The Most Valuable IT Certifications to Boost Your Salary in 2025

Looking to advance in your IT career and boost your earning potential in 2025? Earning the right IT certifications can significantly elevate your career. The right credentials enhance your skills, help you stand out in a competitive job market, secure promotions, and increase your salary. In fact, IT leaders report that certified professionals contribute an additional $30,000 annually to their organizations, according to Skillsoft’s IT Skills and Salary report. With cybersecurity and cloud technologies continuing to dominate the industry, certifications in these areas are among the highest-paying and most in-demand.

Here’s a breakdown of the top 20 IT certifications for 2025 based on Skillsoft’s survey of over 2,000 professionals.

source: https://www.cio.com/article/286762/careers-staffing-12-it-certifications-that-deliver-career-advancement.html?amp=1

report: https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/skillsoft.com/prod/resources/Skillsoft-IT-Skills-and-Salary-Report-2023.pdf

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)

Cybersecurity Certifications from above:

1. AWS Certified Security — Specialty
2. Certified Cloud Security Professional averages (CCSP)
3. Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) — Security
4. Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
5. Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC)
6. Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)
7. Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)
8. Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
9. Certified Data Privacy Solutions Engineer (CDPSE)

1. AWS Certified Security — Specialty

Amazon Web Services (AWS) offers this certification to validate expertise in securing workloads and data in the AWS cloud. The certification is ideal for security professionals with at least two years of hands-on experience securing AWS workloads and five years of IT security experience. The exam tests knowledge of AWS security services, data encryption, security controls, threat models, and disaster recovery.
Average Salary: $203,597

2. Google Cloud — Professional Cloud Architect

This certification is designed for professionals who work with Google Cloud technologies to design, develop, and manage scalable and secure business solutions. It tests skills in cloud architecture, security, compliance, and process optimization. The certification is valid for two years, and professionals must recertify to maintain their status.
Average Salary: $190,204

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

Nutanix offers this certification to validate the skills required to deploy, manage, and optimize Nutanix AOS in a multicloud infrastructure. The exam covers cloud concepts, networking, virtual machine management, distributed storage fabric, and lifecycle operations.
Average Salary: $175,409

4. Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP)

Offered by (ISC)², the CCSP certification is perfect for professionals involved in cloud security, such as security administrators and systems architects. The certification exam covers cloud concepts, design, security, risk management, and compliance. Having five years of IT experience and at least three years in information security is recommended.
Average Salary: $171,524

5. Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) — Security

CCNP Security certification validates the skills necessary for network security professionals working with Cisco security products. The exam includes core topics in security infrastructure, firewalls, VPNs, and cloud access. Custom concentrations allow for specialized learning in areas such as email security, VPNs, and automated security solutions.
Average Salary: $168,159

6. Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)

Offered by (ISC)², CISSP is one of the most respected certifications for IT security professionals. It covers areas such as risk management, asset security, identity management, and security architecture. A minimum of five years’ work experience in two or more of the eight CISSP domains is required.
Average Salary: $168,060

7. Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) Enterprise Infrastructure

This prestigious certification is aimed at professionals who want to prove their ability to work with enterprise networks. It requires passing two exams: one covering enterprise network core technologies, and another that tests skills in network planning, design, and operation.
Average Salary: $166,524

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

CRISC certification validates skills in building agile risk management programs. It’s intended for IT professionals working in audit, risk, and security. The exam tests knowledge in governance, IT risk assessment, and risk reporting.
Average Salary: $165,890

9. AWS Certified Developer — Associate

This certification is ideal for developers with at least a year of experience in creating and maintaining AWS-based applications. The exam tests proficiency in programming languages, AWS services, application lifecycle management, and serverless applications.
Average Salary: $165,171

10. Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP)

The CIPP certification is offered by the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) and focuses on data privacy laws and regulations. Certifications are offered for jurisdictions like European Data Protection, U.S. privacy laws, and more.
Average Salary: $161,439

11. Microsoft 365 Certified: Administrator Expert

This certification is for professionals managing Microsoft 365 environments. The exam covers deployment, security, compliance, and access management using Microsoft Defender XDR and Microsoft Purview.
Average Salary: $160,044

12. Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)

CISM is designed for IT managers and security professionals looking to validate their expertise in information security management. The exam covers topics like security governance, risk management, program development, and incident management.
Average Salary: $157,189

13. Certified Information Privacy Manager (CIPM)

CIPM certification, also offered by IAPP, focuses on enterprise data privacy management. The exam covers privacy program strategy, law alignment, privacy by design, and incident response.
Average Salary: $155,976

14. AWS Certified Solutions Architect — Associate

This entry-level certification is intended for solutions architects who design scalable, resilient, and cost-effective AWS systems. The exam covers architecture best practices, security, and programming basics.
Average Salary: $155,599

15. Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)

The CISA certification is widely recognized for its focus on IS audit control. It validates skills in reporting compliance, vulnerability assessment, and auditing processes. Candidates must have at least five years of auditing experience.
Average Salary: $155,362

16. Certified in the Governance of Enterprise IT (CGEIT)

CGEIT certification demonstrates expertise in IT governance and risk management. It’s for professionals overseeing IT governance within large organizations. The exam covers strategic management, risk optimization, and resource management.
Average Salary: $152,838

17. Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate

This certification is aimed at professionals responsible for managing Azure environments. The exam covers topics like identity management, storage, compute resources, and monitoring.
Average Salary: $148,849

18. Google Cloud — Associate Cloud Engineer

This certification is for those responsible for deploying and managing cloud solutions on Google Cloud. The exam tests skills in setting up cloud environments, implementing solutions, and ensuring their security.
Average Salary: $146,533

19. Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)

The Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), the world's no.1 ethical hacking certification for 20 years, is one of the most sought-after qualifications for cybersecurity professionals specializing in ethical hacking and penetration testing. The EC-Council offers the CEH certifying individuals’ abilities to understand and apply ethical hacking techniques to identify vulnerabilities within an organization’s network, systems, and infrastructure.

In today’s fast-evolving cybersecurity landscape, artificial intelligence (AI) is critical in advancing ethical hacking practices. AI tools are now used extensively to enhance the effectiveness of ethical hacking efforts, automating repetitive tasks and enabling faster and more accurate vulnerability detection. The integration of AI into ethical hacking is revolutionizing how hackers and security experts approach threat analysis, penetration testing, and incident response.

CEH AI: World’s only ethical hacking certification with AI integration

The CEH certification integrates these advancements in AI by incorporating emerging trends and tools into its curriculum. CEH professionals are now expected to understand how both malicious and ethical hackers use AI. This knowledge allows them to leverage AI tools during penetration testing and to combat AI-powered attacks.

With the rise of AI in cybersecurity, ethical hackers must adapt to the changing landscape. The CEH program’s evolving focus on AI will ensure that certified professionals are equipped to handle these new challenges and are prepared to defend against attacks leveraging AI techniques.

By combining traditional ethical hacking methodologies with AI-enhanced tools and strategies, CEH-certified professionals are well-positioned to stay ahead of evolving threats in the ever-changing field of cybersecurity.

The salary for a Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) professional is highly competitive, with those proficient in AI and automation tools seeing even more lucrative opportunities due to the increasing demand for cybersecurity expertise in this space. As organizations continue to integrate AI into their operations, the need for ethical hackers who can navigate both traditional and AI-driven threats will only continue to rise.
Average Salary: $146,260

20. Certified Data Privacy Solutions Engineer (CDPSE)

This ISACA certification focuses on privacy governance and implementing privacy technology platforms. It’s ideal for those with expertise in privacy architecture. Candidates must have at least five years of experience in privacy governance.
Average Salary: $146,033

Earning certifications in these areas will boost your technical proficiency and enhance your earning potential in the competitive IT landscape. Whether you’re interested in cloud security, network management, or privacy solutions, these certifications offer an excellent opportunity to advance your career and significantly increase your salary in 2025.