10 Highest Paying IT Certifications in 2024

Picture this: you are a working professional in a respectable organisation with a healthy work-life balance. However, you have a constant urge to upskill to get that hike you have been meaning to get. This calls for the time to get some credible online certifications done. If you are an IT working professional, regular upskilling is your secret sauce to success. Below, we will be discovering some of the highest paying IT certifications with all possible metrics that you might need to know about each course. 

Are IT Certifications Worth The Time And Effort?

The short answer is a big “YES.” In the aftermath of the pandemic, companies moved away from traditional hiring processes and handed out raises and promotions due to unstable and unforeseen economic uncertainty. Hence, professionals dedicated their time towards earning certifications to brush their existing skills and teach new and credible ones. 

According to Statista, a credible industry stats rendering platform, 87 percent of IT professionals worldwide hold at least one certification. More than 60 percent of U.S. companies that value the understanding and utilisation of technology consider IT certifications to be very valuable in their hiring process. Hence, these IT certifications help boost the credibility and marketability of related IT skills. Since we are quite confident that IT certifications hold a lot of worth in an individual's career growth, one must also be aware that these certifications take time, effort and often money. Below, we have handpicked some of the high paying IT certifications one must absolutely know. 

10 Highest Paying IT Certifications

Obtaining one of the highest paying IT certifications can be your pass to not only a high salary but also to some of the most creative and fascinating positions in the computer sector. Explore now to learn about the qualifications that can change your career path and put you on the path to greater success.

1. Google Cloud - Professional Data Engineer

Course Fees: $300
Prerequisites: 3 years of professional experience in related fields
Average Annual Salary: $193,621
Anticipated Job roles: Java Dev Google Cloud Practice Engineer, Cloud Data Engineer

Google Clould’s Professional Data Engineer certification is one of the top paying IT certifications that validates an individual’s ability to curate and guide data processing systems using Google Cloud. Through this, one can showcase their skills of being a specialised expert in handling and analysing vast datasets. These skill sets will also help the organisations to enhance operational efficiency, make data-driven decisions and encourage innovation. As one of the best paying IT certifications, candidates will have to appear for a $2000 examination that counters 50-60 questions; on passing, they will be awarded the certifications which will justify their newly earned expertise. 

2. Google Cloud - Professional Cloud Architect

Course Fees: $300
Prerequisites: 3 years of industry experience and one year of experience designing and managing solutions using Google Cloud
Average Annual Salary: $200,960
Anticipated Job roles: Cloud Architect, Google Data Architect, Cloud Engineer - Google Cloud Platform

The professional-level certification test for Google Cloud Platform (GCP) Certified Professional - Cloud Architect showcases a person's aptitude for designing, creating, and overseeing solutions on the platform. As one of the most lucrative IT certifications, It is meant for people who are well-versed in cloud computing principles and techniques and have worked with GCP. These kinds of factors have made cloud architects more and more essential for businesses of all kinds. As one of the highest paying IT certifications, examiners must pay a $200 charge and have two hours to finish the test. Professionals must recertify after two years of certification expiration. Testing is conducted from a testing centre or online.

3. PMP - Project Management Professionals

Course Fees: $300 
Prerequisites: Bachelor's degree, 36 months of experience leading projects and 35 hours of project management education
Average Annual Salary: $176,116
Anticipated Job roles: Project Manager, Engineering Project Manager, Project Director

The PMP—Project Management Professionals course is always ranked first among the most paid IT certifications. According to this year's IT Skills and Salary survey, just 14% of IT decision-makers believe their team has excellent skills in this area. In contrast, more than half of IT decision-makers rate their team's abilities as medium to low. According to PMI, in order to address the skills gap, 25 million project management professionals will be required by 2030. As one of the IT certifications that pay the most, obtaining the PMP accreditation demonstrates to consumers and companies that a person can provide high-quality services by skillfully planning and carrying out projects to a high degree. You must pass a 180-question exam in order to obtain this certification.

4. AWS Certified Security - Specialty

Course Fees: $300 
Prerequisites: Five years of experience in an IT security role, with two years of working knowledge securing AWS workloads
Average Annual Salary: $166,449
Anticipated Job roles: AWS Cloud Architect, Network Infrastructure Engineer, AWS Network Engineer

The AWS Certified Security—Specialty certification is one of the top paying IT certifications and can attest to one's capacity to handle challenging security situations properly and safeguard data in the AWS cloud. This certification demonstrates a person's ability to handle incident response, comprehend AWS security services, and manage security measures. It highlights a candidate's expertise in cloud security and attests to their knowledge and abilities in protecting AWS settings. Professionals who want to obtain these high paying IT certifications need to pass the test. The examination is $300 in price. Candidates have 170 minutes to do the 65 questions on it.

5. ISACA - (CISM) Certified Information Security Manager

Course Fees: $300
Prerequisites: Five years of professional work experience in the required domains
Average Annual Salary: $167,396
Anticipated Job roles: Technical specialists, Technical managers

The Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA) provides the Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) certification, one of the best paying IT certifications. It also evaluates the skills and knowledge needed to create and oversee a corporate information security programme. Protecting sensitive data from persistent threat actors is a critical issue for organisations, and cybersecurity is no exception. As one of the most paid IT certifications, one must appear for $575 for ISACA members and $760 for non-members' exams. 

6. Google Cloud Professional - Cloud Database Engineer

Course Fees: $300
Prerequisites: At least five years of database experience, two of which should be hands-on with its solutions
Average Annual Salary: $163,193
Anticipated Job roles: GCP Data Engineer, Assistant Manager-Google Cloud Platform Artificial Intelligence Modeller 

The Professional Cloud Database Engineer certification is one of the best paying IT certifications from Google Cloud. It is intended for individuals in charge of planning, overseeing, and debugging databases to guarantee scalable and reasonably priced solutions that satisfy both technical and business needs. The certification requires candidates to have skills such as designing databases, sprawling and migrating databases, and deploying databases. As one of the most lucrative IT certifications, the required exam costs $200 USD, lasts two hours, and ranges between 50 and 60 questions.
If you are in the UK and want to acquire some vital coding skills, check out our article on the best universities for computer science in the UK.

7. ISC2 - Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)

Course Fees: $300-$900
Prerequisites: Five or more years of work experience in two or more of the eight domains of the CISSP
Average Annual Salary: $156,699
Anticipated Job roles: Security consultants, Cybersecurity specialists, Security analysts

Like most paid IT certifications, the CISSP certification attests to a professional's ability to plan a cybersecurity programme. Obtaining it has been likened to receiving a master's degree in IT security. The certifications touch bases on aspects such as security and risk management, security operations and software development, assessment and testing. Talking about IT certifications that pay the most, one must first clear the exam, which is $749. You know you’re in the right career field when the estimations of its worth show greatly in future, Check the best majors for the future. 

8. ISACA - Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC)

Course Fees: $995
Prerequisites: Three or more years of experience in IT risk management and IS control
Average Annual Salary: $133,616 
Anticipated Job roles: IT Audit Risk Advisor, CIO, CISO, Technology Risk Analyst

Risk management is the main topic of ISACA's CRISC certification. One of the highest paying IT certifications, CRISC certification allows individuals to assist their organisations in identifying business risks and possess the technical know-how to establish, expand, and maintain information systems controls. The 150-question test covers information technology and security, governance, risk assessment, risk response, and reporting.

9. Microsoft Certified - Azure AI Fundamentals

Course Fees: $314.97
Prerequisites: Programming experience
Average Annual Salary: $126,517
Anticipated Job roles: AI Engineer, AI Solution Engineer, Technical Program Manager

Completing the Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals certification verifies a foundational grasp of machine learning, artificial intelligence, and Azure services. No wonder it is considered to be one of the highest paying IT certifications. The certification exam can be arranged in different languages using Pearson VUE or Certiport. The examination fee is $99.

10. AWS Certified Database - Specialty 

Course Fees: $300
Prerequisites: Five years of experience, with at least two hands-on working with AWS
Average Annual Salary: $98,633
Anticipated Job roles: Senior Database Administrator, Information Security Officer, AWS Administrator

The AWS Certified Database—Specialty credential validates a person's ability to plan, manage, and suggest the most appropriate database solutions depending on the company's demands. As one of the top paying IT certifications, those with prior expertise managing relational and non-relational databases on-premises and in the cloud are the most qualified for it. Ranking top on the list of most lucrative IT certifications, the exam is 180 minutes and costs $300. It consists of 65 questions, which can be either multiple-choice or multiple-response. 

IT is a fast-growing domain that offers some of the most lucrative career prospects. Additionally, IT certifications can open multiple doors that can lead to major career advancement. The listed high paying IT certifications will not only help in upskilling but also enhance your resume, boost credibility, and increase earning potential. These certifications have definitely helped thousands of employees, and you can be next!