The 15 highest paying certifications for 2021

With a salary of $ 171,749, the Google Certified Professional Data Engineer is the highest paying position in Skillsoft’s new annual edition. List of Global Knowledge’s 15 Highest Paid Certifications, which reveals the skills and technology areas most in demand for organizations, along with the average salaries associated with them.

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Cybersecurity and cloud certifications make up the bulk of the list for 2021, confirming how critical risk management has become for organizations today, the company said. Top-paying cloud computing certifications command salaries of over $ 150,000, according to Skillsoft.

The company said ITIL 4 Foundation is the most widely used certification.

“The technology is as powerful as the abilities of those trained to use it,” said Michael Yoo, general manager of technology and development skills at Skillsoft, in a statement. “With this in mind, certifications are a great way to inject vital skills into an organization, while increasing employee productivity and investing in continuing professional development.”

Data from Global Knowledge IT Skills and Salary Report confirms that more than three-quarters (76%) of IT decision-makers grapple with existing skills gaps, face challenges in recruiting and retaining talent, and face overwhelming workloads, according to Skillsoft. These issues can put organizations at significant risk, underscoring the importance of certifications as they help companies fill gaps in organizational skills and increase productivity, the company said.

“Cyber ​​security hacks and technology-related failures have become more common, and both can have a huge impact on an organization’s bottom line,” Yoo continued. “Pair such risks with the high rate of skills gaps and growing talent wars, and you can clearly see why organizations are willing to pay higher salaries to skilled IT professionals who can protect them. . ”

Computer certification is one of the best ways to validate your knowledge, skills and abilities in a field, Skillsoft said. Learning new skills or obtaining a certification can result in an increase of up to $ 12,000 per year, according to the Global Knowledge report.

However, Skillsoft added that it is important to note that salaries are based on several factors, including the ability to apply a person’s certified skills on the job, their role, continuing professional development, tenure and hard work. relentless.

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The list also provides an overview of the average certification holder for each title, including the average number of certifications held, the most popular cross-certification, if they hold any cybersecurity related certifications, if they are in management and their middle age, the company said.

The highest paying certifications

1. Google Certified Professional Data Engineer— $ 171,749
2. Google Certified Professional Cloud Architect– $ 169,029
3. AWS Certified Solutions Architect — Partner– $ 159,033
4. CRISC — Certified in Risk Control and Information Systems— $ 151,995
5. CISSP — Certified Information Systems Security Professional– $ 151,853
6. CISM — Certified Information Security Manager– $ 149,246
7. PMP — Project Management Professional– $ 148,906
8. NCP-MCI — Nutanix Certified Professional — Multicloud Infrastructure— $ 142,810
9. CISA — Certified Information Systems Auditor– $ 134,460
10. VCP-DVC — VMware Certified Professional – Data Center Virtualization 2020– $ 132,947
11. MCSE: Windows Server– $ 125,980
12. Microsoft Certified: Associate Azure Administrator– $ 121,420
13. CCNP Enterprise — Cisco Certified Network Professional — Enterprise— $ 118,911
14. CCA-V — Citrix Certified Associate — Virtualization– $ 115,308
15. Safety +— $ 110,974

The Skillsoft list certifications are accredited by industry leaders including AWS, Cisco, Google Cloud, ISACA and Microsoft, the company said.

The Top 15 Paid Certifications list uses data from more than 3,700 U.S. IT professionals who participated in Global Knowledge’s Computer Skills and Salary Survey, an annual survey of tech professionals. and IT decision makers, Skillsoft said.

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