology professionals in the U.S. and Canada.

ITCareerFinder analyzes key data points in technology, employment and livability to uncover the best cities for IT professionals to call home.

This page will be updated annually with the latest and greatest tech cities. Current year: 2023.

Many of the best computer jobs can now be accomplished remotely. This is a welcome change for many of us. For everyone else, choosing the right city to live, work and play in can be vital to happiness and success. This study merges key statistics on America's high-tech workforce with livability factors in over 150 cities to find the best places to live in - or relocate to - as an IT professional.

To determine the best cities for tech jobs, we analyzed key employment data like IT salaries, the number of jobs and the percentage of workforce in technical roles, as well as the leading indexes for cost of living and quality of life, because after all, once the 9-to-5 is over you still have to live there.

Jump down to the bottom of the page for the ranking methodology and source list, or read on for this year’s top 8 cities for IT professionals.

Here are the best cities for technology jobs and workers:

ITCareerFinder analyzes wages and hiring data to identify the highest-paying information technology jobs.

This article will be updated annually with the latest tech jobs and salaries. Current year: 2023.

Pay may not be everything, but it’s very important. How important? According to a workforce study by Indeed, 93% of tech workers cite pay and benefits as the most important factor when considering a new job.

What’s more, in a rapidly changing field like information technology, workers often need to reach into their own pockets to acquire new skills and maintain their marketability. In other words, to make money in tech, you need money to invest in professional development.

To help you maximize your income potential, here is a look at 12 of the highest-paying technology jobs, why they are so valuable to employers, and what you need to land a position.

These IT careers will score the biggest year-over-year pay bump from 2013 to 2014.

Technical staffing firm, Robert Half Technology, just released its 2014 Salary Guide, featuring historical and projected earnings for this year’s hottest IT job roles. The average raise for all IT professionals in 2014 is 5.6%, up slightly from 5.3% last year. Information technology wage hikes will once again trump all other employment sectors, which clock in at a 3.7% average raise.

Here are the IT jobs that will get the biggest raises in 2014:

The new IT Salary Guide from technical staffing leader Robert Half Technology indicates the IT professionals who will enjoy the biggest pay raises in 2013.

The information technology job market will experience a 5.3% uptick in starting IT salaries in 2013, dwarfing the 2.9% average raise for all American workers. A clear skills gap in high-demand positions is the driving factor in IT salary hikes; cutting-edge fields like mobile app development, wireless networking and big data analytics currently have more job openings than qualified professionals to fill them.

Android and iOS application developers will score the biggest raise from 2012 to 2013, with a 9% increase in starting salaries, followed closely by network engineers and data scientists.

Here are the 10 IT job roles getting the biggest pay hikes in 2013:

New workforce studies indicate the best computer majors by salary.

I'm always analyzing employment studies and talking with technology executives about the IT skills and certifications they’re looking for in new hires. In addition to experience and credentials, education is a key factor in landing your dream job. In this article we’re going back to school for a look at the best paying IT majors of study.

The January 2013 salary survey from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), which tracks college graduates’ job offers, and a recent Georgetown University study based on employment data from the U.S. Census Bureau, independently verified that Computer Science (CS), Computer Engineering (CE) and Computer Information Systems (CIS) graduates earn the highest starting salaries of all technology majors.

Here's a breakdown of the top 3 best paying IT majors:

In the rapidly shifting IT landscape, certifications are the most reliable tool employers have to validate your skills in the latest computer systems and IT job roles. These ten certifications will have the greatest impact on your salary in 2015 and beyond.

Technical training leader, Global Knowledge, and respected industry publication turned online community, Windows IT Pro, recently published their 2015 IT Skills & Salary Report -- featuring a comprehensive salary survey of more than 16,300 IT professionals -- giving us valuable insight as to just how much the leading IT certifications can increase your earnings.

Most remarkable this year is the dominance of information security credentials, sweeping the top three spots and representing half of 2015’s top 10 highest paying certifications. Certificates in network design and administration, as well as those that demonstrate knowledge on the business side of IT, in areas like project and service management, are also hot right now.

To reduce statistical anomalies, this list only includes certifications with at least 100 salary survey responses.

Here are this year’s highest paying technical certifications:

In addition to education requirements and marketplace demand, salary is a key factor in choosing your ideal IT career. These tech jobs have the greatest earning potential in 2014.

Finding a job you love that also pays the bills can prove a challenge in today’s economy. Luckily, those of us in the rapidly evolving IT space have a range of challenging and lucrative career paths to choose from. Most of the top paying tech careers for 2014 require years of schooling, but the expense of education will pay dividends upon joining the workforce. Unsurprisingly, many of this year’s top paying positions are in the C-suite – in addition to training, these careers demand an experienced technologist with high business acumen and a proven record of success.

IT staffing firm, Robert Half Technology, recently published its 2014 Salary Guide, featuring salary and employment trends for this year’s hottest job roles. Here we take a deeper look at the top 10 highest paying IT careers for 2014: